Beard Algae & High Phosphates in new tank. HELP!

[doctorp]

I recently planted my 55 gallon tank with a low tech setup. 1.75 WPG of CF lighting, fracted clay substrate and low light plants. One week after planting I have a massive amount of green beard algae. It's growing fast and starting to cover some plants. It rubs off easily by hand and my Florida Flag Fish eats it but can't keep up. Here's how I'm running my tank and specs.

10 hours Lighting per day
78 degrees fahrenheit
Eheim Pro II 2028 Canister Filter
Ph - 6.8
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - 7 ppm
Kh - 2 degrees
GH - 9 degrees
Phosphate - 10+ ppm

Dosing every other day with Natural Aquarium Vital and did one dose of Tropica Master Grow after planting. No Co2 supplementation, low water movement.

What are your recommendations on dosing or combatting my algae issues. I'm assuming the phosphates have to be part of the problem.

Thank you from a newbie!

[PrettyFishies]

Yes, your phosphates are way too high (Why is that? food? tap water?). Should be no more than 2 ppm, but ideally, 1.5ppm. Your nitrate level is low - should be ~25ppm or so. How do you even test it at such a low level?

To combat the algae you'll first need to get your macros in orders - macro nutrients Phosphate and Nitrate. You may also want to look into getting algae eating fish - SAE's or otocinclus cats. If you don't want to do Co2, you can add excel - but be careful, Excel has negative impacts with some plants.

There's a stick on dosing and I think there's one on algae too... Check teh top of the planted forum.

Hope this helps.

[doctorp]

I'm guessing it must be food or the ph Equalizer that was in the water before the tank went planted. My tap water has 2ppm phosphate.

So do I remove the excessive phosphates with one of those phospasorb filter elements?

I've got 5 Oto's and one Florida Flag Fish... no SAE's although I may get some today!

[PrettyFishies]

If your tap water is PH 7 or close, no need for equalizer. A water change will help, but plants absorb the Phosphates as well. Before you use a hospho-zorb" I'd make sure that it ONLY absorbs phosphates and nothing else. if so, it's okay to use and then you can start over.

[Purrbox]

The low Nitrates have probably allowed the Phosphates to build up over time. If you start dosing Nitrates, your plants will start using more Phosphates. That combined with water changes will get your Phosphates back to more reasonable levels. No need to worry about getting rid of the excess with Phosphate removers.

I believe that both of the fertilizers that you are currently using are just for Trace Ferts? Not sure on the Natural Aquarium Vital. If this is the case you'll also need to look into some Potassium as it's likely to be limited as well.

[ikon]

Originally Posted by PrettyFishies

Yes, your phosphates are way too high (Why is that? food? tap water?). Should be no more than 2 ppm, but ideally, 1.5ppm. Your nitrate level is low - should be ~25ppm or so. How do you even test it at such a low level?

To combat the algae you'll first need to get your macros in orders - macro nutrients Phosphate and Nitrate. You may also want to look into getting algae eating fish - SAE's or otocinclus cats. If you don't want to do Co2, you can add excel - but be careful, Excel has negative impacts with some plants.

There's a stick on dosing and I think there's one on algae too... Check teh top of the planted forum.

Hope this helps.

where can i buy some macro nutrients .. and when i do .. how do i know what kind to get..

[PrettyFishies]

You'll need:

Phosphorous (Phosphate)
Nitrogen (Nitrate)
Potassium

& Micro nutrients

You can use the Seachem products - Flourish for the micro nutrients or you can buy in powder form from www.gregwatson.com. (Potassium Sulfate, Potassium Nitrate, Mono Potassium Phosphate)

Since different setups will use up nutrients at different rates, you'll have to estimate doasges and see how the plants do.

Check out the stickies at the top of the forum. It talks about dosing and how to tell if there' a lack of nutrients.

[sherry]

most important nutrient is co2. with co2 the plants will use phosphates and nitrates.. but you need co2 or to follow a strict non-co2 method first.. search threads for plantbrain on both topics

[rkilling1]

Originally Posted by doctorp

Dosing every other day with Natural Aquarium Vital and did one dose of Tropica Master Grow after planting.

Originally Posted by rkilling1

This is from Tom Barr on Natural Aquarium Vital:

HTH

[PrettyFishies]

Didn't realize what you were talking about - Yeah, i used that stuff too for a minute in a 4 gallon tank...total waste.

follow the advice above and add Excel to teh list of what I wrote. You'll see a major improvement in a couple of weeks.