# Tank swamped with algae



## tapscrew (Jul 1, 2006)

Hi everyone,

I need help to get rid of algae. 

I have a 120litre tank with 60watts light on for 12 hrs a day. Nitrite0 Ammonia 0 pH 6.0 Nitrate 0. I put in 1 capful of seachem excel a day. 

I have a DIy yeast co2 running in there too.

The tank is now covered in what looks like green thread algae, its growing on all the plants and gravel and looks horrible. I dont know how to get rid of it. I'm wondering whether I'm underfertilizing as nitrate reading is always 0. Plant growth is pretty strong and I have to prune every week.

Can anyone tell me how to get rid of it???? Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

You need to be dosing nitrates, phosphates, potassium and traces, in addition to carbon (Excel). Then, cut back on the light duration to about 8 hours a day. I suggest you forget about testing for the nutrients, and at least for now, just use the EI method of dosing - see http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...zing/15225-estimative-index-dosing-guide.html. You will need to physically remove or kill the algae that is now in the tank in order to get rid of it and reduce the chances of it spreading.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Er? Pictures would be helpful.

Is it growing around the individual pieces of your substrate, or is it growing directly on it?

If it grows around the substrate and has the consistency of a tough brillo pad, then you, my friend, have a case of cladophora.


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## tapscrew (Jul 1, 2006)

Having looked at the photos available of this clado stuff and compared them with what is in my tank I think this could well be it. Would I be right in thinking that removal by hand of what I can and a strong dose of seachem execl would at least reduce the problem?


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

1) Remove all you can by hand, prune plants that have it tangled in, ie: java moss, hairgrass, etc...
2) Dose Excel per the directions for the INITIAL dose.
3) Overdose Excel (2x - 3x) for the later doses.
---When you're doing over Excel OD, you can spot treat affected areas but not that it'll probably kill off any riccia, fissidens, anacharis, vals, and possibly HC.
4) Get Amano shrimp, they seem to eat away at any smaller bits of cladophora left.
5) Constantly remove any bits you see manually.


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