# Algae in new tank...



## swub (Apr 17, 2007)

I've notice a thick green algae on some of my plants. Almost seems to cover a leaf ..as if to smother it out. If I get few Ottos, Borneo Suckers, and ramshorn snails...will this help keep the green creepy at bay?

I have pour alittle Excel in the tank few times. (90 gal)


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## DonaldmBoyer (Aug 18, 2005)

Need a pic to be sure. What is your lighting (how many watts/gallon) and how long is it on for? Snails, ottos, shrimps and the like will help, but you probably need to adust your photoperiod, decrease the lighting intensity, increase your plant load, and add a fertilizer regimen.


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## swub (Apr 17, 2007)

hey donald.....On my 90 gallon tank; Four 48" Nova Extreme 54watt T5HO lights. (2 are blue and 2 are white) The blues come on 1 hour before and turn off 1 hour later. 8 hours total on the white lights....so total 10 hours of light. I'm adding more plants and 80% of the surface is currently duckweed.
I will post a pic of the algae and the over all set up shortly. (attached is a pic when I added the plants on April 11th). Thanks for any advice.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

Are the blue lights antic lighting? If so they dont help out planted aquariums at all, just thought i'd share that with ya.


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## swub (Apr 17, 2007)

CRAP....now you tell me! haha...actually I have no idea. I just bought the whole setup from my local fish shop, because he had that EXACT setup in his showroom.

What should I check and how do I go about it?

(bowing to the fish gods)


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Hey swub, if you've seen these references, ignore. Otherwise, you will find them very informative.
http://www.aquatic-plants.org/articles/basics/pages/index.html
http://www.rexgrigg.com/

You need bulbs to be in the temperature range of 5500K - 10,000K range. Actinic bulbs are worthless for plant growth.



> I just bought the whole setup from my local fish shop, because he had that EXACT setup in his showroom.


Is he growing healthy, algae free plants with his set up?


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

See if there is any way you can switch the antic bulbs out. I'm only assuming that they are antic because of the extreme looking blue in them. BUT if you look on the bulb i'm sure you'd be able to tell what type it is. If indeed it is antic, then that's a Salt Water bulb, just explain that to your LFS and see what they say.


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## swub (Apr 17, 2007)

Muirner...thanks! I did ask him...turns out his set-up isn't exactly the same after all. He replaced the 2 blue Actinic 420nm bulbs with 2 white ones. Should I do the same? He suggested leaving 1 blue bulb, because it brings out the color in the plants, fish and also simulates dusk/dawn.

So having only 2 10000k daylight lites may be the cause of the algae?


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## snowhillbilly (Mar 29, 2006)

It doesnt simulate anything. Just take great honest advice here. You should do a search on simulated lighing. Ive seen some of those setups and they are far out.


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## swub (Apr 17, 2007)

hmmmm, ok..out with the simulating. donaldmboyer sugguested too much light intensity would cause algae. This would suggest I leave the blue lights and not replace them with brighter white ones (10000k). So kinda confused now....Should I replace the Antinic blue 420nm bulbs with white 100000k daylights?


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

The algae is caused by an un-balanced tank, not high intensity light alone. Keep your N03 at 10ppm and P04 at 1ppm. If you have over 2wpg you will need to inject C02. You also need to dose ferts like Seachem Flourish. From your pic you need a lot more fast growing plants in there.

I personally would not go with 10000K bulbs because they seem to promote black beard algae growth. They also produce a more bluish light rather then white light. Stick with bulbs with a lower K rating such as 6500k/6700k bulbs.

See if you see your type algae on this site... http://www.aquariumalgae.blogspot.com/ Can't tell from your description or pic which algae you have.


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## swub (Apr 17, 2007)

Thanks trenac. Would seem I need to read up on all those algaes. I just ordered:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MEBI:IT&viewitem=&item=260112131591&rd=1&rd=1 2 of those. and...
http://cgi.ebay.com/4-T5-BLOOM-RED-...2449406QQihZ016QQcategoryZ42225QQcmdZViewItem
2 of those.
Not sure what combination I'll use yet. I may leave the two of the 10000k and one 3000k, one 6500k.
Or would you just go with all four 6500k?? 
I haven't even considered CO2 injection. Suppose I need to read up on that as well....since as of right now the 4 bulbs are 54watt each. Not sure if the 2 Actinic blues bulbs figure into that equation.

What a cool hobby!


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## swub (Apr 17, 2007)

Hey again....I was thinking about getting a small powerhead jet to help with the algae. I've noticed that the green algae doesn't grow on the side of the tank with the water return from the filter blows down. So maybe a small power head jet on the opposite side would help control the algae a tad. I know algae is needed in the tank, I just don't want it to get out of hand. Just a thought!

do those mini powerheads need a separate air pump outside the tank?


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