# Algae has struck... Big Time



## aquarium kid (Nov 26, 2012)

Unfortunately for the past month or so I have become quite caught up in school and sports and ended up neglecting my aquarium.

I appear to have at least 2 possibly 3 kinds of algae in my tank at the moment. 1.) The algae in the pictures. 2.) Green spot algae 3.) A thin black edge on the outside of the leaves, may not be algae.

Specs
46 gallon bowfront
Finnex Ray II
Emperor 280 and 400
Mineralized Top soil

Flora and Fauna
8 red serape tetras (used to have 10 but 2 disappeared)
2 bristlenose plecos
A lot of MTS

lots of Ludwig repens
a few crypt lueta
one small anubias
one small sword
a handful of unknown bulb plants
java moss covered in algae

Dosing:
CSM+B 3 times a week for Iron (when I remember)

Parameters:
ammonia:0
Nitrate: about 30ish
I can get do tests if needed but didn't have time to do them tonight.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Was the tank stable and algae free before life got in the way?

You will get differing opinions on how to treat algae, here is what I suggest. Stop fertilizing, do several large water changes, and spot treat the algae on the moss with hydrogen peroxide or Excel. You could also reduce the photo-period, or add some floating plants.

Since you have soil substrate and your nitrates are high, I think there are plenty of nutrients stored in the soil. You want to get the nutrients out of the water and let the plants get nutrients from the substrate. Floating plants will reduce light and reduce nutrients in the water.

This not a quick fix, but does address the underlying problem.


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## neilshieh (Jun 24, 2010)

imo i can never get rid of green spot algae regardless of my phosphate levels so it must be something else. others say that you don't ever really get rid of gsa ymmv

the black stuff is black beard algae

first pict is hair algae i believe. look around for info on how to fix these problems. mostly you just need to get your tank stable again.


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## Skizhx (Oct 12, 2010)

If your tank was stable before life got in the way you could do whatever you were doing that worked initially, and then just let things correct themselves. Just know before hand that it could take a few months.

Michael gave some good advice, too IMO.


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## aquarium kid (Nov 26, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions

This is my first ever planted tank so I'm not quite sure what stabilizing it entails. Its been planted for maybe 4 months or so but has been up and running for over a year.

I did a hydrogen peroxide treatment and a 50% water change so hopefully that helps. I also plan to leave the light off for two days while I am out of town this weekend.

I like the idea of floating plants but I don't know how well they will do due to the surface agitation caused by the HOB filters. Is there a certain kind that would work?

Also I suspect that I may have some sort of deficiency in my tank. The stem plants aren't growing nearly as well as they used to. The Ludwigia bottoms leaves seem to not last very long and are kinda falling apart. The stems on some are also turning black and falling apart. The Hygro in the tank has never done well from the start. It was a big and healthy emersed plant but now that it has been submerged it don't think it has grown at all. All of the leaves fell off and some of the stems also seem to be dyeing maybe rotting.

Any help would be greatly appreciated


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## Phoenix1307 (Jun 1, 2014)

If you have soil substrate then your nutrients should be fine once the tank has stabilized after its initial set-up. As others have noted, frequent water changes with the new tank are probably a necessity you can't get around, until everything has "found its own level," and, again, stabilized.

For the algae, and for the overall health of your water, a UV sterilizer is probably your best bet for a no-worry tank water management solution. BUT, be sure that whatever wattage you get, that your water flow through it does not exceed its maximum ratings, not just for algae control, but for pathogen control. Many 8, 10, and 16 watt units are of no value for pathogen control if flow-rate exceeds 200 gph or so.

For my 29g I ended up buying a 36-watt unit simply because most smaller units would not be effective at the outflow rate of my filter, roughly 300 gph, and I feed my UV from my filter outflow. Yes, it's a monster, 20" long or so, but I plumbed it in using fittings from Ace Hardware with junctions so that it can be removed, if necessary. Another very important factor: what do replacement bulbs cost? Aqua UV is very good, but replacement bulbs run about $50, not so good. My 36 watt bulbs are $14. Much more economical in the long run.

The downside of that decision is that running 24/7 it raised my water temperature up to 82 degrees F, so I put it on the timer outlets with my night lights, and it only runs 10 hours a day. The upside is that the bulb will last two years rather than one, and my pathogen levels are exceedingly low, plus, of course, my free-floating algae growth is eliminated. I have very small amounts of algae (established before buying the UV) on some "lumber" in the tank, and a bit on the glass which the snails and pleco manage very well. I am very happy with my decision to go UV, and personally, consider it a necessity in any tank, but that's just MVHO.


