# Urgent, Urgent, EMERGENCY!



## ummyeah (Apr 8, 2008)

I added a Nova Extreme T5 SLR onto my aqaurium and I have been suffering all sorts of algae outbreaks.

tank specs:

pressurized co2 (2.5 bps)
Rena XP3
Coralife 130 watt PC
Nova Extreme SLR T5 108 watts

ferrtilization 2x week

1/4 tbsp KNO3
1 cap Flourish 
couple of drops of Fleet Enema

http://picasaweb.google.com/kingofbrains/AlgaeOutbreak?authkey=Gv1sRgCMj9qdiQquOFswE#5321690611355618978


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## eco-mod (Oct 19, 2007)

What size tank is it? And what is your photo period?

I think you may be over feeding light to the plants and the CO2/Ferts cannot keep up so algae steps in. Check out this clicky, it has helped me a good amount when figuring out what is not in balance, most of the time it is low CO2 or nutrients compared to light.

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


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## ummyeah (Apr 8, 2008)

55gallon, 10 hrs


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## MartialTheory (Dec 20, 2007)

It seems to be green dust algae. Is it just on the glass? 

Cut the photoperiod to 8 hours. Then cut it to 6 if need be.

Add more plants to eat the ferts. I have a couple nutrient sponges to make sure its in check.


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## ummyeah (Apr 8, 2008)

no, it's everywhere


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

That is an excessive amount of light. You will need to have all fast growing stem plants, fertilize several times a week and do massive water changes with that intensity. T5's are usually much brighter than PC bulbs because the reflectors get more of the light into the tank than a PC reflector. Either use only the coralife or the T5 lights on the tank, do not use both unless you are willing to go crazy with maintenance.

As far as the type of algae... I think it looks like green dust algae, but it is hard to tell apart from green spot algae from a picture. The dust algae will be extremely easy to wipe off surfaces and if left alone will form a gelatin like coating around it. Spot algae is harder to get off and usually doesn't grow on plants, unless they are very slow growers like anubias.


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## ummyeah (Apr 8, 2008)

Zapins said:


> That is an excessive amount of light. You will need to have all fast growing stem plants, fertilize several times a week and do massive water changes with that intensity. T5's are usually much brighter than PC bulbs because the reflectors get more of the light into the tank than a PC reflector. Either use only the coralife or the T5 lights on the tank, do not use both unless you are willing to go crazy with maintenance.
> 
> As far as the type of algae... I think it looks like green dust algae, but it is hard to tell apart from green spot algae from a picture. The dust algae will be extremely easy to wipe off surfaces and if left alone will form a gelatin like coating around it. Spot algae is harder to get off and usually doesn't grow on plants, unless they are very slow growers like anubias.


The problem was that the Pc fixture was way too narrow and didn't illuminate the entire tank. The T5 is also too narrow to be used by itself.


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

What do you mean by too narrow? Can't you just place the light fixture directly in the middle of the tank and get proper spread? 

Can you post a picture or two to show us what you mean?

Also, how do you know the lights aren't illuminating the tank correctly? Have the plants shown any light deficiency symptoms?


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## ummyeah (Apr 8, 2008)

The fixtures are only 5" wide. So 5" over 13" doesn't work to well. Either the back is dark or the front is dark. When I had the fixture in the back, you couldn't see the fishs' colors. When it was in the front, the whole back was dark and the plants didn't grow too well. When it was in the middle, the whole tank was dim.


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## bsmith (Dec 13, 2006)

How about raising one of them? Problem solved.


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## Amazon_Replica (Nov 24, 2007)

Did you raise one, any difference?


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## ummyeah (Apr 8, 2008)

I still need to buy legs for it. I did a water change and am adding more ferts. I will see if that works or not.


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## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

I have the same set up that you have and I would defenitely only use one of those fixtures. The plants that you have look like they are not fast growing nutrient hogs. If you add more ferts I am afraid that you will just have more algae. As far as the lighting I think it is more of a preference issue than problems with the plants. One thing I have done is move the fixture just slightly back on the top so that the taller plants in the background get some extra light and the shorter plants towards the front should get enough if they are not in the shadows. 

I want to reiterate that with the plants that you have and that much light you will have algae problems. It also looks like you have some staghorn or black brush algae going in the first pic. This could also be a sign of not enough CO2. Are you using a drop checker with 4dkH solution to measure your CO2 concentration?


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## ummyeah (Apr 8, 2008)

No, I've been maesure CO2 by eyeballing it. I know, I know bad method but really don't want to have to create the solution again.


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## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

Not really sure what you mean by eyeballing it, kinda hard to do. PM me and I can get you some 4dKH solution that should last you a couple of years.

Also forgot to ask what method you are using to dissolve the CO2, i.e. reactor, venturi pump, putting into your canister filter etc.? Each one of these methods has a different efficiency of dissolving the CO2. It eould be important to know.


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## ummyeah (Apr 8, 2008)

I use a glass diffuser


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## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

I am not sure how well a glass diffuser would do in a 55g tank. It's pretty big, unless the bubbles are either under the intake of a canister filter or under the outlet so that the bubbles are blown all over the tank. I would definitely recommend a drop checker.


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## ummyeah (Apr 8, 2008)

So for now I'm only using the T5 fixture on legs. The tank is no where near as bright .


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## jmontee (Feb 7, 2008)

Don't worry, you'll get used to the brightness. If you want to try and see just how bright it actually is just set up another tank next to it and use the AGA fixture that comes with most Big Chain storte tanks. I have mine set up next to my wife's (I do all the maintenance) goldfish tank, it looks like I have a mini sun over my tank and it's 3.5 wpg.

Your tank will be in better balance this way, so you'll be in better balance this way.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

I agree, cut photo period to 7-8 hours or purchase a bunch of snails


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