# Co2 + fert + light = algae bomb



## ocelli (Sep 11, 2010)

I have a newly planted tank, 75 gallon with T5HO x2 on 10 hrs a day. I have co2 injection and fert with 5ml PMDD Pre-Mix from aquarium fertilizer.com per their directions. this is been 1 week and some GSA, hair algae is starting to grow...fast. From what i am reading maybe cut lights to 8 hrs increase ferts and maybe use Excel @2x. Is this right?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi ocelli,

I don't dose doing the PMDD but I have gone through what you are experiencing when starting up a new tank. I found that during the first 30 days it was really easy for me to get an algae outbreak. I think it may be because the Nitrogen Cycle is not fully established and my ammonia levels are not at "0" like they should be.

I start off with 4-5 hours of light per day the first week or two. Then I increase it one hour per day weekly thereafter. If algae starts to build quickly, I drop back an hour our two per day and then start increasing again the next week. Dosing 2X the Daily dose of Excel helps with some algae types, especially the filiment type algae, but GSA, GDA, BGA don't really seem to care.

If my tank is heavily planted it helps because the plants reduce the levels of ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Also, adding some tank water or filter material from an established tank seems to help me speed up the Nitrogen Cycle. Don't forget water changes, 50% once or twice a week helps to reduce the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels as well.


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## geeks_15 (Dec 9, 2006)

I agree with everything Seattle said.

How many plants and the type of plants can make a big difference. If you have 5 slow growing plants (anubias, crypts, etc) in the tank, algae will be almost unavoidable. On the other hand, if the tank is packed with fast growers it can really help keep algae away.


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Treat your plants with the hair algae if you can remove them from your tank. Do h202 spray or bleach method.

Don't worry about the green spot algae, get a nerite snail or two to handle that.


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