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Brewer06Ky

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
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Aug 31, 2013
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Ky
Anyone know what is causing this. And how to make it go away. I have a 75 gal tank with dirt covered with sand. Cot 6 wpg t5. Had the same problem with gravel.
 

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It looks like the start of Black Beard Algae. How long has the tank been set up and are you using T5HO's or NO's and how many bulbs are in the fixture? Also how long daily are you running your lights? What are your nitrate and phosphate reading? Are you using liquid carbon or CO2? What ferts are you using?

Often algae is caused by leaving lights run too long daily. You have a dirted tank and if it's newly set up it will have a lot of excess nutrients and that combined with too much light left on too long can cause algae issues. We need the above information in order to give proper advice on how to correct the problem causing the algae. Also will be able to help you with spot treating the algae.
 
You sure it's BBA, Janis? I've never seen it cover leaves like that... Just my experience it usually starts along the edges... Looks more brown and dusty to me as well... You're the master, but it looks like more like diatoms to me... :hide:
 
T5ho, pressurized co2, 12 h. The dirt has been in the tank for about a year. Just last month I took everything out kept the same dirt and covered it with sand. Never tested the phosphate level don't have a test kit. I have always had this problem. No fertilizers plants grow like crazy.
 
I'd say, too long of a photoperiod/too much light and no fertilizers is your problem. Just my opinion, but I believe you're more likely to see algae when you're lacking all the proper nutrients.
 
I saw BBA start on my Anubia's like that when I stuck them too close under the metal halides. It didn't start at the edges, it just started growing all over the leaves low and fuzzy, and honestly looked like that in the beginning.
 
T5ho, pressurized co2, 12 h. The dirt has been in the tank for about a year. Just last month I took everything out kept the same dirt and covered it with sand. Never tested the phosphate level don't have a test kit. I have always had this problem. No fertilizers plants grow like crazy.

If your running lights 12 hours that is probably a good part of your problem. Try going down to 6 hours until you get the algae under control and then slowly work up to about 8 hours but if algae starts up again you'll have to back your time down some.

Also your using a higher light and CO2 but not giving plants all the proper macro and micro nutrients they need. This too can be part of your problem. What plants do you have in the tank?
 
Water sprite, java fern, Anubis, cryps, jungle Val, swords, trying to get micro sword to grow, moss ball, rotala indical and I think that's it.
 
Lower your photoperiod to 6 hours for now until algae is gone. I strongly suggest using dry ferts with both micro and macro nutrients since you have CO2 and good light. If you won't do that at least use Flouish Comprehensive and API Leaf Zone a couple times weekly and root tabs for your crypts and swords.

You can also spot treat the algae with Hydrogen peroxide 3%. Turn off your filters, pull up 1-3ml of peroxide for every 1 gallon of tank water in a syringe. Then as close to the algae as possible slowly squirt with peroxide. Leave filters off for 20 minutes. If you have a lot of algae you'll have to spot treat an area each day.

But the algae will keep returning until you correct the problem causing it.
 
Where do I need to start when it comes to dry fertilizers. What kinda cost r we talking and dosing
 
Sounds good how often do u have to dose? Thanks for all the help.
 
You need a gram scale and this is how you mix them:

In a 1 liter bottle add:

59 grams of K2SO4 Potassium Sulfate
6 grams of KH2PO4 Mono Potassium Phosphate

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, let sit overnight.

In 1 liter bottle add:

65 grams of KNO3, Potassium Nitrate

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, let sit overnight.

In 1 liter bottle add:

80 grams of CSM+B

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, and let sit overnight.

Then you dose 1ml per every 10 gallons of tank water daily. I suggest taking a nitrate and phosphate reading right before your weekly WC so you can see if you need to continue to dose nitrates and the phosphate/potassium at the same level or not. This allows you to custom dose your tank to the levels you want. Generally you want to shoot between 10-20ppm nitrates and 1-3ppm of phosphates.

The above weights are for 1000ml bottles so if you get and use the 500ml bottles you need to use half the amount listed.
 
You need a gram scale and this is how you mix them:

In a 1 liter bottle add:

59 grams of K2SO4 Potassium Sulfate
6 grams of KH2PO4 Mono Potassium Phosphate

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, let sit overnight.

In 1 liter bottle add:

65 grams of KNO3, Potassium Nitrate

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, let sit overnight.

In 1 liter bottle add:

80 grams of CSM+B

Fill bottle with RO or Distilled water, shake well, and let sit overnight.

Then you dose 1ml per every 10 gallons of tank water daily. I suggest taking a nitrate and phosphate reading right before your weekly WC so you can see if you need to continue to dose nitrates and the phosphate/potassium at the same level or not. This allows you to custom dose your tank to the levels you want. Generally you want to shoot between 10-20ppm nitrates and 1-3ppm of phosphates.

The above weights are for 1000ml bottles so if you get and use the 500ml bottles you need to use half the amount listed.

Is RO water essential?

And is their a brand of scale you endorse?
 
Is RO water essential?

And is their a brand of scale you endorse?

I used an electronic food scale, worked out fine for me. And no distilled is fine like Rivercats mentioned. RO is not NECESSARY but will give you more control of the metals introduced into your tank. Unless you have an abnormally high or low pH RO is not needed for a successful planted tank
 
If you mean RO water in your fertilizer solution, I would highly recommend using RODI or distilled water rather than tap water, but it's not necessary for the tank itself.
 
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