Change Lighting Or Add Co2 First?

[julia298]

Not been into fish that long & started straight off with plants so have really had algae from the beginning more or less. I have a juwel 180 tank with the lights that came with the tank 2 x 25w. I have lights on 5hr, siesta, then on 5hrs again.

Algae building up very quickly after each clean. I realise the conditions in my tank are ideal for algae but not sure where to start 1st - lighting or CO2. Any advice welcomed.

 

[IovaykInD]

You definately wanna add co2 before you add lighting. Without co2 and a lots of lighting, algae will take over the tank quicker than you can say "algae." co2 only helps plants and not algae, because algae uses oxygen. That being said, i'd definately add co2 before lighting.

 

[julia298]

OK. can you recommend a CO2 system that is EASY (for dummies like me) and not too time comsuming.

 

[craynerd]

Nutrafin system is cheap and easy only £20 and will defo provide some CO2 ...however..i`m sure you`ll be advised with a tank that size you should really go preasurised!

I`m sure someone with experience will post....!!

Chris

 

[qwikimpss]

Definately go with CO2 first. I have a DIY set up and let it run out on my 29 gal with 85 watts on it and after a week algae was EVERYWHERE! If u wanna go cheaply I would suggest going the DIY route, it's very easy, inexpensive and works well.

And the reason that CO2 helps fight off algae is not because algae uses oxygen (it uses CO2, about 70% of our breathing oxygen comes from algae) but because when you inject CO2 the plants you want to grow will out-compete the algae for nutrients....but then you get into the nutrient balance and EI and ferts and whatnot....

 

[gagaliya]

180L that's a 50gallon tank? so it's only 1 WPG light, which is very low. If you still have algae problem, then it's time to look at the source. What kind of plants you have? are you over feeding? too much nitrate?

My suggestion would be not to bother with the co2 yet, it wont do much to solve the algae problem if all your plants are slow growing type... The most effective way would be to throw in some fast growing easy stem plants like anarchis or hornwort. They will ALWAYS outcompete algae, once the tank has been established you can always take them out. Also increase the light to 100W or 2WPG at min so the stem plants can grow more easily.

The key is to let fast growing stem plants to control the algae source - nutrients.