# Blackout?



## HUNTER (Dec 22, 2005)

Will it help to reduce algae by not turning on the light for a day, just to slow it down?. I have been wiping off the glass daily for the last few weeks and hopefully find the solution soon, i'm giving the tank a break and myself.


----------



## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Blackouts are used for Cyno & green water, it will not work on other algaes. 

Give us your tank setup info, water parameters and type of algae you have and we can help you out with your algae problem. 

You can also check out our "AlgaeFinder" to ID the type you have and for solutions for getting rid of it.


----------



## HUNTER (Dec 22, 2005)

First, the tank is 2 months old and and for the first 6 weeks it was healthy and lots of plants, because the plants grew so fast i decided to replant. For the past two weeks i've been wiping that looks like a green dust algae on the glass and on the plants everynight, but it shows right away after the lights turned on for few hours and the plants don't seem to grow like they did. Anyway is here is the tank specs...

20g high
1x65 watt 6,700 pc, sometimes i turn on the other 1x65 pc but rarely.
Pressurized CO2 and daily addtional of flourish excel
Fluval 204 canister and small HOB penguin without bio-wheel for water movement.
KH 7,3
GH 9-10 
PH 6.8 and lately 6.6 to up the CO2 level
EI method
NO3 10-20 PPM
PO4 1-2 PPM
Everything seems to be in check, just the persistent algae.


----------



## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Sometimes when you replant that can cause algae issues, especially if you have disturbed a root tab. I have found that when green dust algae appeared in my tank that I was adding to much nitrates, once I reduced them it went away after a week or two.


----------



## HUNTER (Dec 22, 2005)

I'll try to lower the nitrate to just 10 ppm and see if that helps, i don't use root tabs though. I consider this my first lesson.


----------



## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

I'd not worry about your NO3 levels (unless they are very high) and concentrate more on getting your CO2 levels a bit higher. CO2 will do much more to the GSA than limiting NO3 and will not cause any plant damage due tolow NO3 levels from a faulty test kit. 

Also, refer back to the thread you started a couple of weeks agon on GSA. The advice given in that thread is good and will work on the GSA. It is a lot of work to do multiple water change and wipe the glass but it works.


----------



## HUNTER (Dec 22, 2005)

Thanks for the advice guys.


----------



## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Another tool to fight GSA can be to increase you PO4 levels slightly. A higher level of about 2 ppm will help to reduce GSA and keep it from coming back.

And of course like Matt already pointed out none of the parameter methods work better than optimizing CO2.


----------