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## Karen Randall (May 27, 2014)

I think the biggest "deficiency" in your tank is likely to be CO2. Do the water changes suggested, if you want, you can spot-treat some of the algae, but get CO2 on the tank and I think you will see the plants outgrowing the algae pretty quickly.


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## aquarium kid (Nov 26, 2012)

One day I hope to have a tank with a UV sterilizer and injected Co2 but unfortunately thats not practical for me right now. If I could find a good deal on a used UV sterilizer that may be an option.

The hydrogen peroxide treatment seems to have helped some and I may try it again before my next water change. I will continue doing weekly large water changes in hopes of getting it to balance.

As far as excel goes I am willing to try it. I know a guy who sells the DIY version of excel thats made from metracide. Does is still affect algae?

I also have some amano shrimp available to me at a pretty good deal. Should I consider them?

Thanks for all the help so far!


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## aquarium kid (Nov 26, 2012)

Quick update:

Algae is still going strong. Stem plants are looking worse and worse. Going to do a partial water change and anotherHydrogen Peroxide treatment.


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## aquarium kid (Nov 26, 2012)

Algae looks like it my doing a little better now. Don't know why I didn't think of it earlier but could my light be too strong and thus causing all the algae?


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## Tugg (Jul 28, 2013)

The Ray2 has been consistently a good light. The 30 Nitrates concerns me. With those few fish, you're plants should be able to keep it close to 0. 

It sounds like you have something else limiting growth. With MTS covering most of the nutrient needs, my first assumption would be CO2.

Get a canister and remove the HOBs. They cause a LOT of surface agitation and outgas all that wonderful CO2 the MTS gives off from organic decomp. With MTS you may not need a pressurized system. It should produce enough CO2 for most moderately lit tanks.

For the canister outlet, you need a little movement on the surface to breakup any films and to allow gas exchange. You just don't want it to be excessive and outgas the CO2.


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## JeffyFunk (Apr 6, 2006)

A couple of points. 

First of all, a UV Sterilizer is not going to solve the algae issues you have in your tank. A UV sterilizer is wonderful at combating green water, however. The problem is that the algae you have in your tank is firmly attached to the plants and substrate - they will never get sucked up into the UV sterilizer to be killed. 

Second of all, I agree w/ Karen. Without the addition of CO2, the light you have is probably too strong. The bottom line is that the plants are limited by the amount of CO2 they have access to. Tugg's suggestion of removing the HOB is a good one. It's not that you can't have HOB filters, but you have to minimize the amount of surface agitation they produce in order to not degas all of the CO2 dissolved in the aquarium water. 

If you want to test if CO2 is the limiting factor, try letting one of your stem plants float. As a floating plant, it will be able to access the CO2 in the air and no longer have CO2 as the limiting factor.


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## aquarium kid (Nov 26, 2012)

I've been wanting a canister filter for a while now but at the moment I'm a little budget limited, I am looking for a job so hopefully that will change soon. I do have some diy flow baffles that I made from pop bottles that I could put back on the HOBs. Would that help?

I'm curious about the whole flow in non Co2 tanks. People seem to be split between surface agitation being good because it lets more co2 in to a non injected tank, and that the extra surface agitation is bad because it off gases what Co2 you have. I'm kinda confused on which more correct.


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## Tugg (Jul 28, 2013)

At equilibrium, I believe a tank rests at about 3ppm CO2. This level is so low that the plants can easily consume it faster than the atmosphere can replenish it. Thus, the extra agitation = bad.

By minimizing the agitation, the level rises a little bit higher because the fish and MTS are producing it faster than it's outgassed. Hopefully to a level sufficient for the plants.


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## aquarium kid (Nov 26, 2012)

When I get home I am going to do another small water change and I will put the flow baffles on the filters. I think will also raise the light a few inches.

I belive there may be a phosphate defiency which could limiting the plants but this is not confirmed. I dosed 1/16 teaspoon mono potassium phosphate so hopefully I'll see some improvement. If it's a phosphate defiency how often should I dose? Is 1/16 teaspoon the correct amount?


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## krissy (Jun 3, 2014)

Treat with h202, do a 50% WC, then treat with excel, then 50% WC. Must have high flow!


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