Algea problem need advise

[Arodrocks]

I have my fish tank since almost 3 months ago and i have live plants and suddenly algea start appearing in my rock and in some plants and in two spots in the gravel see pic below any advise about what is the best treatment or solution for this? Should i let the algea take over the gravel?

 

[Pam is here]

Do you vac and do regular water changes? Some algea is not a bad thing.

 

[Arodrocks]

yes twice a week for now, so is ok to have it on the plants? Is the first time i have an aquarium with live plants and before i didnt have to deal with algea problems so I dont have much experience to prevent it. I need from all your knowledge

 

[Pam is here]

Is your tank in front of a window? The sunlight maybe strong coming in the window causing algea. Do you have a background on your tank? How often are your tank lights on? That all plays a part in algea growth and water vac and water changes.

 

[Pam is here]

By the pic it don't look unusual.

 

[Arodrocks]

i have it next to window but it has a curtain no sun problem there and i keep the lights on quite a lot like more than 10 hrs didnt know that light would be the problem. Reducing the light been on that long will reduced the existing algea?

 

[Arodrocks]

look a this other pic the algea has cover it completely

 

[Pam is here]

Wow I think cut the light time in half, do the vac and water changes. That may help

 

[Rivercats]

I can't tell but is that brown or green algae? Is it easily wiped off with your fingers or is it fuzzy? Different algae's are caused by different reasons and I just can't tell from the pic's... sorry. What type of lighting do you have and what type bulbs? You have live plants so you need your lights on IMO 6 hours and could go 8 hours depending on your light. Do you dose any ferts? If so what kind, how much, and how often? Sorry for all the questions but need to know in order to give you help.

 

[Arodrocks]

Yes because the only time i can turn on the lights is early in the mornings and i wanted them on when im at home too i will look for a light timer it would be my only choice here thanks for your help.

 

[Arodrocks]

I can't tell but is that brown or green algae? Is it easily wiped off with your fingers or is it fuzzy? Different algae's are caused by different reasons and I just can't tell from the pic's... sorry. What type of lighting do you have and what type bulbs? You have live plants so you need your lights on IMO 6 hours and could go 8 hours depending on your light. Do you dose any ferts? If so what kind, how much, and how often? Sorry for all the questions but need to know in order to give you help.

so far is brown but looks like it has tiny spots that it starting to turn green and the algea at the plants can wipe off easy but not from the rock and the algea is not fuzzy.
The lightning is the standard led that came with the fish tank and i bought a 6500k led hidden lamp from marinland too the plants are doing great so far. And i use the api liquid as fertilizer once per week as specified.
Does having carbon in the filters bad for live plants or not? just curios about this but my plants are doing great.

 

[Rivercats]

Well since your tank is new and from what you discribing sounds like you have diatoms. Diatoms are common in all new tanks and usually come from excess silicates in the water. In time they will go away but are very unsightly. You have options and honestly one of the best is to get some nerite snails. They can't breed in freshwater so you won't have a population explosion of snails. They love diatoms, green spot algae, and the green dust algae found on your tank glass. Bristlenose pleco's work well too but IMO the nerites are your best choice.

As for carbon it is generally not used in planted tanks as it can absorb and remove nutrients that your dosing in your ferts.

 

[Arodrocks]

ok so how many of those snails should i buy? as long as they dont reproduce it will be fine with me.
So should i leave some carbon to prevent bad smell at least? or should i not use it at all? My 2 filters have co2 in them thats why im asking.

 

[Rivercats]

If you maintain your tank water it shouldn't smell. I have a 220g and others and I don't use carbon. I do run Purgen in some tanks but it absorbs organics so it won't remove ferts. As for the nerites they say 1 per gallon but I put like 50 in my 220g. What size is your tank?

 

[Arodrocks]

My tank is 30g again on the co2 river, didnt the co2 helps to have crystal clear water? i dont mind removing i just want to be inform more about it.! Also if i leave it will it damage the plants in the future?

 

[Rivercats]

CO2 is good and has nothing to do with diatoms. Diatoms are new tank nemesis. CO2 doesn't have anything to do with crystal clear water it's for aiding plants in photosynthesis/growth.

 

[Arodrocks]

ok so in a planted tank is better not to use co2 in the filters?

thanks for your help i did research more about diatoms and im now familiar with it.

 

[Rivercats]

Okay are you asking about using carbon, as in the black media carbon? No, you shouldn't in a planted tank. CO2 as in the gas used for plant growth/photosynthesis is something totally different. So yes you want to use pressurized CO2 in planted tank. Carbon and CO2 are not the same.

 

[Arodrocks]

oh ok i understand now i would not use carbon then thanks a lot for your help.