Still a problem!

[Yellow Eye Tang]

Wow,.. I was just sitting here researching this. I am just having a **** of a time with my 20g planted tank. I have 64watts floresent running on my tank and I just cant stop the hair algae growth. My lighting is now down to 5 hours (for three days now) and im treating with florish excel (which everyone says will take care of the hair algae). I'm afraid of overdosing it but something has GOT to happen here. I'm afraid of going blackout because I think when I come back on it will just restart itself again. I'm going in now to try to manually pull off as much as I can. The plants just dont seem to be growing under my light / Co2 situation even with a little excel and API's leaf grow. They grow a bit and I notice it however, they obviously are not starving out the Hair algae. The leaf grow is pretty much potassium and Iron. I was going to make a comment about pulling my hair out but everyone would just think I was talking about my tank anymore. LOL Help!

 

[mgamer20o0]

how close is the light to the water?

 

[Yellow Eye Tang]

It's standing up about 2 inches above the tank. It's your basic curved stands that the light is sitting on. They came with the light and keep it up off the glass by just 2 - 3 inches.

 

[mgamer20o0]

is it diy co2? has the co2 been statble?

also raise it up. less light will get into the tank and that might fix most of the problems.

 

[Yellow Eye Tang]

I read your thread about how Co2 fluctuations had caused the hair algae problems you have seen. Unfortunately, yes, it is DIY Co2. I feel like Ive been keeping it up pretty good but I'll double check.

 

[FishEggs]

how old are the bulbs?
you might need to dose the macro nutrients like in flourish comprehensive or mix your own from dry ferts.
how long has the tank been established?
it looks like you are using plain natural gravel for substrate. it might not have enough nutrients in it for any root feeders so you can also try feeding it root tab fertilizers.

 

[Yellow Eye Tang]

yes, your right I do have just straight gravel as a substrate. If I was to REALLY want a successful planted tank will I need to totally redo this thing with a whole new substrate... and then work the ferts? I was a saltwater guy and it's amazing how different this is than what I was used to. I do really want to get this right (with a passion) and any more help is totally welcome. I've read a lot about this and with all I've been through it appears I'm going to have to go full boar. Is this a total tank redo or can I make this work, and with what? I'd have redone this allready with a florite substrate if I wasn't so worried about a new cycle with my fish I have in it.

 

[brutus]

i would not use API leaf zone unless you have a iron test kit.

 

[FishEggs]

no need to break it done IMO. i would just get some root tabs and place them under the root feeding plants like the swords and the crypts. then get some macro nutrient ferts for the water column feeders. i have been using the florish comprehensive since it's easy but you get more for your money if you get dry fertilizer and add your own water.

i had a hair algae out break a while back and got it under control with a little help from a flag fish but mostly by getting my system back in balance. it might be a little bit more difficult for you since your lighting is higher than mine.

 

[Purrbox]

Flourish Comprehensive provides micro/trace nutrients and not macro nutrients. There may be a little bit of Nitrate, etc in it, but not enough to qualify it as a macro nutrient. The Macros in the Flourish line are Flourish Nitrogen, Flourish Phosphorus, and Flourish Potassium. Dry Ferts are much more economical, but the Flourish line will do in a pinch. Just make sure to dose using the formula for targeted levels, instead of the recommended beginning dose.

 

[FishEggs]

sorry i always get those micro's and macro's mixed up. Thanks Joy

 

[mgamer20o0]

i would try using 2 smaller bottles of co2 and swaping them out every week. this way you have a fresh batch going. it could also be that there is a imbalance of ferts or lacking of ferts which is slowing down the growth of the plants. if thats the case there is prob a excess of one of them and the algae is using that to grow.

you will get there it just takes time.

 

[timwag2001]

is the iron in your water high?

 

[Yellow Eye Tang]

Thanks everyone. I cleaned as much of it up last night as I could. I'm going to try to find an iron test kit today and see if I can find anywhere here in town that sells the root tabs. Anyone have a brand name ect. for the root tabs or some sort of dry fert I could use along with the florish excel, API leaf zone mix?

 

[Yellow Eye Tang]

Ok, you all talked me into it! I just got back from the LFS and they believe that I need a different substrate for these plants. I bought a bag of black florite and I'm going to mix it with the eco-complete. I'll try to leave the C02 running as is and re-plant everything. Quick question is, does anyone know the rock in my pictures at the beginning of this thread. If it IS indeed limestone (which I'm truley not sure of) should I remove it completely or will it be ok in the tank? I'd like to keep it but was told my rams wouldn't like it if it's limestone and the plants may not like it either. Well,... I will post pictures when I get this all redone tongiht. Thanks again for the tips!

 

[woofer00]

SeaChem makes FlourishTabs that work pretty well, just need to put in new ones every 3 or 4 months (so they say). I'm kinda suspicious of whether you really need new substrate or not, plenty of people get by with normal non-special pea gravel as long as they dose the water column with ferts and/or put in root tabs. Substrate, especially fluorite and eco-complete, are high ticket items for any LFS.

It's hard to say if it's limestone or not based on image alone since it looks like there's algae on there. Try removing a piece and putting drops of vinegar. If it bubbles, it's probably some variant of limestone.

 

[Yellow Eye Tang]

Ok I heard of the vinegar thing... so if it bubbles it IS limestone and if it does not bubble its ok? On initial pour of vinegar there is a couple of bubbles and as it sits nothing.

 

[FishEggs]

Ok, you all talked me into it! I just got back from the LFS and they believe that I need a different substrate for these plants. I bought a bag of black florite and I'm going to mix it with the eco-complete. I'll try to leave the C02 running as is and re-plant everything. Quick question is, does anyone know the rock in my pictures at the beginning of this thread. If it IS indeed limestone (which I'm truley not sure of) should I remove it completely or will it be ok in the tank? I'd like to keep it but was told my rams wouldn't like it if it's limestone and the plants may not like it either. Well,... I will post pictures when I get this all redone tongiht. Thanks again for the tips!

i believe i tried to talk you into just spiking the gravel with root tabs. but you might like the look of the new substrate. i have eco complete with some pea gravel scattered on top and i like it very much.

 

[mgamer20o0]

Ok, you all talked me into it! I just got back from the LFS and they believe that I need a different substrate for these plants. I bought a bag of black florite and I'm going to mix it with the eco-complete. I'll try to leave the C02 running as is and re-plant everything. Quick question is, does anyone know the rock in my pictures at the beginning of this thread. If it IS indeed limestone (which I'm truley not sure of) should I remove it completely or will it be ok in the tank? I'd like to keep it but was told my rams wouldn't like it if it's limestone and the plants may not like it either. Well,... I will post pictures when I get this all redone tongiht. Thanks again for the tips!

i am sure they can come up with a whole list of other things you need to buy them from. the substrate isnt the problem. not going to say it was a complete waste but they just talked you into buying it.

 

[Yellow Eye Tang]

Well, tehnically, there was a girl in there that is ALWAYS in there. She has several planted tanks and gives the LFS owner a lot of her stuff. I had never talked to her but this time she saw me staring at the Sechems florish tabs. I guess it was her that acually talked me into this approach. She acually was very nice and informative just as all of you always are. She said she has never even used Co2 which was kinda wierd but she said she uses this florite mixed with eco complete and had never had an outbreak of hair algae??? Trust me I'll always listen to you guys first but i DO love the new look. I'm gonna put on the black background and will take pix. I still bought the root tabs and was wondering if its too much to put those in as well? Thanks a million for all of your help.