Co2 & Algae

[PrettyFishies]

What is the relationship between the two? I keep hearing about algae outbreaks and then Co2 clearing the problem up....

 

[Hoovercat]

CO2 is in effect a macro-nutrient. Any time plants are missing a macro algae gets the upper hand. Get that missing macro (CO2) up to level and you'll clear up most algaes. Follow along around here for a while and you'll hear of spot algae blooms when PO4 bottoms and BGA taking over when NO3 bottoms. Low CO2 often allows BBA to grow.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

i have CO2 injection with a constant reading of around 18 ppm during the day however im still having hair algea growing extensivly

 

[Hoovercat]

http://www.aquariaplants.com/alqaeproblems.htm

J, that's Steve Hampton's page on algae, lot's of Uber useful info there. Post seperately with tank info such as lighting, tank size, pH, NO3, PO4, dosing schedule and stock and we can probably get that hair out of there.

FWIW, I would try to get calculated CO2 into the 30's and make sure I had a 10-1-10 to 20-1-20 nutrient level in the water and wait. While waiting, I'd make sure the filter's reasonably clean and manually remove what I could.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

will repost in my own thread, thank you very much for the info

 

[sherry]

I had a slight hair algae outbreak when I began co2 but when I got it up to 30 ppm it seemed to go away. I say seemed because I also supplement with excel as an extra "algaecide"

 

[Simpte]

"95% of all algae issure are CO2 related. "

-Tom Barr.