# Help!!!



## elkhunter (May 24, 2012)

I just tested my water but I need help with my plants and this stupid algae! The algae is getting worse and its growing on everything. 

29 Gallon Aquarium

GH= 8
KH=3
PH= 7
Ammonia= .25
Nitrite= 0
Nitrate= 0
Temperature= 76 degrees F
Eco complete substrate mixed regular gravel
4x 24 Watt bulbs 2 corallife 6700K and 2 aqualife roseate bulbs
Pressurized CO2
Automatic Dosing of fertilizer with PPS Pro
try to do 5 Gallon water change every week
Lights on like 10hrs

Any suggestions or help would be very appreciated !!


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

Nitrate is zero? That's a world or trouble right there.

It's hard to see the algae from the photos. Is it grey, snotty and pearling?


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

Zero nitrate indeed, no mention of PO4. 4x24W over a 29 gallon and ammonia in the water. Only 20% water changes. If someone ever asks for a recipe for algae, just show them this! 
For now, it is not even that bad yet. But this amount of light is not controllable for inexperienced planted tank keepers.

Enough mocking, let me see if I can help you. First of all, you can grow almost any plant half that amount of light. So my advice would be just to stick with 2x 24W, half the light, 90% less change on algae. Second, plants need PO4 and NO3. When either of them is zero, algae take over. You can dose it in the water or by the substrate but plants simple need this. PPS is not build for this amount of light either.

Ammonia is causing algae, ammonia should be zero always. Why is it not zero? New tank? Rotting leaves/fish/food anything in the water? Make your tank pristine! Having said that, with ammonia in the water you need to do larger water changes, always! With more light, you need to do larger waterchanges (4x24W means >50%) with 2x24W and a stable tank 20% might be oke, but till it is stable, try to aim for 40-50% WC. Trying to do 5G water changes every week sounds like I do one every 2-3 weeks... Being lazy = algae! Especially with this amount of light, you need to do daily!! maintenance. Removing old or rotting leaves, checking CO2 etc. But if you want to enjoy this hobby you really need to start with less light! Ones you get a hang of your tank and plants you can always increase the amount but till than, make your life more easy

In short:
- half the light
- weekly 50% water changes or biweekly 30%
- make sure you plants have all the nutrients they need available at any time! (NO3, PO4 and you don't mention traces but these are included as well)

Good luck!


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## elkhunter (May 24, 2012)

I appreciate the Advice I just realized too that my co2 was off the tank was empty i think there was a leak so Idk how long it was off. I will retest but I bought phosphoguard should I not add that to my filter? I was trying to grow HC or Glosso both of which are in the tank currently with 2 or three lights going would it grow? How do you test for all the plant nutrients?


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## elkhunter (May 24, 2012)

I also forgot to mention that my tank is a few years old!


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## elkhunter (May 24, 2012)

The algae is kind of brown and seems to be clinging to everything and suffocating it.


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## Dejlig (Jan 20, 2013)

Do you have a cleanup crew? Siamese algae eaters, otos, shrimp etc? They can help, but start with Yo-han's suggestions. 

If you need higher light for your HC, you need to cut down on the duration of light for sure. Maybe start at 6 hours and see what that does for you and adjust from there.


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

Adding phosphoguard is for reef tanks or heavily stocked fish tanks. It removes one of the most important nutrients for your plants, PO4. Not smart!

HC and glosso are fine with 2x24w, just make sure they have enough CO2, PO4, NO3, K, and traces!


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## Cavan Allen (Jul 22, 2004)

That sounds like it may be the grey slime, which is really a cyanobacteria caused by chronic nitrate shortage.


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## elkhunter (May 24, 2012)

Ok I wont be adding phosphoguard I just read somewhere that it would supposedly help reduce algae by eliminating phosphates thinking maybe mine were too high maybe I was misundertanding. How do you test for the nutrient levels in the aquarium?


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## UltraBlue (Mar 8, 2011)

Algae is not limited by nutrients, but your plants are...focus on doing what you need to in order to grow your plants and the algae will go away.

Algae can grow at lower nutrient levels than plants, it is opportunistic and takes advantage of the right conditions to grow rapidly.

For planted tanks your best way to combat algae is to effectively grow plants which means good nutrient levels, sufficient CO2, and proper flow. 

I like the analogy that light acts as the throttle, CO2 is the oil to the engine, and the fertilizers are the fuel. All of these things need to be working together in adequate amounts to drive healthy plant growth.


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