New Algae For Me

[Rlon35]

So, the algae issues have started. I have some stingy white or light green algae coming off some of my plants, and, within the mesh for the riccia, there is an algae that looks like a fainter version of my moss balls. I have amanos and SAEs, but none of them seem to be eating it, and it is not like there is much algae in the tank. So, basically, it looks like I have three types of algae: brown, thread, and hair. I have good water flow, and my dosing schedule is as follows, though I am going to change to the EI method next month (Tank = 55g; Fluval 305 and a powerhead; 130 watts of light; injected co2):


I have no true idea of what is in my tap..........aside from a 6.5 PH and medium hardness. I am thinking that the Leaf Zone dosing should be eliminated!?!?

1). Sunday – 70 percent H2O change; 5 mL/capful of PRIME. Prune plants and spot dose Flourish Excel.

2). Monday – a. No Significant Algae – Flourish Comp. 10 mL/capful OR b. Algae – TPN 25 mL

3). Tuesday – Flourish Phosphorus 5 mL/capful.

4). Wednesday – Leaf Zone (Potassium/Iron) 20 mL/2 capfuls

5). Thursday – Flourish Nitrogen 5 mL/capful.

6). Friday – Seachem Calcium 5 mL/capful

7). Saturday - Rest day.

This week, I plan on cleaning out my filter after the water change. I think there was alot of plant matter that decomposed and/or was taken up on the filter, especially with the pruning of the riccia and hairgrass.

 

[ian]

70% water change is quite big. Theres gonna be massive fluctuations with you C02 with a water change that big. I'm down to just 10% every 2 weeks now and my BBA problem has all but gone.

 

[Rlon35]

70% water change is quite big. Theres gonna be massive fluctuations with you C02 with a water change that big. I'm down to just 10% every 2 weeks now and my BBA problem has all but gone.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I may reduce to 50 percent once a week. I will eventually be keeping discus in this planted tank, and 50-70 percent water changes, once a week, have been recommended in some of the articles I have read on planted discus aquariums. Some of them also recommend feeding but once a day, though I'd like to feed twice and thought I'd compensate by changing at the highest percentage water change they recommended.

 

[ian]

sorry, don't know much about planted discus tanks, are you adding Excel everyday? If not, you should be doing as it only has a 24hr half life in the water column.

 

[RadaR]

I have good water flow

What exactly are you using for flow? (filter names, rated lphs, spraybar, lily pipe??)

Sounds CO2 related, whether that's not injecting enough or if the circulation isn't up to par in certain areas.
Do you use a drop checker filled with 4dkh solution and bromo blue reagent? Have you tried positioning it in different areas in the tank?
70% water change is ok per week, however I would do it before or after the photoperiod to allow the CO2 to build up again before the lights come on. Alternatively you could carry out 2x50% water changes a week.

EI is a smart move as you current dosing scheme is quite messy.

 

[Rlon35]

What exactly are you using for flow? (filter names, rated lphs, spraybar, lily pipe??)
^^^^^^^^^^^

I have a Fluval 305, with the outlet flowing toward the opposite side of the tank. I have a Korelia 2 powerhead flowing from the other side, but I noticed that it was directed too much to the back wall (looked at it after your feedback). at night, I just use a big air stone.

Sounds CO2 related, whether that's not injecting enough or if the circulation isn't up to par in certain areas.^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thinking about this, my indicator shows light green color by mid afternoon, and I have been perhaps too conservative with my regulator.

Do you use a drop checker filled with 4dkh solution and bromo blue reagent? Have you tried positioning it in different areas in the tank?^^^^^^^^

Yes, and it is positioned on the opposite side to which the majority of the co2 bubbles are being pushed.

70% water change is ok per week, however I would do it before or after the photoperiod to allow the CO2 to build up again before the lights come on. Alternatively you could carry out 2x50% water changes a week.^^^^^^

OK...that's good feeback...bascially, I would need to do the change first thing in the AM, which works out fine.

EI is a smart move as you current dosing scheme is quite messy.^^^^^^^^

I wanted to try a scheme where I just added one thing per day. Can you ellaborate on messy though?

 

[RadaR]

I wanted to try a scheme where I just added one thing per day. Can you ellaborate on messy though?

I just meant that the plants are getting one nutrient a day. E.g. phosphates on the tuesday. Nitrates on the thursday.
Plants want a constant supply of macro and micro nutrients otherwise their structure begins to break down, leading to algae problems. So, adding one thing a day is potentially playing with fire.
You've tried to make things easier which we can all understand but in my opinion the scheme is actually harder. If you compare to EI....

Sunday 50% water change. Add Macros (KNO3, KH2PO4) (that's only two things added)
Monday Add Traces (one thing added)
Tuesday Add Macros (KNO3, KH2PO4) (two things added)
Wednesday Add Traces (one thing)
Thursday Add Macros (KNO3, KH2PO4) (two things)
Friday Add Traces (one thing)
Saturday Rest day


Not a lot of work and the plants are still getting everything they want.

 

[Rlon35]

Sunday 50% water change. Add Macros (KNO3, KH2PO4) (that's only two things added)
Monday Add Traces (one thing added)
Tuesday Add Macros (KNO3, KH2PO4) (two things added)
Wednesday Add Traces (one thing)
Thursday Add Macros (KNO3, KH2PO4) (two things)
Friday Add Traces (one thing)
Saturday Rest day
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks for that schedule bud. I think my tank will thrive that way, and I'll be saving a bunch of money. The macros can or can't be mixed into one solution?

 

[RadaR]

They can be mixed.
For instructions on mixing nutrients together, see this excellent article. All In One Solution

Alternativly you can just add the dry powders to the tank via dosing spoons.
For a 55gallon you would do this:

3/4 tsp KNO3
3/16 tsp KH2PO4
1/4 tsp traces

The KNO3 and KH2PO4 on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

The trace mix on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.