algae. newb.

[totalnewb]

So I had a massive diatomic bloom in my first tank. Once I got some Otos and some tiger nerites, the problem seemed to clear. Now, they're not eating the algae. I added a L340 last night, but he's still acclimating and not a big algae eater anyway.
I've moved 2 Otos to a 10G rife with algae and they're not going crazy on it, like they did in the other tank.

Did I "ruin" their algae eating capacity by feeding them blanched parsnip and zucc?
Is it the type of algae maybe?
Where can I find a "dummies" guide to algae?

 

[Rivercats]

Can you post a picture of the algae? Is it still diatoms or something else?

 

[totalnewb]

I never get tired of looking at your tank.
I'm computer stoopid , and only have a crappy camera phone at my immediate disposal ... hence ...

 

[Rivercats]

Thanks! I actually have a new thread showing the new plantings and will be posting progress if your interested. http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/rivercats-220g-transformation-journal-248939.html

As for your algae you look like you've got some green hair/thread algae and in pic 3 almost looks like maybe a little staghorn aglae is starting up. Nerites, Pleco's, and Otos don't eat either of those algaes. So question is what type lighting do you have and how long are you leaving it run daily? You need to run it only 6 hours until algae is under control. Next I'm wondering if you have excess nutrients in the water so what is your WC schedule and how much do you change out each time? Also what are you nitrate and phosphate readings?

 

[totalnewb]

Oh boy. Well I'm running the lights too long. 6 hours really? The fish don't mind?
There are two tanks. Both get weekly (sometimes bi-weekly water changes.)
The 29G gets a 30+ everytime.
The 10G is new and I am doing much smaller water changes as I read that the ADFs don't like big ones.

I have no test for phosphates.
Both tanks test 180-190 tds however. I have to use RO water with a really low ph. I add kent RO rite. I find that it can be tough maintaining ph with less. As it is now, the KH (api) test is onlt 2 drops.
I do have the seachem plant pack, and use it a little on the bigger tank. Admittedly, not so regularly (if the plants look a little peaked)

The 29G reads nitrates at 10.
The 10G reads over 20.

I'm very new to all this, (got first tank for xmas) and would really appreciate your advice. I have read so many different things from so many places.

I apologize for the delay in responding. I had my first death today and have been trying to figure out why.

Thanks for your patience.

 

[totalnewb]

Oh yeah, sorry just using standard T8s.

 

[Rivercats]

Your readings look good from what I see but the 10g would use to get the nitrates lower. In a planted tank you want 10-20ppms of nitrate but I try to keep mine right at 10ppm's (but that's just me). I'd just try the 6 hours of lighting as see over the next 3 or so weeks if your seeing a reduction in algae. Fish don't mind. Then once the algae is under control you can slowly up your photoperiod each week to a max of 8 hours as long as you don't have algae begin to reappear. On my big 220g I can only run my big metal halides 6 hours daily or I begin to have algae issue. Also you said you dose liquid carbon... how much are you dosing daily?

I would also suggest trying some spot treating with either Excel or Hydrogen Peroxide. You would pull up 2-3ml of Excel or Peroxide to every gallon of tank water in a needless syringe, if using Peroxide turn your filters and lights off for 15-20 minutes, then slowly squirt the algae as close to it as you can get. If you have alot of areas to treat you can do an area each day. Algae usually starts dying off within 24 hours.

 

[totalnewb]

Thank you very much. Light timers reduced. Worried about using peroxide. I'm assuming when you say Excel, that you mean Seachem carbon?
I haven't been dosing with any real regular frequency, just when they looked peaked and a little with water changes. I will start keeping a regular schedule.
I'm a bit worried about the 29G nitrate though. It was quite high a few weeks ago and the poly pad filter stuff very brown. Not being sure if it was the good stuff, diatoms (which I had quite lot of at the time) or crap from the substrate. (I've got that clay like gravel recommended for planted tanks. It took weeks to clear after half a day of rinsing when added. When vacuuming it's brown.) Anyway, I swished the filter media in a bucket of tank water and did a good tank clean... That's when the nitrates fell to 5, and they haven't gone up since. I'm afraid to use new media, but when I do a water change, it disturbs stuff, despite my efforts and particulate matter is visible for about an hour floating around in the tank.
Got the nitrates down a bit in the 10G.
Thanks again.

 

[Rivercats]

Yes Fourish Excel liquid carbon. I use Peroxide in my tanks and when used in the proper amounts it's perfectly fine and breaks down really fast once lights are turned back on.

 

[totalnewb]

Thank you very much Rivercats. After even just a short time with running the lights for 5-6 hours a day, and more regular fert dosings, things are already looking much better.
I did a bit more research into peroxide, it breaks down quite quickly and seems to add a bit more O2 into the water after, if I understood properly.
I'm still a bit leery with ADFs in the smaller tank, so I'll probably move them to a holding tank for a half hour or so. Will begin spot treatments tomorrow.
Anyway, I just wanted to say !!
Silly newb won't make the light mistake again.
ps... some of the more sensitive fish seem happier with the lower light duration!