Algae Problem

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fwmansky

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Jul 23, 2005
Messages
4
Location
Suwanee GA
Need help................... I have a 37 gallon freshwater tank, set up ten days ago. Lighting is approx. 2 wpg, and I am using a Red Sea CO2 system. Lighting is on ten hours daily, CO2 about 8. Problem is I am making green algae hand over fist. I have planted 12 plants, half fast growing, half more of a slow growing foreground cover. Not sure what I need to adjust, to reverse, or slow down the algae growth. There are six community fish in the tank, all appear to be very healthy. Not overfeeding them either. Appreciate any advice.
 
Sometimes algae will go away as a tank matures. In the meantime, I would try to increase the amount of CO2, and check the ammonia if you haven't. Are you using fertilizers? (sometimes they can help the algae :? )
 
Are you sure it's not brown (diatom) algae. Does it come off of the leaves if you shake them? This is symptomatic of new tanks. Just taking a shot in the dark here. If so, it will disappear as your filter matures.
 
Continuing algae problem

The ammonia level is 0. Will stepping up the CO2 level decrease the algae growth? I do not have an ability to regulate the amount of CO2 coming into the tank. The Red Sea system is wide open and all I can do is increase the hours it runs. I am concerned this could be detrimental to the health of the fish. What do you think? This algae growth is ugly and most annoying.
 
If the tank is only ten days old, some algae growth is to be expected at first. You have to be patient...it will go away eventually. I started a planted tank at the beginning of June. I had diatoms so bad it looked like brown sugar on everything. I had green hair algae so bad that I could dip a finger into the tank and pull out a ton of green slime. I did work on my lighting/fertilization routine to even out any lighting/nutrient imbalance, but all new tanks go through this phase before they stabilize. I know it's frustrating. I actually started two new tanks at the beginning of June. One went through the algae phase rather painlessly, and the other tank was terrible. Now, after about 3 months, my tanks have stabilized. The "better" tank of the two stabilized a little sooner. I don't know why because I did the same fertilization routine and they have the same lighting.

Like hashbaz says, what fertilizers are you using? What plants do you have? Do the plants seem to be doing well in the 2 wpg light? I don't run CO2 so someone else will address that. But it sounds like you are getting plenty of CO2 for your lighting levels. Are you using some type of diffuser system on your CO2 unit?
 
Increasing your co2 will keep algae from growing more, but it won't remove it. Diatoms usually occur in new tanks and or tanks with poor waterflow and low lighting. Hard water (water high in silicates) will also help this algae grow. Its harmless and will go away when the tank matures. Keeping your Co2 levels above 30ppm is the first step in preventing algae from growing. Try not to stir up the tank bottom. NH4 will deffinitely lead to algae. You stated you have green algae but what kind? Hair, thread, green spot, green dust?
 
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