ALGAE, ALGAE & MORE ALGAE!

[PrettyFishies]

So, now I'm experiencing an outbreak of algae. What looks like black fuzzy stuff on my DW and on the gravel. I have hair algae on my Vals and some green stringy stuff on the driftwood and gravel.

Mainly this started after I changed my bulb from a 10K to a 6700K. the 10K was a year or so old.

20 gal
65W - 9 hrs - 6700K colormax
pressurized Co2 - 30-40ppm (6.2PH, 2.5 KH)
Nitrates 25ppm
Phosphate - 2ppm

I dose 3x a week - Potassium (12.5 ppm) and Flourish (10mL)
My nitrates and phosphates have been rising on their own

 

[rich311k]

The new light set things out of balance. Add a little more of everything and bump the CO2 a bit.

 

[sherry]

Also if your nitrates and phosphates are rising without dosing, you need to consider if you are overstocked. Algae will thrive in an overstocked tank almost whatever you do. Clean your filter and bump up your water changes. There is ammonia before there are nitrates in your tank (that is not true of the inorganics we dose).