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New tank algae problem
- Thread starter jonny.j
- Start date
xim
Member
- Joined
- 19 Mar 2010
- Messages
- 498
4 weeks, right in the period of algae outbreak in a new tank. That looks like diatom.
I would get algae eaters in.
http://tropica.com/en/guide/algal-control/
Get enough of them so that the grazing pressure is higher than the algae's propagation rate.
I would get algae eaters in.
http://tropica.com/en/guide/algal-control/
Get enough of them so that the grazing pressure is higher than the algae's propagation rate.
jonny.j
Member
thanks buddy" is this the only way to stop Diatom? only ask because algae eaters may be a problem in my tank because of my stock being predators!
Dr Mike Oxgreen
Member
What size tank? What type and wattage of lighting? How long is the photo period? What filter? What CO2? What fertilisation regime?
jonny.j
Member
Hi mike my tank is 7ft 2ft 2ft and around 200gallons" iv got 2 kessil 160we tuna sun spot lights and x2 48 inch t5 lights! juwel daylight/nature lights! iv 2 external tetratec 1200 filters! im not running co"2 on system"
ferts I use are EI dry mix! I use half dose that says on EI dosing card"" 80ml x3 times a week" micro/macro! I also use seachem exel for carbon! 3 caps 15ml every other day!
my t5 tubes come on at 08.00 morning and go out at 21.30 night" my 2 kessil 160 spots are put on at 10"o clock morning" turned of at 20.00 8 at night"
Dr Mike Oxgreen
Member
I think I can offer some advice based on my recent experience with my nano tank.
Your algae looks like brown diatoms. My 25 litre nano tank (just a tiny bit smaller than yours!) also went through a period of brown diatoms, although mine was more of a 'cotton wool' type algae. The advice I received was to reduce my light period (from 10 hours down to 6 hours) and I also stopped dosing ammonia (I thought it was necessary to keep my filter bacteria alive because there were no fish at that time). I continued with 50% water changes every 2 or 3 days and increased my CO2 level (although obviously I had to reduce it again once I put fish in).
Several people said that my tank would mature and the brown algae would go away, and they were right. Now, just a few weeks later, the brown cotton wool algae has decided to pack its bags and leave. There's not a trace of it anywhere. In fact I haven't really got any algae at all, apart from one or two tiny bits of green spot algae, which I think is probably normal. So the advice I received was good - I recommend you do the same sort of things that I did.
Your lighting period is also very long. I would reduce to about 6 hours, like I did. You can increase the period gradually once your plants start to get more established. I would also do 50% water changes every 2 or 3 days, like I did. This will help to eliminate any small ammonia spikes you might be getting - even if your test kit is showing zero, there might be some ammonia that the algae is making use of. Continue with the carbon dosing and the fertiliser dosing - that won't do any harm and might help to reduce the algae.
Once your plants are established, and if your tank is heavily planted, you might consider increasing to full EI dosage eventually. I am not dosing EI, but I am using TNC Complete and following the advice to dose three times a week to give an approximation of EI. Actually I'm adding a 50% dose every day, which I find easier to remember and will give a more even level of nutrient. Since I started doing this, I certainly haven't seen an increase in algae - it has actually reduced.
The type of algae you've got is just the right sort for various algae-eating fish to eat. You could try adding some otocinclus, and they will clean it up. They'll probably need feeding on algae wafers once they've got rid of the algae though.
Your algae looks like brown diatoms. My 25 litre nano tank (just a tiny bit smaller than yours!) also went through a period of brown diatoms, although mine was more of a 'cotton wool' type algae. The advice I received was to reduce my light period (from 10 hours down to 6 hours) and I also stopped dosing ammonia (I thought it was necessary to keep my filter bacteria alive because there were no fish at that time). I continued with 50% water changes every 2 or 3 days and increased my CO2 level (although obviously I had to reduce it again once I put fish in).
Several people said that my tank would mature and the brown algae would go away, and they were right. Now, just a few weeks later, the brown cotton wool algae has decided to pack its bags and leave. There's not a trace of it anywhere. In fact I haven't really got any algae at all, apart from one or two tiny bits of green spot algae, which I think is probably normal. So the advice I received was good - I recommend you do the same sort of things that I did.
Your lighting period is also very long. I would reduce to about 6 hours, like I did. You can increase the period gradually once your plants start to get more established. I would also do 50% water changes every 2 or 3 days, like I did. This will help to eliminate any small ammonia spikes you might be getting - even if your test kit is showing zero, there might be some ammonia that the algae is making use of. Continue with the carbon dosing and the fertiliser dosing - that won't do any harm and might help to reduce the algae.
Once your plants are established, and if your tank is heavily planted, you might consider increasing to full EI dosage eventually. I am not dosing EI, but I am using TNC Complete and following the advice to dose three times a week to give an approximation of EI. Actually I'm adding a 50% dose every day, which I find easier to remember and will give a more even level of nutrient. Since I started doing this, I certainly haven't seen an increase in algae - it has actually reduced.
The type of algae you've got is just the right sort for various algae-eating fish to eat. You could try adding some otocinclus, and they will clean it up. They'll probably need feeding on algae wafers once they've got rid of the algae though.
