# Identify Algae



## mhx (Jul 16, 2009)

Are all three of these staghorn?


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

Yes, probably.

You could always let them grow in a little more so you know for sure :eyebrows:

So what's your dosing and fert method? It shouldn't be to difficult to take care of this.

-Philosophos


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## mhx (Jul 16, 2009)

c02 is at about 30ppm...

Substrate is ADG Aquasoil Amazonian.

Ferts i use tabs under substrate from http://www.aquariumplants.com/AquariumPlants_com_s_own_SUBSTRATE_VITALIZATION_p/fert.htm

They say to do these once a month.

I use the TOTAL ones.. Plus Phosphate ones under plants that looked like they need phosphate. Plus I dosed the water with API Leaf ZONE on Thursday after my water change.

Not really sure often to DOSE with this stuff? Or maybe I should use something else.

The tank was fishless cycled prior. Plants have been in for about 3 weeks now, fish 2 weeks.

I took those pictures after I did some tank clean up, i tried to remove most of it by hand/toothbrush/rubbing with fingers.. Pulled some leafs with most of it on it.


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## mhx (Jul 16, 2009)

This was before my water change on thursday, taken 8/29.. But I still keep seeing this staghorn on leafs HIGH up closer to the light its not taking over.. I did bump my Co2 up a little bit I am hoping that might help.

Its being a pretty consistent battle between plants and algea at this point as my tank is new.. But I attend to it daily and want to keep the plants the winners..


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

30ppm based on water column perams and a CO2/KH chart, or a drop checker with 4.0KH solution rather than just DI H2O?

I'm not sure why you'd double up the pellets with ADA AS; it's already loaded to the gills with ferts. You can replenish it just by dosing the column well.

API Leafzone, according to it's MSDS, is just some water that experienced close proximity to a package of K2SO4 and Fe(III)EDTA. You could probably keep plants in a tank filled with nothing but this stuff, and they wouldn't have enough of Fe or K.

The best money and performance for your dollar is to learn how to mix up your own NPK plus Ca/Mg mixes. For trace, CSM+B is cheapest but still works well, Tropica Plant Nutrition (TNP) is the best quality/reputation but most expensive, and Seachem's Flourish is a commonly available middle of the road. The later of the two you may want to suplement with either EDTA or DTPA iron.

-Philosophos


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

Definitely push your CO2 high. Get a drop checker going with 4KH solution until you know what good and bad CO2 in a tank looks like from a single glance. Many people do all their dosing right, then can't figure out why they've still got algae using a DIY CO2 system and 5wpg of lighting. It's almost a mantra after a while; "Check the CO2, increase the CO2"

-Philosophos


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## mhx (Jul 16, 2009)

i have 10lb bottle of c02 its pumping in.. its hard to mearsure c02 100% accurately.. I just use the PH test kit and KH test kit from API. those big driftwood buffer my water a bit..

My tap water is 8ph... Ive been around 6.9 ph 7kh.. 

I think I am loosing co2 with the surface skimmer i have.

The best measurement for me is watch the fish, make sure they dont gasp.... My plants pearl, but not a ton. Thats why I decided to turn the co2 up a HAIR. But it seems like some days different plants PEARL while others pearl on other days.

I dont turn c02 off at night, I bring o2 in at night with surface movement and a korrela that hits the surface all night while the lights are off. During the day i have almost no surface movement.

I am running 8x39 312watts t5 HO..
Aqua Flora 8am-8pm & Midday bulbs 9pm-7pm

I created another post about my lights.. Any thing I should do different with that. Should I reverse times and run middays vs AF?

Overall It seems like my stem plants are the rapid growers and my swords are slow, I have like almost every sword from south america in my tank. My swords and my penny wart is where the majority of the algea seems to be forming.


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

pH/KH has a 200% margin of error, a properly set up drop checker 50%. If the fish are gasping on occasion, you've probably got it as high as you can safely go. 

From what I'm guessing, the algae is an issue because your light is so intense. You've got 36'' lights on there so I'm guessing you've got something between 40 and 65 gal. This makes for 4.8-7.8wpg; way too high. Your light is driving your plants so hard that your CO2 would only keep up if the fish were dead. If you can turn individual lights on and off, try for something more like 3-4 of the bulbs going.

-Philosophos


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## mhx (Jul 16, 2009)

the tank is 125gal + 3gal in the filter
minus wood, substate? maybe 115g?

I will run it for a week with the c02 up higher, see what happens.. Doesnt do any good to do a bunch of changes, then u dont know what fixed the problem.

btw My fish have never gasped.. Never pushed the c02 levels to that point. I have 2 blue rams, 3 long fin german rams, they are sensitive, dont feel like hurting them. Also 3 Apisto's, and 25 or so ember tetra, 10 cory's, and 9 oto cats, 7 BABY angel fish about 7 weeks old

Thanks for your input
-Ryan


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

What are the dimensions on that tank? You mentioned 36'' lights... never seen a 36'' 125 gal. Lighting is probably just fine then, maybe a little high directly under the lights if you've got a very deep tank and very narrow fixture. If the algae is only bad directly under the light source, try boosting it up some.

I'd be careful more the CO2 more for the fry and bottom feeders than the apistos and rams IME. I've found they make their way to the surface just fine when the CO2 goes up.

-Philosophos


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

you got BBA and it is there cause of the Phosphate. Double you water change and stop adding any thing untill it is under control. Your plants should get enough of what ever they need with AS, and what ever you put in from the Leaf Zone AS have it already. It is like double feeding your plants which also cause algae bloom. From your setup Iron looks like something you might need and you can get it from Seachem Iron.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

What kind of surface skimmer you have? If it is like oil skimmer like one of those eniem one than you should be okay wit hteh C02.



mhx said:


> i have 10lb bottle of c02 its pumping in.. its hard to mearsure c02 100% accurately.. I just use the PH test kit and KH test kit from API. those big driftwood buffer my water a bit..
> 
> My tap water is 8ph... Ive been around 6.9 ph 7kh..
> 
> ...


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

armedbiggiet said:


> you got BBA and it is there cause of the Phosphate.


Phosphate doesn't cause algae problems in a tank with proper nutrient levels. I aim for 1.5-3ppm PO4 and BBA is not one of the problems I have. If anything, increasing PO4 under otherwise good conditions does a great job of getting rid of GSA. This old myth is one many of us are trying to (tactfully) tar, feather and run out of the hobby.

-Philosophos


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

Philosophos said:


> Phosphate doesn't cause algae problems in a tank with proper nutrient levels. I aim for 1.5-3ppm PO4 and BBA is not one of the problems I have. If anything, increasing PO4 under otherwise good conditions does a great job of getting rid of GSA. This old myth is one many of us are trying to (tactfully) tar, feather and run out of the hobby.
> 
> -Philosophos


Yea, I know, but lots people are not award of there PO4 level are just too high. Most of the fish food have too much PO4 already but that just for BBA and I though that was the problem.


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