# Brown algae - guidance requested.



## tefsom85 (Jan 27, 2007)

I have had my tank setup for just a little over a week now and I am already starting to see algae despite me trying to do all the right things to avoid it.. oh, well.. guess that's part of the process. 

In any case, I have attached a picture of the algae that is showing up for reference. I'm guessing that it's a CO2 issue but wanted to get some inputs.

Tank specs
120g, Aquasoil substrate, heavily planted, high light (250Wx2 6500K MH- bulbs 2+ years old), pressurized CO2 going into dupla reactor, Eheim 2213 pushing water through reactor, Eheim 2028 as main filtration, rio 180 power head just to push water around.

Fertilization using EI methods - chemicals from Greg Watson. 2tsp GH booster at water change. Currently changing 50% water 2x week. 1tsp KNO3 and 1/4 tsp KH2PO4 3x week - 30ml TMG 3x week (alternate days from dry chemicals). Since I am using EI, I have been doing zero testing of the water. A couple of years ago when I was testing, KH was about 5. Guessing its about the same now.

Some add'l notes which may or may not be relevant but I'll throw them in. 

When I introduced the aquasoil initially, it made the water very muddy. I did several 75%+ -gentle- water changes over the course of a couple weeks before planting. Muddiness went away but water was still somewhat cloudy.
I have a bag of Purigen in the 2028 filter to try and clear this up.

Currently no fish - wanted to avoid SAEs this time around (just didn't want any).

Tank is in a cooler room and is currently running about 70F.

Finally, the TMG is a couple of years old. Have a new batch but folks seemed to think it would still be ok.

Thoughts?
Thanks,
Will


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## tefsom85 (Jan 27, 2007)

BTW.. I looked in the algae database but was not able to find this algae. Maybe one of the gurus would like to do it


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

Algae outbreaks with new setups can be pretty normal. They are reduced with a good starting plant mass. You have a picture showing your current plant mass?

Any specific reason for the twice weekly water changes? I ask because your dosing levels are better suited to weekly water changes. You may be a bit low on nutrients with two 50% water changes a week.

I would also say that you have a lot of light for a 120g (almost 4.2wpg). What's your photoperiod like?


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## tefsom85 (Jan 27, 2007)

Laith said:


> Algae outbreaks with new setups can be pretty normal. They are reduced with a good starting plant mass. You have a picture showing your current plant mass?


Don't have any really good pictures but attached what I have. First picture is after 1st planting, 2nd is after a week. Basically, lots of plants. Most of substrate populated. I am confident that I am planted heavily enough.



Laith said:


> Any specific reason for the twice weekly water changes? I ask because your dosing levels are better suited to weekly water changes. You may be a bit low on nutrients with two 50% water changes a week.


 This would be good to know. I had thought that I read that you should do twice weekly water changes during first month. What dosage would be suggested?



Laith said:


> I would also say that you have a lot of light for a 120g (almost 4.2wpg). What's your photoperiod like?


 hehe.. yeah, I know its a lot of light. I bought into the "the more light the better argument". I went with MHs due to the fact that the tank is 24" deep and you do need some high intensity to fully penetrate. Having said that, hindsight would have me reconsider both the tank and the lighting (less depth on the tank = less wet armpits and less lighting = less headaches). Photoperiod is currently 12 hours-likely going to go to 10.


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## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

ok, that's pretty good plant mass.  

And re water changes, I missed the part about you using Aquasoil. I've also heard that frequent water changes are necessary at the beginning with this substrate.

Aquasoil apparently leaches Ammonia into the tank for the first month or so. Ammonia in certain situations can trigger algae to grow, hence the recommendation for frequent large water changes.

With the Aquasoil it may be better to stick to your current dosing for the moment. Very important, especially with your lighting: make very sure that you're getting adequate CO2 into the tank (look into the drop checker method of measuring CO2 here on APC as the pH/KH/CO2 tables are not good)! How are the plants doing? Healthy? any signs of deficiencies?

You may just be going through the new tank algae phase so continue as you're doing and... be patient! At the beginning, and as long as the plants are doing well, algae can appear and then disappear until things stabilize.

But you do have very high lighting. Normally I'd recommend cutting the lighting in half for part of the photoperiod and having the full lighting on for only a "noon burst" but with MHs you can't do that because then half your tank would be dark...

But do lower the photoperiod. I'd go for 8 hours.


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