Algae and Light

[powerdyne6]

I have what looks to be some brown/purple algae in my 75 gallon. It is growing on the wood and plants but I have usually kept it under control manually Usually by wiping the leaves off and scrubbing the wood. There is no algae on the tank glass or substrate.

I have the Fluval Plant LED light on for about 6 to 7 hours a day with a warm up and cool down process. I fertilize with Flourish once a week at water changes.

I have a variety of plants including Java Fern, Anubius and some other stem plants plus some floaters.

What options do I have with controlling this?

Would alternating light on one day light off the next help out with this or could I just keep the light of for a few days at a time?

My place I live in gets lots of ambient light.

Thoughts?

 

[Colin_T]

Pictures of the algae?

Purple and brown algae could be blue green algae (Cyanobacteria), which loves nutrients, low oxygen levels, red light and calm water.

 

[powerdyne6]

Pictures of the algae?

Purple and brown algae could be blue green algae (Cyanobacteria), which loves nutrients, low oxygen levels, red light and calm water.

I can get some pictures tonight and post them.

Okay so to elaborate on this… the right side of my tank is usually shaded from the Fluval light with my floaters so that being said the plants, wood and rock on that side has none to very minimal algae growth whereas the left side has no coverage and that is where all the algae is.

I can look at my settings of the light in my Fluval app when I am connected to it and get you that info.

Nutrients meaning? Too much fertilizer? Not enough, plants aren’t using it fast enough?

I am running a Oase Canister filter for filtration and water movement. What are some ways to increase water movement? Some sort of powerhead? Air pump and bubble bars?

Thanks Colin

 

[powerdyne6]

Pictures of the algae?

Purple and brown algae could be blue green algae (Cyanobacteria), which loves nutrients, low oxygen levels, red light and calm water.

A few pictures attached below… also I responded to you above. Also I should mention that over the last couple weeks the algae has gotten a little lighter in color

 

[MattW]

is that BBA? @Colin_T Looks a bit similar to the alage I have in my 90L atm

 

[powerdyne6]

While I am waiting for a reply from Colin I went ahead and turned my light off for the last 2 days and sure enough the algae has started to disappear (maybe my eyes are playing tricks).

But leaving my lights off for this period of time I am not sure if I am doing any damage to my plants.

I will wait for further instruction

 

[Colin_T]

The fluffy stuff on the driftwood is black beard algae.
The stuff on the rock could be black beard and blue green.

Lights that have too much red colour spectrum can encourage Cyanobacteria.
Having lights with a 6500K rating is fine but if the light has a 3000K-4500K then it has too much red. If the light is adjustable and has red, green, blue and white lights, have the same amount of each colour.

Nutrients can be anything from uneaten fish food, ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, fish waste, rotting plant, fertiliser. Basically anything that produces nutrients the Cyanobacteria or algae can use to grow on.

The easiest way to increase water movement is with an air pump and airstones. They also increase the oxygen levels in the water. Small water pumps like the AquaClear powerheads also work well at circulating the water but don't aerate it as well.

 

[powerdyne6]

The fluffy stuff on the driftwood is black beard algae.
The stuff on the rock could be black beard and blue green.

Lights that have too much red colour spectrum can encourage Cyanobacteria.
Having lights with a 6500K rating is fine but if the light has a 3000K-4500K then it has too much red. If the light is adjustable and has red, green, blue and white lights, have the same amount of each colour.

Nutrients can be anything from uneaten fish food, ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, fish waste, rotting plant, fertiliser. Basically anything that produces nutrients the Cyanobacteria or algae can use to grow on.

The easiest way to increase water movement is with an air pump and airstones. They also increase the oxygen levels in the water. Small water pumps like the AquaClear powerheads also work well at circulating the water but don't aerate it as well.

Here is my light schedule.

Does anyone have any light settings I could follow?

 

[powerdyne6]

The fluffy stuff on the driftwood is black beard algae.
The stuff on the rock could be black beard and blue green.

Lights that have too much red colour spectrum can encourage Cyanobacteria.
Having lights with a 6500K rating is fine but if the light has a 3000K-4500K then it has too much red. If the light is adjustable and has red, green, blue and white lights, have the same amount of each colour.

Nutrients can be anything from uneaten fish food, ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, fish waste, rotting plant, fertiliser. Basically anything that produces nutrients the Cyanobacteria or algae can use to grow on.

The easiest way to increase water movement is with an air pump and airstones. They also increase the oxygen levels in the water. Small water pumps like the AquaClear powerheads also work well at circulating the water but don't aerate it as well.

Thanks Colin

After I posted this thread I tried something with my light. I left it off for 2 days then on for 1… now today back off again.

To be honest it looks like some algae in the wood has started to clear up (who knows my eyes may be playing tricks).

I will cut my fertilizer dosage in half I think and see how that works.

I don’t have any fast growing plants except for my floaters. I also don’t have big waste producing fish (Tetras and Yoyo Loaches) and I clean the tank and substrate once a week with a 50% water change.

If you look above you can see my light settings. Should I change some settings?

Thanks Colin

 

[MuddyWaters]

I hate leaving lights off, so I haven't done that when working on getting rid of algae. With BBA, high nitrates, phosphates or iron can cause it, so water change helps and maybe slow down on the fertilizer, especially if your plants are slow growing.

If you want to spot treat it, I've used hydrogen peroxide successfully. Plus it gives a satisfying bubbling action that I like to think is causing the algae great pain.

For the wood that can be pulled out, I'd scrub it and soak in hydrogen peroxide for 15-20 min.

I have, reluctantly, messed with my lighting at times to help control it, but massive amounts of plants, backing off on fertilization (I use EI, so that's counter to the EI method, but I restrict how much NK I add) and large, frequent water changes I think are the things that have helped the most.

 

[Colin_T]

Here is my light schedule.

Does anyone have any light settings I could follow?

You don't have enough blue light. Plants need equal parts red and blue light and you need to increase the blue to 30% like the red is. I would also decrease the warm white to 30% and increase the pure white to 30%.

 

[powerdyne6]

You don't have enough blue light. Plants need equal parts red and blue light and you need to increase the blue to 30% like the red is. I would also decrease the warm white to 30% and increase the pure white to 30%.

Will look at adjusting these settings tonight