# Suggestions for Algae on Glass??



## mshaughnessy (Jan 28, 2006)

Hi

I have a 55 gal acrylic tank with a built in overflow and sump and an Eheim wet-dry on my tank. I has 120 watts of power compact light on it for 9 hours a day and just a little other light from the room its in. No direct sunlight. There are three small cichlids, four otocinclus, two plecos, a whiptail cat and two siamese algae eaters. I don't fertilize and I don't feed the cichlids very much. 

I have a bunch of plants, most of which are growing. I also have a ton of algae, about 3/4's of the front is basically obscured by algae on the glass. Also there is a good amount of hair algae. Do you guys have any suggestions to reduce the algae?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

The best defense against algae is fast growing plants and plenty of them. That works best with CO2 being supplied, along with NPK and micros fertilizing. So, if you have read much here, you can guess that most of us are going to recommend that you start fertilizing and add CO2. Your lighting is just about where you will have to or learn to live with algae.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Need to know your water parameters: PH, KH, N03, P04.

_Do you inject C02_?... It needs to be kept around 30ppm.

Plants need ferts, so you need to start using fertilizer. If no ferts are used then the plants can't grow to out compete the algae.

Also up your daily lighting to 10 hours.


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## mshaughnessy (Jan 28, 2006)

So is fertilizer okay if I'm not using CO2? The pH of the water here is about 8.5-9. Will this be a problem for CO2. Do I need a controller or can I slowly adjust the CO2 canister when the pH is this high. I don't know about the PO4 but I think the water is fairly hard. There is probably a fairly high level of nitrate, since I feed the fish and there seems to be some decaying plant matter. 
Thanks for the replies


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

You at least need to be adding some micros & macros to start with, like Seachem flourish and Seachem micros. 

You could go with DIY C02 if you don't won't to run pressurized. You would at least need to run two bottles on a 55G tank if going the DIY route. However pressurized will give you a more steady amount of C02 in your size tank. At least use some Seachem Excel (carbon source) until you get C02 injection going.

I strongly advise getting a KH, N03 & P04 test kits. These are very important test in keeping a planted tank balanced to overcome the algae.


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## Lauren (Mar 18, 2006)

algae on the glass will come off with some hardy scrubbing, just need some patience.


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