# CO2 I guess has it's downs too; Thread Algae



## Docszoo (Aug 19, 2009)

Hi. I just set up a DIY CO2 bottle and a diffusor or whatever. After one day, I now have algae growing EVERYWHERE.

It's a thread algae because they look like hairs. They are growing on the tank walls and on my anacharis. I do not mind it elsewhere, especially on the fake log I have in there. But it will kill the plants and it looks ugly.

Any South American animals good at controling this stuff, or do I need to do water changes or what all can I do? The tank is very new still I think, because I had a pleco who died in there the other day because (according to Planet-Catfish) the tank was too new. But it had no algae in there then. . . 

Any suggestions? Thank you : )


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## Supercoley1 (May 28, 2007)

You added CO2. That sped up the growth rate of the plants as they were no longer CO2 limited. Have you increased/started adding ferts to allow for this extra growth?

AC


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## Docszoo (Aug 19, 2009)

I have to increase my fertilizer? I guess that means increased waterchanges too?


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## Supercoley1 (May 28, 2007)

depends how big your water changes were before.

Algae tends to develop when there is an imbalance.

It is 'triggered' by ammonia. small amounts. Before the plants used all the ammonia in the system up and there was enough P,K and trace elements within the tank from fish food waste, fish waste and substrate etc.

You increase the CO2 availablility. The plant then grows faster. Runs out of something and releases ammonia = algae (This is a very simplified version of the process)

This isn't what has happened to yours in a single day. You have created an inbalance which means the plants have to adapt their rubisco levels. In this time the algae has crept in. However if the plants do run defficient of nutrient then they will not fight off the algae.

Did you increase the lighting as well? What lighting do you have and over what sized tank?


Personally unless you want rapid growth and everything was OK before I would return to the Non CO2 method you had before.

AC


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## Docszoo (Aug 19, 2009)

I did not do very big water changes, and the last one was 2 days ago. 

And yeah, I'd like rapid growth, plus healthier plants. So I just need to increase the water changes, or go ahead and put more fertilizer in there?


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## Supercoley1 (May 28, 2007)

adding CO2 will not mean healthier growth. It will mean faster growth.

Healthier growth is achieved by making sure each lant has everything it needs. Enough CO2, enough nutrients, enough light etc.

That is not to say we can put 5x as much of everything in and be safe. Too much light will drive up CO2 and nutrient demand. Too much CO2 will kill livestock. Too many nutrients can cause problems for both plants and fish.

Nutrients is the least dangerous to increase. At the levels most people dose even with EI which (overdose and reset with waterchanges) fish and inverts have no problems.

I use EI and that means overdosing, CO2 @ 30ppm+ and 50% weekly water changes.

You can however use methods such as PMDD+PO4 (link below) which only requires 20% or so and CO2 is not as much of a problem if it is below 30ppm. I have used this method for a long time with great success but moved onto EI recently purely because I have incredibly high plantmass and therefore easily run short on nutrient. Have a read:

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/PMDD.htm

AC


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Let me suggest some reading which might answer some of your questions in more details.

http://www.aquatic-plants.org/articles/basics/pages/index.html
http://www.rexgrigg.com/
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...ums/14684-new-tank-setup-guide-parts-1-a.html


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## Docszoo (Aug 19, 2009)

Thank you both so much.

Everything has remained the same. Before I put the CO2 in there, there was no CO2 at all. The lighting amount stayed the same (now, I have the blinds covered more), and the substraight has been a aquarium plant fertilizer. All I thought I needed was a little bit of CO2 for the plants to use.

I guess I should get a needle valve. That would be the last thing I would need, as I already have everything else. The CO2 is not produced in consistant amounts. . . and all I have is one of those screw tubing connector things you get with bubblers.


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## Supercoley1 (May 28, 2007)

You've lost me. Is it a DIY pressurised setup as in you bought the components yourself or a DIY as in yeast?

If the latter then a needle valve will just make the pop bottle more likely to go pop. If the former it is a necessity.

AC


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## Docszoo (Aug 19, 2009)

I do not have a needle valve yet. . . guess I will not get one 

The plants are growing much faster than they were without the CO2, and the new growth looks pretty. I added more fertilizer liquid (Flora-Pride) yesterday, and Algae has not grown a tramendous amout (like yesterday).

At one point do I need an algae eater of some sort? Or do I pick off this hairy algae with my hands?


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

I would recomend doing as much manuel removal as you can. I just got done figthing it. it can be a PITA.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

If you said CO2 have its down than turning the lights on is not an good idea either... CO2 and the lighting have to balance in order to keep it "clean" with less algae or should I said under control on the algae. Algae always there just as long it is under control by fish, shrimp or the right water change, it should be okay. Frequent water change is better than lots water change at once.



Docszoo said:


> Hi. I just set up a DIY CO2 bottle and a diffusor or whatever. After one day, I now have algae growing EVERYWHERE.
> 
> It's a thread algae because they look like hairs. They are growing on the tank walls and on my anacharis. I do not mind it elsewhere, especially on the fake log I have in there. But it will kill the plants and it looks ugly.
> 
> ...


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## cbwmn (Dec 18, 2007)

Doc
I only live about 30-40 minutes away from you in West El Paso.
Do you ever come to EP?
If you don't mind, I'd like to visit with you.
I have a sister that lives in Las Cruces and I could make a trip to LC also.

I've had some planted aquarium success with both the DIY - yeast/sugar/water system and 
I also have a pressurized CO2 setup. Here are some pictures of my 46 gallon that has the 
pressurized CO2.
http://gs69.photobucket.com/groups/i60/7NOBMDJJ0N/?sort=ascending?sort=ascending

I think you are probably mixing sugar/water and yeast for your CO2 supply. 
If this is right, you do NOT have to buy a needle valve. 
As stated earlier, that would probably cause the setup to rupture 
and leak out. You do not want that, it's a sticky mess.
I have three smaller tanks with the yeast/sugar CO2. 
I have the best success using two - one gallon (AriZona tea) plastic bottles. 
I connect in tandem them with an airline and then send an airline into an 
empty bottle before injecting it into the aquarium. 
The empty bottle acts as a gas/mixture separator.
Also, by using two bottles, I can alternate new mixtures and that gives a more consistent supply of CO2.
If the CO2 saturation in the water column is inconsistent, that will cause an algae problem. 
If you would like to see the setup, I could take a picture and email it too you.
Take some time and read the links given by Bert in the above email.
It will save you a lot of headaches.
Also, at first I tried buying fish to help control the algae growth. Bought a common Pleco and it grew to about 10", way too large for my tank. And I still had algae.
A fish that eats algae is not the way to go IMO.
If you'd like to email me, my email is [email protected].
Good luck
Charles


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