# brush algae



## steel1212 (Feb 21, 2006)

I've got 2 of my 3 tanks with this in there. All my tanks are injected with co2 and use dry ferts. The 29 and 90 gallon both have an outbreak of this. Short of pulling the plants out what can I do? Am I doseing to much ferts, I've stopped doseing for the past couple of days, turn the lights off for a few days, or what?


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Check out our "AlgeaFinder" for info on brush algae and treatments.

It would help to know more about your tank setup and water parameters, to find out where the problem lies.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

You are running very high light on those tanks. That means any small mistake quickly becomes a big algae problem. You need to be dosing nitrates, phosphates, traces, and as much CO2 as you can without harming the fish. What is your fertilization program? And, how much CO2 are you getting into the water, and by what method?


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## steel1212 (Feb 21, 2006)

I use and airstone with compressed to get it to where my fish suck air at the top then I back down. Its around 35-40ppm. As far as doesing I'm useing greg watson ferts: CSM+b, Potassium Nitrate, and Mono potassium phosphate. It seemed like there was an excess of ferts in the tank as the plants where not as red as usual so I stopped for a couple of days then the plants became more red and I started doseing again today. I've been fighting this in my 30 for awhile now and hasn't really bugged me much but now my 90 has it and that bugs me as there are more slower growing swords, crypts in that tank.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

With my not quite as high light 29 gallon tank I am finding that reducing the lights-on period to about 8 hours helps slow down the algae a lot. Others have noted that plants don't really need any longer exposure to light, so I tried this. But, I still have a very few tufts of BBA on my heater and persistently on my driftwood. I don't think I can raise my CO2 anymore either.


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