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Still have algae...too much light still?

I have got my diy spraybar out of storage ready to go. The holes are not very straight although I have another "blank" I am having immense trouble getting a straight line for the holes :-S never was any good and diy 😉
 
Bertie said:
At the moment the doctors are trying to work out how I received so many injuries just sitting chatting to my wife.
Click to expand...

:lol:
Perhaps politley suggest that you wont notice the spraybar so much when there is a vibrant palette of green and red foliage to distract the eye 🙂
Are you still carrying out multiple water changes whilst fighting the algae?.....still closing the blinds?, still running only 1 light tube?
You seem very commited to solving the problem Bertie, keep going mate, youll crack it :thumbup:
Good luck Bertie.
 
Thanks Ady yes all of the above....I am trying my hardest as the other alternative I fear is splashing out for a Luminaire for slightly more control of the lighting and if I bought one and it did not work I fear I would have an "extended stay in hospital" 😉
 
Well, I have now put the spraybar along the back wall, with much mutterings from the wife.
I told her she would have to put up with it or I would withhold certain rights!! Now I do not know whether she sighed with horror or gratefulness. 😉
I will give this 4 or 5 weeks and then if it makes a difference I will get some acrylic.
 
I would like to thank Clive for convincing my wife to allow me to put the spraybar on the rear of the tank.
She did see the funny side 🙂
Just wait now to see if it works ok!!
 
Kindly extend our gratitude for her cooperation.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, our hero's next task is to ensure smooth even flow across the long axis of the tank. Hopefully, the flow rate is the sufficient 10X tank volume per hour? Have a look at the videos in the thread Eheim 2260 - Custom Intake & Spray Bar | UK Aquatic Plant Society

Also, remind us again, how are you dissolving the gas? Is it via inline device? Have you performed the pH checks throughout the day?

Cheers,
 
Hi Clive,
Thanks again. I am dissolving the co2 via up inline atomizer and I had grandchildren visit for most of the day but will continue with ph readings as from tomorrow.
The flow "appears" to be smooth and even and I am using a eheim pro 3 and three equal distant (just under the spraybar) nuwave 1.6 circ pumps, also facing the front glass.
 
Bertie said:
I do not know whether Rainbow fish have less tolerance of co2 than other fish but they are the ones that it seems to affect more.
Click to expand...
They do indeed have a smaller CO2 tolerance as I found when I had them, the solution for me was to top up with liquid carbon and that resolved the issue.
 
Ah right thanks Paulo,
Since I moved the spray bar along the back of the tank and managed to get more surface movement I have been able to up my co2 without them showing any distress.
At the moment they seem to be tolerating it a lot better and will up it slightly again tomorrow. The dwarf and parkinsons rainbows were affected mostly but they seem ok with it now I have more surface movement.
 
Well it has been 8 days since I moved the spraybar along the back wall.
I have had to increase the co2 quite a lot which I think is due to the substantially increased surface movement.
I have lost two fish during my tweaking of the co2, probably due to stress, I need to tweak it a bit more but will wait a few days.
The algae is showing no sign of disappearing any time soon.
As a lot of the plants appear quite "messy" now, I am even thinking about removing all plants and re-planting with new ones, but that would be throwing good money after bad unless I can solve these problems. I keep removing leaves but I am reducing my plant structure bit by bit and soon I fear there will not be much left.
My wife, says she cannot see anything wrong with the tank, but she does sit quite a bit further away, and she is looking without her glasses on! 😉 I could do that but all I would see is a big blurry square shaped blob. 😉
I am now concerned that I may "tweak" the co2 too much and finish off the fish as well. They are not showing signs of distress just yet, but they are higher in the water this morning.
I will just keep trying till I beat this nonsense!
 
Hi Clive,
Sorry I forgot about them doh!!😳 😳 So much going on at the moment.
I will take some readings during the day tomorrow and post them here tomorrow evening.
 
Hi,
Here are my PH readings.
I must make clear that the 7ph readings could be 6.8 as I am finding it difficult to tell the two colours apart and I have ordered a ph pen which will be here in the next day or so.
10am..........ph 7.8
11am 1 hr after CO2 switched on.......7.2
12pm Lights on....................................7 or 6.8
1pm......................................................7 or 6.8
2pm......................................................7 or 6.8
3pm......................................................7 or 6.8
4pm......................................................7 or 6.8
5pm CO2 switched off.........................7 or 6.8
 
Hi Bertie,
OK, thanks for the data. That looks good unless your KH is low. If your KH is less than about 4-5 then you'd want to drive the pH dow some more with a slight injection increase. The Pen is a good idea. It really should be standard equipment. You should always make very minor changes to the injection rate when you make the adjustments. A degree or two is the best as it will minimize the stress

If you have the spraybar now mounted across the back, and if you are following the 10X rule then you should be OK. It takes a few weeks to get improvements. Would be nice to see a photo of the installation if possible...

Cheers,
 
Hi Clive,
Thanks for that. I am posting a photo but please excuse the naff background (put it there when I never intended to have plants) but cannot remove it until I can move the tank.
At the moment the plants are diminished and look a mess, but here is the photo
.39SUPH0.jpg
 
Hmmmm...I'm gonna have to agree with the wife on this one mate, those plants look pretty nice to me.

You know, we've issued 2 week bans for people who show backgrounds like that. Could you just reverse the paper so we see the blank side of the paper instead of...is that Count Dracula's castle on the left? Creepy.....

Try moving the two outboard pumps a little closer to the center. For example, the one on the left can be placed just the other side of the heater tube. The reason is that the flow pattern from the pump is conical, so as it spreads out you get interference from the side walls of the tank. Play with that distance and look at the leaves to see if the sway in the breeze a bit more.

Cheers,
 
Bertie....looks as though you have new growth on some of those plants.
Most plants we purchase are in the emmersed grown form.
So it does take time for some plants to transform to its new underwater environment.... remove leaves that are struggling to change.
Top stem plants and replant the new growth...discard the bottom.
Remove Cryptocoryne leaves that are damaged or unsightly....they will have new leaves in a few weeks time.
hoggie
 
Bertie it looks like you are winning the battle. I wouldn't rip those plants out, just do what Hoggie says and what you have been doing.
 
Hi All,
Thanks for all your help and encouragement. It may look messy to me, as I do sit right next to the tank,in fact I can touch it from my chair quite easily.
My wife says that if I do not look at it I will not notice 😉 and does not know why I am moaning.
I will move the pumps Clive thanks for the advice.
Maybe I am being impatient and just want everything to be "spot on" to soon.
 
That's a boat load of current.

Havign been to where Rainbows are from, I would likely place all the flow on one end of the tank, hide the equipment with driftwood or rock, or some plants in the front field a view, this or a circular flow pattern would suit them very well.
They like good high flow, but low pressure(same deal with reef flow patterns). I'd add more Crypts. They would do well and fill in the bare spots.
 
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