algae control

[johnt2k14]

Hiyas,

Just added some plants to a 5 gallon Betta tank. The light the tank came with was very dim so I got brighter lights - 16" Finnex FugeRay Planted+.

Saw the "planted+" and this made me want to add some plants and I added two java ferns, two anubias, two moss-balls, and two small mesh palettes of peacock moss. Yes, two of everything ... I like symmetry, what can I say

The plants were added about 10 days ago and now I am seeing scattered bits of algae growing on the tanks decor and the java ferns. Nothing yet on the anubias oddly enough.

So my plan was to perform more frequent PWC and reduce the feeding frequency but is there something else I should be doing to curb the algae growth?

Water params: ~0 ammonia and nititres and upto 30ppm nitrates before I pwc which is about once a week.
No idea what the hardness or mineral levels are.
Lights are on for 11 hours a day.

-John

 

[trennamw]

Too much light methinks !


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Too much light methinks !


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

Yep! Finnex lights are powerful. 11 hours is too much.


Caleb

Sent via TARDIS

 

[Bichir Bro]

Hiyas,

Just added some plants to a 5 gallon Betta tank. The light the tank came with was very dim so I got brighter lights - 16" Finnex FugeRay Planted+.

Saw the "planted+" and this made me want to add some plants and I added two java ferns, two anubias, two moss-balls, and two small mesh palettes of peacock moss. Yes, two of everything ... I like symmetry, what can I say

The plants were added about 10 days ago and now I am seeing scattered bits of algae growing on the tanks decor and the java ferns. Nothing yet on the anubias oddly enough.

So my plan was to perform more frequent PWC and reduce the feeding frequency but is there something else I should be doing to curb the algae growth?

Water params: ~0 ammonia and nititres and upto 30ppm nitrates before I pwc which is about once a week.
No idea what the hardness or mineral levels are.
Lights are on for 11 hours a day.

-John

Yup light on too long, cut it down. A lot. None of those plants need all that much light to my knowledge anyway.
Cutting back on feeding would probably help because the algae was likely caused by too much light which caused the bloom and then it continued to grow and feed off of either unhealthy plants or too much food.

 

[Mebbid]

Proper ferts, carbon supplementation, and a good photoperiod are going to be important to keep algae at bay with that lighting.

I would suggest dosing excel at high levels. Normal dosing is 1ml per 10g but with the light level you have i would say dose 3ml daily.

I would also suggest that you look into using either pps pro or ei dry fert dosing.

Lastly, i would suggest dropping the photo period down to 6 hours a day

 

[mikem691]

Proper ferts, carbon supplementation, and a good photoperiod are going to be important to keep algae at bay with that lighting.

I would suggest dosing excel at high levels. Normal dosing is 1ml per 10g but with the light level you have i would say dose 3ml daily.

I would also suggest that you look into using either pps pro or ei dry fert dosing.

Lastly, i would suggest dropping the photo period down to 6 hours a day

Hmmm this has me wondering if I need to double or even triple my co2 booster.

 

[Mebbid]

Excel is perfectly safe to dose 1ml / gallon daily. So id say go for it.

 

[mikem691]

Excel is perfectly safe to dose 1ml / gallon daily. So id say go for it.

I'm using the api co2 booster. The directions say 1ml for 10 gallons but I'm guessing this is just a general amount because all tanks are different. I'm seeing some algae and have my ecoxotic at 65% for 8 hours and DIY co2. I do have a pair of rams in there and worry about choking them out. The male is the notorious week long fin.

 

[Mebbid]

Co2 booster is not actual co2. Its a complex carbon molecule that can be utilized by plants instead. no worries about suffocating a fish

 

[mikem691]

I also dose flourish and leaf zone
So which one of them is glute
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Mebbid]

I also dose flourish and leaf zone
So which one of them is glute
Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Aquarium Advice mobile app

The CO2 booster is the glutaraldehyde. Excel is a bit better than the CO2 booster. Although, I go with metricide 14 day sterilizing solution instead of excel because it's super cheap.

 

[mikem691]

The CO2 booster is the glutaraldehyde. Excel is a bit better than the CO2 booster. Although, I go with metricide 14 day sterilizing solution instead of excel because it's super cheap.

Cool thanks Mebbid Guess I should up my dosing. See if it helps with the algea.

 

[johnt2k14]

Thank you all for the responses. i will be dropping the photo period.

Mebbid - Thank you for the advice on excel. I've ordered some and will try it out. Not sure how ferts would work into this treatment plan. I will see what effect the lower lights and excel have before adding anything else.


-John