Algae battles

[kheta111]

I need some tips on fighting beard and hair Algae. It's not out of control ,but I've been overdosing flourish excel (2 caps a day in my 37 gallon) the beard algae is going away but the hair algae is slowly getting worse. Any tips folks?.....

 

[libertybelle]

can you tell us about the tank. Lighting/planting/inhabitants/dosing/test results/how long it's been set up.

Without some of this information we won't be able to say anything more useful than 'something is out of balance'

 

[kheta111]

About a month ago I put together a planted tank from various Kijiji deals (Canadian craigslist). The tank is a 37 gallon tall (30"x12"x22") with a submersible heater, Penguin 200 bio wheel filter (running 2 cartridges), 24" t5x4 + moonlight LEDX2 light hood by Odyssea running standard plant bulbs(resting directly on the glass lid). The tank is moderately planted with a variety of species. some Val, Anubias, Rotala, Ludwigia etc. The hard scape is red Lava rock and dark brown Fluorite substrate. The tank is currently stocked with 2 dwarf Plecos, 2 Albino Corys, 3 Siamese algae eaters, 3 turquoise Rainbows, 2 dwarf Gourami, 2 large-ish Angels, 2 dwarf Puffers, and 5 Apistogramma Cocautoides; 4 female 1 male. I feed the tank a healthy pinch of flakes twice a day and half a cube of bloodworms once a day. I also use an overdose of flourish excel 2 caps a day, to battle a recent algae flare up ( hair and beard). The test levels are reading fine. The fish seem happy and the plants are really starting look healthier and are shooting up with the flourish doses. Again the beard algae is on the run , but the hair seems to be branching itself out more

 

[Laeris]

Did anyone else read khajiit and have to reread? ?

 

[Fresh2o]

Did anyone else read khajiit and have to reread? ?

I did not see that?
OP - How many hours per day are the lights on? If it is over 8 then you might want to drop it to 5-6 or do a split period of 3-4 on, 4 off, and 3-4 on.


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[Mebbid]

What are you using for fertilizers?

 

[kheta111]

Ah, Maybe the amount of light subjection is the problem.The I run the light hood at 50% for 10-12 hours a day. I'll try less light time for a week and see how it goes. I use Flourish Excel and Flourish Comprehensive as fertilizers, plus obviously plant,food,and fish debris.

 

[RightTurnClyde]

Wow, yeah. I vote for way too much light and sounds like you're overfeeding as well. Once a day is plenty in my opinion for a community tank. I've cut back to every other day, myself and everything is doing great except for a little BBA that is staying under control.


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[DaleV87]

Too much light ?.
Reduce as mentioned.


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[Mebbid]

Ah, Maybe the amount of light subjection is the problem.The I run the light hood at 50% for 10-12 hours a day. I'll try less light time for a week and see how it goes. I use Flourish Excel and Flourish Comprehensive as fertilizers, plus obviously plant,food,and fish debris.

Yes, you definitely have too much light. But you are also using inadequate certilizers for your light. I would highly recommend looking into pps pro or EI fertilizer routines.

 

[Caliban07]

I don't think adding more fertilisers will help here because of what the OP mentioned about plant health.

If plant health is good then the plants have enough of everything they need. It's the massive amount of light that is driving algae in my opinion. If the hair algae is growing on leaves then they may not be as healthy as they appear.

4 x t5 bulbs AND 2 x LEDs is a lot of light over that depth. If the t5s are high output I would consider removing 2 of them and both the LEDs and take it from there.

Increase water changes to 50% weekly if you do not do that already.



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