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Juwel Helilux 920 - Algae Problems

kellyboy47

Member
Joined
9 Mar 2008
Messages
254
Location
Margate
Hi,

Hope someone can help.

I have a Juwel Helialux 920 LED light unit with the optional controller and am having horrendous problems with brown algae noticeably on my Anubias. If anyone has one of these Helialux units with the optional controller please could you let me know what lighting period settings you use as getting to the end of my tether with this issue. I will add photos asap

Thanks
Trev
 
How old is the tank, how is maintenance, what ferts, what times for light, CO2 or not, substrate?????

Sorry for delay in replying.

The tank is a Juwel Vision 180 and I have had it for 13 years. I change the water every week (40l). I use macro / micro ferts on alternate days with a days rest. I use Easycarbo instead of CO2 pumped, substrate is gravel.

Lighting times on Juwel Controller if this makes any sense:
P10200471.jpg


Dawn interval 07:00 to 08:00 White intensity 5% Blue intensity 60%
Sunrise interval 09:00 to 15:00 White intensity 5% Blue intensity 40%
Sunset interval 17:00 to 20:00 White intensity 20% Blue intensity 30%
Dusk interval 20:00 to 23:00 White intensity 0% Blue intensity 30%
 
Looks like to much light for your carbon.
Clean and rub leaves as much as possible (before the waterchange) and reduce the light to 5 hours ( something like 30% white only).
I would up the waterchanges to 2 times a week ( want to do at least 50% weekly).
Do this for 4-6 weeks and report back.
 
Lighting times on Juwel Controller if this makes any sense:

Dawn interval 07:00 to 08:00 White intensity 5% Blue intensity 60%
Sunrise interval 09:00 to 15:00 White intensity 5% Blue intensity 40%
Sunset interval 17:00 to 20:00 White intensity 20% Blue intensity 30%
Dusk interval 20:00 to 23:00 White intensity 0% Blue intensity 30%

I have the helialux lights on my Rio 180 that is run low tech. I run mine
Dawn: 06:00 to 07:00 (white: 0% blue: 60%)
Sunrise: 11:30 to 12:00 (white: 70% blue: 70%)
Sunset: 19:45 to 20:15 (white: 0% blue: 70%)
Dusk: 22:00 to 22:30 (white: 0% blue: 0%)

I have no real algae issues but that said I have a thick blanket of frogbit at the surface blocking a lot of the light.

Do you really mean 5% white at sunrise? That seems very little but the algae looks like too much...
 
I have similar issues using the Helialux to the point it feels like I'm constantly fighting the diatom bloom. I have just.ordered a Helialux Spectrum and hopefully that is easier to control. Your lighting is like mine. Dark with a blue hue all through the day then comes on in the evening for 6hours or so. Plants grow slowly and I also EI dose.

It may be the EI dosing.

I do the weekly waterchage once a week as specified by the EI dosing method I have.
 
Hi all,
Ramshorn Snails should eat it.
It may be the EI dosing.
If you aren't adding CO2, you don't need to add as many nutrients, even with the liquid carbon source. Do you have a TDS (conductivity meter)?
Do the new leaves on the other plants look pale? If they do, It might be lack of <"plant available iron">.
I have a thick blanket of frogbit at the surface blocking a lot of the light.
Have a look at @jameson_uk 's thread <"Duckweed Index says.....">, it explains how you can use Amazon Frogbit (Limnobium laevigatum) as both a <"Net curtain"> and a <"diagnostic tool for nutrient deficiency">.

We can't tell with the <"Anubias barteri"> whether it is <"light intensity"> or nutrient deficiency that has caused the leaf yellowing. A floating plant takes light and carbon out of the equation.

cheers Darrel
 
I have similar issues using the Helialux to the point it feels like I'm constantly fighting the diatom bloom. I have just.ordered a Helialux Spectrum and hopefully that is easier to control. Your lighting is like mine. Dark with a blue hue all through the day then comes on in the evening for 6hours or so. Plants grow slowly and I also EI dose.

It may be the EI dosing.

I do the weekly waterchage once a week as specified by the EI dosing method I have.

I've have just looked at the prices for the Helialux Spectrum and they are very expensive and then I assume you would have to buy the SmartControl on top of that ? What size tank have you got and when you do a water change how much do you replace ? What EI ferts do you use out of interest ?
 
I've have just looked at the prices for the Helialux Spectrum and they are very expensive and then I assume you would have to buy the SmartControl on top of that ? What size tank have you got and when you do a water change how much do you replace ? What EI ferts do you use out of interest ?
Yes controller is also required so I've had to buy the new model light and controller. Now selling my Helialux 1000 on eBay as well as it's Day/Night controller. Much prefer this newer model as controlling it from your mobile is a breeze.

I recently gutted the tank and removed a lot of rock just incase this was causing a silicates issue. Since I have not had the bloom the same and I'm currently doing water change every 2-3 days at around 40-50%. Water is then great using Prime.

I'm currently not EI dosing and just dosing Seachem Flourish which I had about 250ml left of a bottle. Tank is clean and fish seem happy and plants are growing albeit slowly.

I have Valli's and it never throws shoots out yet I have to trim a few feet of growth off it every few weeks.

Tank is the Juwel Rio 180.

Sent from my Mi 9T using Tapatalk
 
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