Glosso tank algae problems...

[wobbles]

Hi

Ive set up an 80 gallon planted tank to try my hand at glosso. It was all going so well, but 3 weeks in, algae started to take over.

A few stats:
80 gallon
3.8 wpg, mh, 6700K, 6 hours per day
pressurised co2 @ 19ppm
11w uv
ph = 7.2
kh = 10(?)
gh = 0(?)
no3 = 5ppm
po4 = 5ppm
The tank is very lightly stocked, with only 2 angels, their fry and a handfull of snails.

Since taking these readings, i think i may have fixed the gh problem.
Since the algae started, I reduced the light hours from 9 to 6 hours per day.

If anyone has any ideas, please help!

 

[rkilling1]

couple of things right off. (futher info is needed.)

How did you fix your GH issue?

why is your CO2 at 19ppm? most try for a target range of 30ppm. (not that 19ppm is bad, just wondering) a steady CO2 is better then a fluctuating level to an extent, 15-30 being ideal.

what are you dosing and when? macro's and micro's.

plant's and amounts?

water changes?

Your NO3 are very low.

My take from what is listed so far (DO NOT go and redo or spend thousands of dollars on what I am about to say!), is that you do not have the proper ferts in the tank to support the plant growth and therefore are getting this algae growth.

Algae can be controlled by maintaining macro and micro nutrients in the tank so you do not inhibit plant growth thereby outcompeting the algae.

As always read thru the stickies at the top of the forum:

Read This First: Resources and References ( http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=86934 )

Here is fert schedule that a lot of use follow:

http://www.barrreport.com/estimative-index/62-estimative-index-dosing-no-need-test-kits.html

 

[Purrbox]

Your CO2 is too low. With that much light you really need to bump it to at least 30ppm, maybe a bit higher.

Unless you are using a high grade test kit, NO3 readings below 20ppm are unlikely to be accurate. You could be easily dealing with 0 instead of the 5ppm that your test kit gave you. Your Nitrate dosing needs to be increased.

What did you use to fix your GH and what is the new reading?

Do you have any fast growing stem plants in the tank? If not you should add them as they will help the tank get established during this initial phase. You can always remove them later when the tank has been setup for awhile and you've got your levels all worked out.

 

[wobbles]

I used Barr's GH Booster for the gh.

Im doisng with Greg Watsons PMDD, as well as KH2PO4.

I have a few other plants in the tank, ambulia, rotala, pearl grass, ludwigia, lotus lilies and java fern which are all growing fast.

Im doing 30% water changes every 3 days because it is such a new tank.

Ill bump up the co2 to approx 30ppm. I thought it may have been a bit low.

Ill post again later with new readings. Thanks for the help

 

[rkilling1]

That info helps, but now I am going to need more. sorry.

"such a new tank" what does that mean? how new? NH3/NH4 readings? NO2?

how much and when are you dosing PMDD and KH2PO4?

 

[wobbles]

Sorry, the tank is 1 month old.

I was steering away from ferts until the cycle was complete, but ive started now.( 1 week)

0ppm nh3/nh4. (Im a little suspicious that my ammonia test kit is shot though.)

Dosing 30ml of pmdd on even days, and 10ml of kh2p04 on odd days. I mixed them to the instructions on www.thekrib.com and chucks planted aquarium calculator.