Help! Algae!

[gillmank]

I have been struggling with a couple kinds of algae for awhile now. You can see the black algae on top of the melon sword on the left, and all around on the leaves in other places.

Info:
- 10 gallon tank
- 48w T5 lighting -- bulbs are not that old
- Light is left on all night; trying to grow my plants quickly.
- CO2 injection
- ~78-80 degrees
- 7.4 pH


- 4 glass cats
- 2 guppies
- 2 ottos
- 1 amano shrimp

- Have no ammonia problems, this is tested every so often
- Do water changes every other week

I'm ABOUT to put in some Glossostigma, but it's true that I'm worried the algae will have a field day with it!

I haven't yet checked if any of my conditioner or fertilizers do or don't have aloe extract. What am I doing wrong?

Here's a picture below (link or attachment). ANY help would be very much appreciated. Thank you!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/gills77/tank2.jpg

 

[mohican]

IMO, your lighting is very strong for a 10 gallon and they need to be on a timer, 8-10 hrs a day is all they will need. Having said that, depending on the type of plants, high light is a must. They will probably grow faster giving them a break. This is just my quick, off the top of my head answer without getting into water parameters, etc.

 

[gillmank]

Does it really add to growth?? I have never heard that before.

 

[Smcoyle87]

I agree in that the light is being left on too long. Some of that looks like beard algae in which case there too much fert and not enough Co2. I would try water changes and an 8-10 hour lighting period as suggested above. This is my "off the top of the head" thoughts haha. Good luck.

 

[aqua_chem]

DIY or pressurized CO2?
Ferts?

 

[Fishandmusic81]

As everyone said you are definitely leaving the lights for too long
You listed you have co2 and that with a natural day and night shift your plants will grow fine some plants just grow slow

 

[mohican]

Plants need a resting period same as us. I always notice new growth in the morning when I feed the fish breakfast. Give them a cycle in a week and you'll notice a difference.

 

[CorallineAlgae]

Plants need a resting period same as us. I always notice new growth in the morning when I feed the fish breakfast. Give them a cycle in a week and you'll notice a difference.

Right on. Plants (not all but most) that are never given a night cycle can and do stop growing after a while... most algae will not stop. Higher plant forms just have more trouble adapting than lower forms. This is why aquatic nurseries and in-house growers don't put lights over their plants at night. If the plants grew better that way many would.
Also, you will want some co2 with that monster amount of light! Beard algae loves to take over in tanks with lots of light and little co2. Are you adding any yet? That would be a much more successful way to get your plants to grow like mad and reduce your algae. Kill two birds with one stone! Plus your fish will appreciate getting a nice rest.

 

[Smcoyle87]

+1 for the info and another +1 for the "like mad" comment. Sweet. Hah

 

[Nomadu571]

Right on. Plants (not all but most) that are never given a night cycle can and do stop growing after a while... most algae will not stop. Higher plant forms just have more trouble adapting than lower forms. This is why aquatic nurseries and in-house growers don't put lights over their plants at night. If the plants grew better that way many would.
Also, you will want some co2 with that monster amount of light! Beard algae loves to take over in tanks with lots of light and little co2. Are you adding any yet? That would be a much more successful way to get your plants to grow like mad and reduce your algae. Kill two birds with one stone! Plus your fish will appreciate getting a nice rest.

A good example of this is how rhubarb is grown or "forced". If your interested in the method and results google rhubarb growing especially in the uk, we have a "rhubarb triangle" where large amounts are "forced" by having a high light period then complete dark periods which force the plant to grow. It's an extreme technique obviously used to grow more in short periods of time for high output but the theory is the same.

 

[Coursair]

I have been struggling with a couple kinds of algae for awhile now. You can see the black algae on top of the melon sword on the left, and all around on the leaves in other places.

Info:
- 10 gallon tank
- 48w T5 lighting -- bulbs are not that old
- Light is left on all night; trying to grow my plants quickly.
- CO2 injection
- ~78-80 degrees
- 7.4 pH

- 4 glass cats
- 2 guppies
- 2 ottos
- 1 amano shrimp

- Have no ammonia problems, this is tested every so often
- Do water changes every other week

I'm ABOUT to put in some Glossostigma, but it's true that I'm worried the algae will have a field day with it!

I haven't yet checked if any of my conditioner or fertilizers do or don't have aloe extract. What am I doing wrong?

Here's a picture below (link or attachment). ANY help would be very much appreciated. Thank you!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v506/gills77/tank2.jpg

Do PWCs weekly
Id get a timer immediately.
I'd also either raise the light higher or use less wattage until you get you CO2 figured out. If you can. I would cut light to 5 or 6 hours a day for now, Otherwise consider doing a Blackout on your tank.

For a 10g I like CFLs but that's me.

Aqua asked important questions about your CO2 and Ferts.

BBA is a pain.
When you have a lot of light and not enough CO2 and Ferts, you grow a nice crop of Algae.