# couple questions pls



## fullmonti (Dec 21, 2011)

I have 180 planted Discus tank. Plants went in about six weeks ago. I am using CO2, & fertilizer in substrate. I do a 50% WC every other day (for the Discus) & I add 1/4 teaspoon of potassium sulfate, ferrous gluconate, monopotassium phosphate, CSM+D, & 3/4 teaspoon of potassium nitrate to WC water ever time. This is less than EI but most of my plants are not fast growers & tank is not heavily planted so thought this would be good place to start.

For lighting, I have 4 48" T5's & 1 250wML 6K. They are pretty high above the tank & i put some window screen under the center of the ML because it was much brighter in the middle of the tank than the ends. T5's on for 9 hrs, ML on for 4 hrs, par reading with T5's only about 25 in middle & 17-18 on ends, par reading with T5's & ML 50 middle & 40 on ends.

Water stays ph 6.6 to 6.8, KH 3, GH 4, temp 83

I have some algae & would like to know you think I need to do to stop it. less light, less time, more fertilizer?










FTS today. the monster plant on the left was a bulb with NO leafs six weeks ago, grew to the top & current has turned it back on its self 8-10" more. My plan is to keep the middle open for swimming room for the Discus. There is three dwarf water lilies in the center I plan to let grow to the surface to shade the center some.










This is the worst of the algae on the crinums.










Some green algae on rocks.










Not sure if this is algae or if the java fern is putting out roots???

I had a planted tank years ago, ran great. No CO2 no fertilizer & only hardware store full spectrum T12's or something like it. Plants grew slow but all was well when I got the light level right. Thought I'd try the high tech style this time.
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?93911-180-Reef-to-planted-Discus-tank
Here's a link to my build thread on Simply Discus if you'd like to see it. Lot more detail on lighting & filtration.

If you need any more info I'm ready. What do think???


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

the java is putting out roots. 

the algea you can add flourish excel or metricide 14.


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## The Trigger (Apr 23, 2012)

Your tank is still very new. 3 months ago i rescaped my 29 gallon high tech which foced the tank to re-cyle itself. The ammonia and nitrite spike lasted about a week, but in the past 2 months i have been battling every type of algae immaginable. Now mind you i have high light with around 30ppm co2 and dose EI. The algae has receded somewhat and the tank itself is beginning to balance out. Just give it some time and keep up with your water changes. I find that the less i mess around with the tank, the less algae i have. The more things you change, the more the plants have to adjust to the changes, and in that time that they are adjusting, algae will take the upper hand. I went from having a tank covered in BBA and GSA, to having it all melt away as the plants grew faster and the tank matured. I still have small patches of algae, but even my tank has not completely matured. it will probably be a few more months before it reaches a good balance.


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## Emily6 (Feb 14, 2006)

He's probably right- time will level things out a bit.

In the mean time, if it's bothering you (I know it would bug me), you can spot treat by turning off the filter and using a dental syringe filled with Excel- gently squirt it at whatever you want to die!  Algae, that is. 

Wait a bit then turn the filter back on. 

Worked well on my BBA (which came and went with the new tank set-up).

The tank looks wonderful! Wish I had discus... ;-)


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