Newbie unknown slowly creeping algae outbreak

[Co2]

The tank is about 6 months old and I have never had an algae outbreak, but the last two weeks I got my first experience.

As a newbie I have no idea of the name, please see pictures for reference.

To coincide with the outbreak I just started El Method for the first time.
I've done a prune and clean up operation with my water changes, (but the algae has to be pruned to completely remove and I have not got the lawn mower out yet.) So the algae keeps slowly creeping back over the week.

I now I done something stupid, I just dont know what that is. Apart from the algae the plants look health to my untrained eye off course.

INFO
Setup
Tank: 200 litre
Substrate: Aqua Soil Amazonia II
Light: H36 watt x 4
Height from: 15cm from water surface and 50cm from substrate.
Light time: 10 hours a day
Co2: Pressurised 5 bps
Co2 time: Starts two hours before lights and stops 1 hours before lights.
Drop checker: 4 dKH - Lime green
Filtration: Eheim classic 2215 canister filter.
Filtration in/out: Glass lily pipes

El Method
Macro Nutrition: 10 teaspoons of No3 and 2 Teaspoons of No4 into 500ml distilled water.
Micro mix: Tropica Plant Nutrition for traces

Tuesday – (after the 50% water change) – 20ml Macro Nutrition mix
Wednesday – 10ml of Tropica Plant Nutrition for traces
Thursday – 20ml Macro Nutrition mix
Friday – 10ml of Tropica Plant Nutrition for traces
Saturday – 20ml Macro Nutrition mix
Sunday – 20ml Macro Nutrition mix
Monday – I dose nothing

Plants
Saggitaria Dwarf and non Dwarf
Corkscrew Vallisneria

Live Stock:
80 cardinal tetras
5 Red and 8 tiger Platy + 10 babies which are all new borns.
6 Otocinclus catfish
30 Cherry Red Shrimp - Could be more Cherrys as they have been breeding.

 

[Co2]

algae outbreak pictures

These are the pictures of the unknown slowly creeping algae outbreak.

Thanks.

 

[ibanezfrelon]

How much PPM of NO3 , PO4, K , Fe in traces are you dosing?

 

[dutchy]

Looks like a (temporary) CO2 deficiency to me. Did your CO2 ran out on you a few weeks ago and the tank was without for some days, or starting to do EI, CO2 demand got higher which you didn't compensate. The lime green drop checker doesn't tell you that much, because it's just an indication. Still it might not be enough for your plants. Also flow is kind of low, one 2215 will not give you a lot of flow in your tank. You could use a small powerhead to make it better. That will give better CO2 dispersion between your plants.

So increase CO2, get more flow and keep an eye on your fish. Using Excel also helps you fight this algae.

regards,
dutchy

 

[Tug]

Love Potion No9

Several species of fish and shrimp should eat this one. As Dutchy points out, CO2 and improving water flow are critical.

ibanezfrelon, this is what I get for weekly dosing. I would probably drop the dose of macronutrients (NPK) on Sunday and add TPN instead. But, I think it's unrelated to the algae issue.
NO3 25.6ppm/week
PO4 6.4ppm/week
K 18ppm/week
Fe 0.08ppm/week
GH booster?

Love Potion No. 9 (1964)
The Searchers

 

[Tom Barr]

That's a CO2 issue there.

Adding ferts (if they where limiting prior) increases CO2 demand a great deal and growth in plants.
If CO2 is not added in sufficent amounts after the nutrients are independent..........then you get algae.

So BOTH nutrients and CO2 must be independent.

Then light can be used to manage the rates of growth as a dependent variable.

So less light will help, the light could easily grow these plants with 2x 36/39W T5 bulbs.

This would also mean less CO2 demand and less nutrient demand, so management would be easier.

Regards,
Tom Barr


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[Co2]

Thanks. For all your great advise from all, and quick feed back, after reading I ask my girlfriend and she has been Secretly lowing the co2.

As she was scared I will kill here fish! (plants mine, fish are hers).
So as you say looks like a triple *wammy, less co2, more ferts, and reduced flow. Ow! **

1. I will slowly up the co2, until fish tell me too stop.
2. Drop Marco on Sundays and replace with TPN
3.*I have also ordered *co2 reactor 1000 from eBay, because I was unable to find in Bangkok.
4. Will get a powerhead over the weekend

I had slightly closed the input valve on the 2215 because the water coming out of the lily pipe was so strong that the noise was becoming a headache, also changing the water level had no effect.

I have just one question, will I need to prune the effected leaves or will upping the co2, kill and remove it?

 

[dutchy]

You will have to prune the affected leaves. Watch if the new growth remains algae free.

Good luck.

regards,
dutchy

 

[ibanezfrelon]

I ask my girlfriend and she has been Secretly lowing the co2.

ha,ha, i know what you mean..

 

[Co2]

Thanks Dutchy i will do my 50% water change on Saturday and than get pruning!

 

[Co2]

Thanks Tom for your feedback, it gave me a lot to think about. I will first try to manage it as is, so I can recorded the measurements. Then drop the lights as you have suggested and record the measurement again. So I have good data for future projects.

 

[Co2]

Clean up operation

Hi all

I did my water change on Sunday and pruning and algae clean up. Also changed my lily pipe, half bell shape to a power jet style.

I start away notice a greater water flow, I had also upped my Co2 days before the clean up. The drop check is yellow and about 10% fish are more at the surface. And a lot more visual co2 bubbles in the water.

But while cleaning it's very interesting the position of the algae growth. It's really just on the foreground plants and be hide rocks. So I guess it's growth is where the weakest water flow was.

I just have one more question, if I start seeing the algae returning, do I need to up the ferts or stick to co2 increase?