Massive Algae Issue Sos

[alex.wardle]

 
My new tank has now been set up for around 2 months and my alea is out of control.
 
240 litre tank 
 
2 x standard t8 bulbs
2 x 54w t5 plant pro bulbs
 
lights on for 6 hours
 
Fluval 305 filter with fluval sea powerhead so lots of flow
 
c02 injection with checker kept at a nice green colour 
c02 comes on 1 hour before lights and off 1 hour before they go out. 
 
daily doses of furts 
 
8ml micro ei easy way on Monday,Wednesday and Friday
12ml macro ei easy way on Tuesday and Thursday
nothing on saturday and 50% water change every week on Sunday.
 
stocking is low at the moment but i have lots of hair grass,HC wendit brown and come cripts
 
Plants are doing great. new shoots every day and pearl most nights but the ALGAE.........
 
It vacs off really easy from all the wood and off the shoots of the hairgrass but 2 days after my water change it is nearly 3cm long of each blade of hair grass and wood.
 
Water stats are all good as I used some media from my dads tank.
 
 
What am I missing...... please help

 

[alex.wardle]

Just so have an idea on growth rates. I took a picture every day from the same spot for a week.
 

 

[luca1980]

Not sure what kind of fish you have in here, but true Siamese algae eaters make a huge difference when it comes to algae control.
 
I had a big problem with black beard algae spreading everywhere. I was doing 50% water changes weekly as well as scraping off all the BBA that I could see and it made no difference. I didn't want to add any chemicals because of possible harm to my fish so I added two SAE instead.
 
I know that there are possible problems that can occur when you add fish to solve other problems, but these little guys have really saved my tank. They are peaceful and have a great work ethic - they are always munching on the BBA and leave my plants alone.
 
I love these guys and they will be in every tank I have from now on!

 

[Byron]

You are running a high-tech system, with diffused CO2 and daily fertilization.  Problem algae occurs when the balance of light (intensity, also duration) and nutrient availability is off.  I don't know what specific fertilizers you are using, but there may be too much of one or more of them, or the light may be too intense.  I would look first to the light, as two T8 tubes and two T5 tubes is a lot of light.  Two T5 tubes would be fairly intense light on its own.  And you should also look into the light colour (spectrum, Kelvin) and this can factor in as well.
 
The Siamese Algae Eaters mentioned by luca1980 is not the answer here.  First, they are usually good with brush/beard algae, but little else.  Second, they have specific needs as a fish, and being shoaling they should be in a small group, but this has other issues.  They are also not small fish.  To provide them the best environment, a small group in at least a 4-foot tank is recommended.
 
The only effective way to deal with algae is to balance the light and nutrients.  I think here the light is the issue, though I would want to know the fertilizers and light data.
 
Byron.

 

[alex.wardle]

Thanks for the response Byron, Agreed SEA is not the answer, need to stop the route cause,
 
attached are the firts I am using 
 


 
so would you suggest knocking of the t8's and just run the t5's for a week or 2 to see if it helps
 


 
These are the T5's with the relevent details.
 
I will crank up the C02 an extra BPS and turn of the T8's see what it does to the algae.

 

[Byron]

The T5's alone should be adequate light, thinking of the spectrum, from the chart, and these are HO T5.  I would try this.  
 
I won't say anything about the fertilizers because you are using IE and this is a high-tech method tank.  I am strictly low-tech, lol, but the principle is the same whichever--balance light intensity with nutrient availability to cover the plants' needs and no more.  I would however be concerned over the high nitrate and phosphate mentioned in the instructions...the latter especially is an algae encourager if it is greater than the plants' needs.
 
Any changes will need a couple weeks or more to be obvious.  You want the algae to stop increasing, that is the aim.
 
Byron.

 

[StevenF]

You micro fertilizer does not have Calcium or sulfur listed on the label.  Now most tap water should have some tbut if you have very soft water you could be deficient in calcium and maybe sulftur.  I don't have a CO2 tank but I have been using RO water and have had slow and inconsistant plnat growth for some time with algae issues.  Recently I switched micro fertilizer from one without copper to ne with coper (Seachem Flourish)  Plant growth improved immediately and my phosporous levels (which were always a little high) dropped to very low levels. Algae growth stalled.  Basically I learned that being deficient in just one micro eutrient can have a big implact on plant growth.  I would give Saechem a try. The addition of calcium and sulfur might give your plants an edge over the algae.  

 

[alexge]

First of all, you're running a high-tech tank, "green" drop checker ain't gonna cut it, you have to up your co2.
Aim for lime green or yellow. This of course depends on your water hardness.
Once you do that, you will notice the plants growing a lot faster (you may have to cut/prune weekly).
 
Second, I don't see any algae in your tank. If you do indeed have an outbreak, then this is the beggining of it, so if you catch it early you may be lucky.
You have what looks like brown algae, which is normal in new tanks, and usually goes away.
High light intensity tends to promote it in early tank cycles, but it usually goes away.
 
Things to try:
 
1) Reduce light distance from the tank surface (if possible). My bet is on your light intensity being too high.
 
2) The Micro-Macro ferts from co2art are not that high on concentration.
Its best investing in an electronic scale (around 10 quid) and some dry salt fertilisers, so you can mix your own ferts for your tank.
It may sound like a lot of trouble, but in the long run you can get them fine-tuned.
Read up on Estimative Index dosing. Although it sounds counter-intuitive, you want more ferts in your tank, so that your plants are healthy and can compete with algae.
 
3) Dose flourish excel/liquid carbon. They are all the same substance, its an algaecide. It can be toxic in very high doses, but if needed you can double or triple the dosage,
and do spot treatment using a pipette. Your fish will be fine, but with shrimps you have to be careful.
Other drastic treatment can be with hydrogen peroxide in small amounts using a pipette/syringe.
Most drastic treatment is with chlorine, but lets leave that for now.
 
4) Increase CO2 in small increments (try not to nuke your tank).
 
5) Try a temporary lights-out session mid-day. It hasn't worked for me, but it works for other folks.
So instead of 6 hours, try 3 hours on, 1 off, 3 on.
 
Algae in a high-tech system is a balancing act: just the right amount of light, co2 and nutrients.
Also, and this is the most important thing, its nearly impossible to completely eradicate algae, a tiny amount will always be present.
 
Best of luck!