algae

[mr.sam]

I recently got a new light for my 90 gal tank and now I have a real bad algae problem its all over the glass and on my plants. The local petland said to get something called algae fix but I really don't know if I should. My question is what would be my best option to get rid of the algae in my tank expescially algae on my plants. Help please

 

[Samzter]

Snails? Or otos? But it depends on what alage it is.

 

[mr.sam]

Brown I believe

 

[jacpr233]

Don't leave the light overnight. The most 9 hours. The algae on the plants won't go away unless you trim them. Scrub the glass and do a 20% water change. Make sure the nitrAtes are less than 20 ppm. You are more prone to algae if the nitrate is high. The algae will never go away, you only control it. Its part of nature. If you are using ferts, make sure that you don't use phosphate or nitrogen because your tap water has both. Only use excel, iron, and potassium. All from seachem. I had a algae bloom because I was using phosphate and nitrogen.

 

[mike720]

almost all algae problems start with excess nutrients in the water column ..balancing your ferts.with plant need is critical to reducing or almost eliminating them.extra light is only the trigger....think of outdoor plants they can have good light an poor soil and won't grow well. let your plants get just enough ferts and no more, and algae won't have much to grow on even with strong lights..various algae eaters will help some but never eat enough algae. the should be used more to keep algae off the plants so the plants grow better, and not used to clean the tank or water. some algae is always present in your tank especially in the beginning when you are trying to balance things....doing research on the types of algae can help to identify the problem....some algae like hair on jungle val is best to cut it off an through the infected part away.

 

[Autumnsky]

Rams horn snails and Mystery snails can help with algae on plant leaves, if you like snails.

In the Aquamaster book Aquarium Plants by Peter Hiscock, he references no more than 12 hours a day of light and a midday Siesta period "A 5-6 hour period of lighting, followed by 2-3 hours of no artificial light and then another 5-6 hours of lighting proves effective at reducing algae growth without any adverse effects on fish or plants in the aquarium." pg 28 2004

 

[paytertot]

Horned nerite snails are normally small enough to eat algae off of plants and they don't breed in fw. I love nerite snails, they are amazing algae eaters.

 

[mohican]

I'd skip all the snails and stuff. If its brown, it probably diatoms and will need time to level out and go away. (See other thread on brown algae). U just added new lights and is more than likely the cause. Keep things tidy, watch ur light duration and ferts too.

 

[mr.sam]

Well its been about a week and after a little more research and a lot of advice from from this forum and friends I think I figured out my algae problem. I over did it with my ferts. I'm dosing wit equilibrium and my wife read the directions wrong she added way to much. So I think the algae was a result of the new light and over fertilization. Thanks to what I have learned from all of you I'm doing a lot better. Im not keeping the light on as long as I was and I'm learning a lot more about algae, the cause of, and how to control it. I know I'm still a newbie but I hope with all of your help and advice I can continue to improve. Thank you all. Stay tuned for pics soon.

 

[aqua_chem]

Seachem Equilibrium isn't really a fertilizer. Overdosing it won't cause algae at all. It's designed to up the mineral content of RODI or very soft water, so it's mostly calcium and magnesium carbonates. You problem is probably almost exclusively caused by excessive light.

 

[mr.sam]

Ok I've been trying for months to do something about this algae in my tank and its still killing me. I have 7 siamensis, I use nothing but R.O water, I do about a 10% water change every Monday and my light stays on no more then 8 hours a day from 7am to 3 pm. I have a 90 gal plant tank, I'm using Pressurized C02 with an Atomic defuser and Regulator made by green leaf Aquarium. I would say my bubble counter is putting out about a bubble every 2 to 3 seconds and my drop checker is telling me I'm ok on C02 in my tank. I'm going crazy trying to figure out how to get this algae under control. Is there anybody out there that can help me. I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out.

 

[Autumnsky]

How much watts of what kind of light in what size tank? can you maybe loosen one bulb if that is an option to reduce the light?

Did you try a siesta period. What kind of food are you feeding primarily?

Your objectives are to get rid of existing algae, and prevent new algae. Nerite snails?

 

[Rivercats]

As asked above what type of lighting (T5HO, LED's, ???) and what type bulbs? You are running CO2 but what is your fertilizing regime? Your using CO2 and if you've got med-high light you need to be dosing a balance fert such as PPS-Pro dry fert dosing. Also depending on your light you need to limit your photoperiod. I have high lights (T5HO's and HID Metal Halides) and can only run the Metal Halides for 6 hours daily or I begin having algae issues. Also as stated if the tank is a fairly new you most likely are experiencing diatoms. The will run their course over time but are very unsightly. And also as mentioned Nerite snails will get that under control in no time. They are very handy little snails to keep in a planted tank. I have somewhere between 30-40 in my 220g.

 

[mr.sam]

My plant tank is a year old and the light I have I got from a friend that works at Petland. Beams work "54" double bright power led 3300 54/w led . As for ferts the only thing I put in my tank is aquavitro propel for iron and envy for trace elements two capfuls each everyday as directed on the directions. Fish food is frozen bloodworms frozen brineshrimp, frozen beefhearts or fish flakes. I try to give my fish something different every day.

 

[mr.sam]

To rivercat I am interested in getting a new light for my tank. I have heard a lot of good Reviews about T5HO lighting. Any Suggestions. Like Stated it would be used for my 90 gal plant tank

 

[Cichlid Kid]

How heavily planted is your tank?
Even if your dosing ferts the right way and your co2 is working fine you still need enough plantlife to soak up nutrients so algae won't take over.

 

[mr.sam]

I've been trying to send a pic of my tank to my page on this forum but it doesn't seam to be working. Ill try it again but to answer your question I would say my tank is heavily planted. Rotala macranda,Ludwigia glandulosa,red flame sword, anubias barteri, baby tears, nesaea golden, nesaea red and a few others.

 

[mr.sam]

My 90 gal plant tank

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Sounds like you have quite a variety of plant species.
I think Rivercats has t5 ho, she also has metal halides too if I'm not mistaken. I have a ZooMed double fixture on my one planted tank and 4 × 6500k daylight cfl on my other one. Personally imo, LED is the way to go nowadays but who can afford them?

 

[mr.sam]

Sorry that was an old pic hear is my tank now