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Still have algae...too much light still?

Bertie

Member
Joined
18 Apr 2013
Messages
489
Hi,
I am still getting some algae, even though I have had one tube blocked for 2 1/2 weeks. I am not getting massive amounts but it does make some plants look a bit messy...mainly the Echinodorus.

I have a Rio 180 with Eheim Pro 3 250 and two NuWave 1.6 powerheads running both at 3/4 speed (approx 1200lph each) 2 T5 45w colour tubes, with one tube blocked off and on for 6hrs per day.

CO2 is on 2hrs 20mins before lights on and off 2hrs before lights off.
I am using a UP Inline Atomizer and watching the bubbles, the co2 bubbles are definitely reaching everywhere.

My ph readings today are; 7.6 1 hour before co2 on.
7.2 1 hour after co2 comes on.
6.8 At lights on.
6.8 1 hour after lights on
6.8 2 hours after lights on
6.8 3 hours after lights on
6.8 At lights off.
My tank IS near a window (Only place for it) but does not get direct sunlight but it does receive a fair amount of ambient light. Starting this morning I am pulling the blinds down (slatted blinds) until lights on to see if that will make a difference.

The only other thing I can think of is changing over to an overtank system where I can actually switch one light off and also with lower kw tubes and more distance between tank and lights?

I certainly cannot up the co2 more as my fish have certainly had enough by lights off

Any thoughts please?
 
I can't work that out either. Is it a brown coating? Does it wipe off? If so then it's most likely diatoms. Try a 3 day blackout if that's the case.

Cheers,
 
Hi Clive,
It is brown yes but it does not wipe off at all?? I forgot to mention that I dose EI and am dosing 7ml of Liquid Carbon to try and sort it but nothing seems to have an affect!
Is it still worth doing a blackout?
Thanks for your help.
 
OK, if it doesn't wipe off then it is likely GSA, which is caused by any combination of poor CO2 and poor PO4. Try doubling your PO4 and see if that works.

Cheers,
 
ok thanks for that clive will start with tomorrows dosing.

Once again thanks for your help.
 
Hi,
I should have asked, but how long before I see a real effect of the extra po4....2 or 3 weeks? I am still removing the odd leaf that I must have previously missed, but it does appear that I am still getting small amounts of GSA.
 
Hi Bertie.

I am also running a Rio180 with the T5's. I also run with one tube completely blocked off with an upside down reflector, but with a shorter photoperiod of 4.5 hours. However I do not use injected co2 (only liquid co2). The tank is stable (ish!) with this level of lighting so you should be fine considering you are injecting (assuming you have a good setup for flow around the tank)

I would give it a bit longer to settle down and keep up with your maintenance and water changes.
 
When you make a nutrient dosing change, the interval until a noticeable change depends on a few things, such as how much the change was. For minor to middling it can take about 3 weeks to see a response. For large changes it can happen in a few days. So if you were, for example not dosing at all and then started dosing EI it might take less than a weak. I've read where some boffin spilled the entire contents of their PO4 dosing container into the tank and then saw a marked improvement in less than 48 hours. So if you want to see a quick change then dose massive amounts.

Cheers,
 
Well, I am in my third week of double dosing PO4, which according to the calculator on James Planted Tank is just over 4ppm. To be honest this is starting to really p**s me off now.
I even installed another nuwave 1.6 circ pump which means I have three now.

I did try a full length spraybar along the back some months ago, but the wife was dead against it as she said the grey spraybar and the circ pumps were too much in your face, and made it look ugly and insisted that I put the spraybar etc back on the left wall.

I am now pruning away affected leaves every other day or so at the moment,and will soon have nothing left to prune ;) The only plants that do not seem affected are my red lotus tiger lillies.

Looking at my bubble movement the co2 is going all around the tank. Although my DC in the corner that gets least, is a lime green.

I cannot increase further, as my fish cannot tolerate it. 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. I have tried different timings etc but I appear to have the optimum that the fish will tolerate.

I am coming to the conclusion that it must be my lighting although a 2 1/2 week period with one tube blocked made not difference at all.

If I was sure that it would work I would purchase a slightly lower wattage system, such as a 2 x 39w luminaire which apart from being slightly less wattage would be further away from the tank water. But if it was not to work then "her indoors" would not be happy with me "wasting" more money.

I am beginning to think that maybe I am too old or stupid to get this right, certainly the wife is fed up with my moanings. I do not think that it helps with me sitting right next to the tank and able to see every little change.

I am not sure of my next step.
 
I am beginning to think that maybe I am too old or stupid to get this right, certainly the wife is fed up with my moanings. I do not think that it helps with me sitting right next to the tank and able to see every little change.
Hello,
Please be logical and rational. If you are too old or stupid, how would that fit statistically with the minions of young geniuses who are presently struggling with algae....just like you. I guess that makes you a genius. So just get over it.

This is the stuff off Legend that really curries my goat. Check this out:

I did try a full length spraybar along the back some months ago, but the wife was dead against it as she said the grey spraybar and the circ pumps were too much in your face, and made it look ugly and insisted that I put the spraybar etc back on the left wall.
Bert, this is science, but it doesn't have to be rocket science. I blame the wife 100% for this failure. Her meddling possibly has caused disaster.

Bert, bring her to the terminal so she can read the following:

++++++++++
MEMO TO WIFE:
Hello Bert's Wife, Please do not interfere with the current troubleshooting procedures.
When you troubleshoot incorrectly, due to arbitrary parameters, the result is that you shoot yourself in the foot.

Therefore, kindly desist and allow Bert to mount the spraybars in the correct orientation. It is unclear if flow/distribution is the fault, or whether it can be solved in this manner, but it must be attempted.

If you do not like the look of the spraybar then try.....not....looking.....at it until such time as the current dilemma is resolved.
END OF MEMO
+++++++++

Cheers,
 
Hi Birtie
Can you upload a picture of your whole tank, it would be interesting to see how it looks.
 
Hi Clive,
Thanks for the help. It has given the wife something to think about and she is thinking of letting me put the spray bar along the back again, when I am discharged from the hospital! .;)
At the moment the doctors are trying to work out how I received so many injuries just sitting chatting to my wife. :D
 
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