Emergency - algae outbreak

[Pockets]

Please help me resolve this algae problem.

What type of algae ? thread/hair/? etc.
How to kill it ? blackout/WC/ ? etc.
How to prevent it in future ?

• Substrate = flourite, laterite, eco complete, sand
• Lights = LED moon , actinic 2x55watt , 4x96watt CF
• Plants = lobellia cardinalis, rotalla wallichi, echinodorus tennelius, hygrophilia , cryptocoryne becketii / brown, italian vals
• Automated Co2 always on w/ph @ 6.8 (using Reactor 1000)

(in ppm)

PH/Potential Hydrogen  	6.8
No2/Nitrite  	0.0
No3/Nitrate  	5.0
NH3/Ammonia  	0.0
GH/General Hardness  	80.0
KH/Carbonate Hardness  	80.0
Co2/Carbon Dioxide 	21.0
Iron/chelated  	0.0
Po4/Phosphate  	0.5
Ca/Calcium  	20.0
Mg/Magnesium	7.4
Ca:Mg Ratio	2.7

* all levels seem ok except for Iron which is low but has only been low for a little while

This is my first tank and I have already done 5 day blackouts 3 different times since setup in April07.

I have tried so many different things in regards to fertization dosage amounts and how long the lights are on and no matter what I try I always end up growing this kind of algae


* this growth in all in a period of 5 days

Please help

 

[VaughnH]

How big is the tank? If it is smaller than 100 gallons you could benefit by reducing the amount of light. And, if you get a drop checker and use it with 2-4 dKH distilled or DI water in it, instead of tank water, you can be sure that you have enough CO2 in the water. Without that you can only guess at the amount. Then, use the pH controller as a pH indicator only, not as a CO2 controller.

Also, if those test results are accurate, you need to increase both the NO3 and PO4 amounts to at least 10 and 1 ppm.

 

[Pockets]

Aquarium is 135gal
Drop checker is used to monitor ph levels w/4dkh solution

VaughnH , is this hair or thread algae ? or both ? or something else ?

 

[Pockets]

as of right now my photoperiod is the following

7-9 lunar 4watts 2hr
9-10 actinic 110watts 1hr
10-1 5500k 192watts 3hr
1-6 5500k/6500k 384watts 5hr
6-7 6500k 192watts 1hr
7-8 actinic 110watts 1hr
8-10 lunar 4watts 2hr

 

[Pockets]

Here is my photoperiod

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

* Lunar * Moon 7am - 10pm (4watt LED's)

* Blue03* Actinic 8am - 8pm (2hr ) 110 watts DeepBlue03 Actinic

* 03/10k* Sunrise 9am - 7pm (2hr ) 96/96 watts 10000k / DeepBlue03 Actinic

* 6500k * Peak 10am - 6pm (8hr ) 494 watts (288watts Daylight / 206watts DeepBlue03 Actinic)

* Lunar * Moon 8pm - 10pm (2hr additional sunset)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 

[Pockets]

Here is my photoperiod

AHsupply Retrokit
Lunar 4x1watt > 7am-10pm
Deep Blue03 2x55watt > 9am-8pm
5500k 2x96watt > 10am-6pm
6500k 2x96watt > 11am - 7pm

 

[VaughnH]

Aquarium Algae ID (updated) is a good place to look to try to identify an algae. I don't recognize yours from my experience.

It does look like you have more light than you need. You have 2.8 watts per gallon for about 7 hours, and lesser amounts for another 2 hours. The actinic and lunar lights are probably not significant. Why not cut one of the pairs of 96 watt lights down to only 2-4 hours? Then later, you could increase that time a bit if you wanted. Do you run the actinics just because you like the look?

 

[Pockets]

• Why not cut one of the pairs of 96 watt lights down to only 2-4 hours?
• Do you run the actinics just because you like the look?

Done
6500k 2x96watt is now at 2pm - 7pm
* soon I will replace these two with combo 03/10,000k bulbs CF

And Yes , I like the look and feel of the light intesity increase/decrease!

 

[ceg4048]

What type of algae ? thread/hair/? etc.
How to kill it ? blackout/WC/ ? etc.
How to prevent it in future ?


* all levels seem ok except for Iron which is low but has only been low for a little while

This is my first tank and I have already done 5 day blackouts 3 different times since setup in April07.

I have tried so many different things in regards to fertization dosage amounts and how long the lights are on and no matter what I try I always end up growing this kind of algae

Hi,
Wow, nearly 500 watts - that's like a Vegas nightclub. I'm stumped on what species of algae this is but it really doesn't matter, the cause is fundamentally the same as most; too much light coupled with what would be almost certainly not enough nutrition, coupled with ammonia leaching from the dying leaves. I can almost guarantee that you'll not get a handle on this until you sharply reduce the lighting. It seems you've already taken Hoppy's advice and dropped the intensity by about 200 watts but in the short term I would slow things down even more. I know this might sound draconian but you would be amazed at how much easier your life would be if you cut it down to under 200 watts. I know, I know, it's difficult to resist the temptation to throw megawattage at the tank and to justify it because of it's large volume but you need for the plants to develop enough to compete properly. The Cypts are slow growing so they will require a lot of time. It would help to get another 100 stems of any cheap hygrophilia. I see a lot of open space in the photos so you need to stuff the tank to the gills. Remember, this is just short term, you only need them to help you stabilize the tank and after a few months you can start to replace them with the plants that you really like.

Assuming that you do a blackout, RUTHLESSLY trim off infested leaves and then stock with more plants you should study the following thread until you can recite it by heart:
http://www.barrreport.com/estimative-index/62-estimative-index-dosing-no-need-test-kits.html

Dosing schemes can be found here:
http://www.barrreport.com/estimative-index/2819-ei-light-those-less-techy-folks.html

I would use the 100-125 gallon scheme listed near the bottom. For the next few weeks I would also do more frequent water changes, say 50% 2 to 3 times a week dosing immediately after the change.

CO2, there is no way I'll believe there is exactly 21 ppm, the measurements just aren't that accurate. If you pump enough gas in the tank to keep the drop checker the color of the interior of a lime you'll be OK. It should be that color by the time the lights go on. You can turn it off after lights out if you wish.

You may also consider some algae eating fish. Fifteen or so Otocinclus would do you a world of good for that size tank. They are peaceful, tireless and you don't really have to feed them for the duration.

If you do the above you won't have to test for all those parameters, and I doubt that the readings are very accurate anyway.

After a while, when the weight of the plants increase and the tank stabilizes you can start to prune and to slowly increase the lighting to your favorite Vegas levels, keeping in mind the possibility that the dosing and CO2 will have to increase as well.

Cheers,