# Multiple Algae Problems. Why?



## NursePlaty (Mar 24, 2010)

In my planted tank I have hair algae, fuzz algae, BBA and cladophora algae. And I dont know the reason why. My lighting is 3.45wpg 6500K on a 20g long tank. Photoperiod is 7-8hrs a day. Pressurized CO2 with a yellowish-greenish Drop checker color. I use Eco-complete for my substrate if that matters. I fertilize Flourish and Flourish Trace alternating every other day.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi NursePlaty,

That is a lot of light on a 20g long and a fairly long photoperiod based on that WPG and the shallow tank depth.

You mentioned pressurized CO2, how much CO2? Do you use a drop checker with a 4.0 dkH indicator solution so you can approximate the PPM concentration?

Are you doing weekly water changes? How much?

Do you know your Nitrate, Nitrites, Ammonia, and Phosphate readings? If so, please post them. If not, a good LFS will typically be glad to test your water for you. Call a couple in your area and ask if they offer the service.

I will take an educated guess that your lighting level/photoperiod is too long; your nutrient levels are very low to non-existent; and your CO2 level is low (below 30 ppm). Typically when I used to get the hair/fuzz types of algae it was due to excessive light and with low nutrients. Healthy plant growth will help keep these algae types in check. 

My last episode of BBA occurred when I neglected my tank. I skipped a couple of weekly water changes and allowed my organics to build up. Also, I didn't clean my filter for several months so it also had a lot of organics and my water flow decreased. I have also had BBA outbreaks if my CO2 level was low.

I only had cladophora algae once a couple of year ago, it hitchhiked in on some plants. It was a pain to get rid of.


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## NursePlaty (Mar 24, 2010)

Thank you for the reply Seattle_Aquarist

Drop checker contains 4dKH solution and pH indicator. The color of the drop checker is greenish-yellowish, more yellow than green, so I would guess 35ppm-40ppm?

I do 10% water changes weekly.

My ammonia nitrite and nitrate are all 0ppm tested with API liquid kit. Before, I always had ammonia 0ppm, nitrite 0ppm, and nitrate 5-10ppm. Now Nitrate stays 0ppm constantly. I thought it was a false reading so I bought a new Nitrate liquid test kit and it still reads 0ppm. I do not have a Phosphate test kit so I cannot tell you that one. If needed, my pH is 6.4 during daytime and 7.0 during night time.

So you suggest I increase my nutrient dosages and decrease photoperiod or wattage? Right now I am currently dosing 2ml of micro MWF and 2ml of Macro TuThSa with a 10% water change on Sunday.

Below is the picture of the tank. There is cladophora algae all intermingled in the dwarf hair grass. Fuzz algae on the Red Tiger Lotus leaves and some very small spots of BBA on the HC and some other areas. If the BBA is caused from organics. Then I am guessing it is from the HM. My HM grew so fast that I started to hate it, so I shoved them in the far right corner where there is a little amount of light. So the leaves started to die and decay.

The Cladophora is a nightmare. When I comb it out of the hairgrass, some pieces get loose in the tank and start to grow into balls. I agree with you it is a pain....

http://www.aquariumforum.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=5117&size=1


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi NursePlaty,

First of all that is a very nice looking tank; your plant growth looks very good. Let me start by saying that I don't think I ever get rid of all my algae issues, but I do try to minimize their existence in my tanks.

It sounds like your CO2 is in good shape.

I would increase changes to least 33%. Try to do them twice a week until you get your algae issues under control and then try just once a week. Algae, being a lesser evolved plant, has more trouble adjusting to changing water conditions than more highly evolved plants. Extra water changes can weaken or kill some algae. Dosing Seachem Excel at 2X the Daily Dosage has algacide properties which I have found to be effective on the filament type algae as well as BBA.

I use the API Nitrate Test Kit as well. I also had problems with "0" nitrates when I tested. Long story short, I wasn't shaking Bottle #2 for the required time before adding the drops. Once I followed the instructions, I found I had all sorts of nitrates! You may want to re-check. Let me know what you find!

Clado is not a lower algae and probably will not be effected by water changes. What I found was if I removed as much manually as I could before siphoning for my water changes, and then siphoned out as much as possible with the water removal, I started to make some headway against it. It took a couple of months with 2X weekly water changes/manual removal/ siphon removal but eventually it was gone.

As for lighting; Tom Barr gave a presentation at GSAS last Tuesday where he discussed "Light Limited; CO2 Enriched" aquariums and how to use light to regulate plant growth and minimize algae growth. GSAS members can download videos from our video library so last night I downloaded and reviewed the video of Tom Barr. As a result, I am rethinking my use of light. I posed a question to Tom during the Q&A about light intensity (WPG/PAR) verses light duration (photoperiod). What he said was if we have high light intensity we need to decrease our photoperiods. He suggested that we try decreasing our light incrementally until plant health (not necessarily growth) is effected. Obviously with less light we will have less plant growth, but plant health may not be effected. 

I have decided to reduce my light by 30 minutes a day then wait a week and see what happens to the plants. If the plants are still growing well (although maybe slower) well then I will reduce by another 30 minutes per day, wait a week, and check again. Obviously with less light I will need less nutrients and may actually be able to reduce water changes. Hopefully I will see less algae as well!

Why not try to cut back your light? You may find you save on maintenance (especially on stem plants), electricity, and reduce your algae issues.


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## darkoon (Jun 7, 2010)

make sure you take out all your crypts before you dose excel, they will most likely melt if you dose excessive excel


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi darkoon,

I have not experienced that problem with Crypts when dosing Excel. I have had problems with Vallisneria when dosing Excel, especially at 2X the Daily dosage.

I routinely dose one of my tanks with Crypts (wendtii and crispatula 'Balansae') with Excel at 2X Daily dosage and they seem to thrive. What species did you have problems with?


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## DVS (Nov 20, 2005)

May be off base here but 3.5 wpg, 30 ppm of CO2, heavily planted, and yet no macro ferts. Based on my experience, algae and 0 nitrate readings shouldn't be unexpected.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi DVS,

I agree.

One of my earlier comments was:


> I will take an educated guess that your lighting level/photoperiod is too long; your nutrient levels are very low to non-existent; and your CO2 level is low (below 30 ppm).


It appears there is enough CO2. The Flourish they are using contains some macros, but probably not enough for these lighting levels. I think I would drop my WPG by 25%, shorten my Photoperiod by 25%, and either go with the full Flourish line including Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potassium or start EI dosing.


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## DVS (Nov 20, 2005)

Sorry, I hadn't noticed where you advised NPK dosing.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Actually you were right on DVS!


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## darkoon (Jun 7, 2010)

not really sure what type of Crypt I have, most of them look alike to me, haha. probably Cryptocoryne beckettii 'petchii'.
I dosed at least 3x the recommended amount, maybe that's the reason. and yes, my vals melted too. 
but they did grow back after the treatment was over ( treated twice in 3 days).



Seattle_Aquarist said:


> Hi darkoon,
> 
> I have not experienced that problem with Crypts when dosing Excel. I have had problems with Vallisneria when dosing Excel, especially at 2X the Daily dosage.
> 
> I routinely dose one of my tanks with Crypts (wendtii and crispatula 'Balansae') with Excel at 2X Daily dosage and they seem to thrive. What species did you have problems with?


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