PARAGUAY
Member
You could increase or add some floating plants it's a large tank and knowning little about Kessil I might be wrong here but I think they are high lighting so floaters may help and as Dr Mike says reduce your photoperiod. Algae eaters, I have a SAE in my 3ft and its invaluable in rasping bio film off leaves (before algae starts) and has been OK with my small tetras
PARAGUAY
Member
Oh missed that you have aggressive fish check suitability of any compatable algae eaters
jonny.j
Member
Thanks mike" will reduce my lighting for shure! should I take the 2 x 48inch t5 tubes of tank and just use the 2 spot lights? or just reduce time on them and spots!
And by doing 50% water changes every 2-3 days" wont this defeat the point in dosing the ferts if your taking them all out with regular water changes!
Thinking will have a job finding a algae eating fish big enough not to get eaten by my 10-15 inch bass"
And by doing 50% water changes every 2-3 days" wont this defeat the point in dosing the ferts if your taking them all out with regular water changes!
Thinking will have a job finding a algae eating fish big enough not to get eaten by my 10-15 inch bass"
Pull the big fish out
Get plants established ie through these new set up algaes & thriving submerse growth (most plants are grown emerse & then transition in your tank) - you've provided lots of light but no CO2, depending on your tap water parameters non-CO2 tanks can run very well but you need to be careful of over-lighting (as CO2 requirement increases)
Run Kessils at 25% (guess! to start)
Leave T5's off BUT rather depends on your plant arrangement & types & hardscape - you may need the additional tubes for light to shaded/dim areas (two A360 Kessils would've been a better choice re coverage on this tank length but understand budget etc - just looked & A360's have jumped a LOT in price relative to the A160)
If you do daily water changes, it's easy to add back the daily fertilizer dose - increased frequency of large (50 - 60%) water changes almost always help deal with algaes
Adult SAE may work with your basses (depending on how driven they are), many people keep large plecos' (easily reach 12 - 18 inch) as they'll keep glass & hardscape clean ... not sure how this would work with the small (& tender) leaf plants in the set up; research which plecos would do best re size & diet
Big fish produce big waste so you may always battle algae more than similar setup with smaller fishes - daily (auto?) water changes will help
If you can't sort any algae crew, the jobs on you 😉 - that diatom algae should brush off with gentle "rubbing"
The L repens looks to be doing OK, worst is on the swords as these are all emerse leaves that are expected to die back with new leaf formation (Tropica video shows aggressive removal of these emerse leave when planting, same for Cryptocorynes) ... sorry don't recall what plants you've added
Some full tank shots may help with getting more useful suggestions
This sort of tank is very challenging!
Get plants established ie through these new set up algaes & thriving submerse growth (most plants are grown emerse & then transition in your tank) - you've provided lots of light but no CO2, depending on your tap water parameters non-CO2 tanks can run very well but you need to be careful of over-lighting (as CO2 requirement increases)
Run Kessils at 25% (guess! to start)
Leave T5's off BUT rather depends on your plant arrangement & types & hardscape - you may need the additional tubes for light to shaded/dim areas (two A360 Kessils would've been a better choice re coverage on this tank length but understand budget etc - just looked & A360's have jumped a LOT in price relative to the A160)
If you do daily water changes, it's easy to add back the daily fertilizer dose - increased frequency of large (50 - 60%) water changes almost always help deal with algaes
Adult SAE may work with your basses (depending on how driven they are), many people keep large plecos' (easily reach 12 - 18 inch) as they'll keep glass & hardscape clean ... not sure how this would work with the small (& tender) leaf plants in the set up; research which plecos would do best re size & diet
Big fish produce big waste so you may always battle algae more than similar setup with smaller fishes - daily (auto?) water changes will help
If you can't sort any algae crew, the jobs on you 😉 - that diatom algae should brush off with gentle "rubbing"
The L repens looks to be doing OK, worst is on the swords as these are all emerse leaves that are expected to die back with new leaf formation (Tropica video shows aggressive removal of these emerse leave when planting, same for Cryptocorynes) ... sorry don't recall what plants you've added
Some full tank shots may help with getting more useful suggestions
This sort of tank is very challenging!
jonny.j
Member
Thanks for your info alto" yes have reduced lighting time to 6 hours from 12 hours! Also running the kessils not full power! iv done a 50% water change on Friday and will do another 50% Tuesday and Friday to see if helps algae" Do I dose for 50% 80 gallons after each water change?
Also thinking of getting a co"2 system next week" just got to find a big enough bottle and who re-fills in westmidlands!
That diatom algae iv rubbed off the leaves of my echinorus argentinesis and anubias but little harder on the hygrophila and sagittaria subulata
Becouse iv got high fish waste from big fish" do I nead to dose ferts ? and only my carbon in seachem exel for carbon"
few pics
Also thinking of getting a co"2 system next week" just got to find a big enough bottle and who re-fills in westmidlands!
That diatom algae iv rubbed off the leaves of my echinorus argentinesis and anubias but little harder on the hygrophila and sagittaria subulata
Becouse iv got high fish waste from big fish" do I nead to dose ferts ? and only my carbon in seachem exel for carbon"
few pics
