# problems with stargorm algae



## nerita14 (Oct 24, 2006)

hi!!!
I have some stargorm algae and fuzz in my acuarium.
my parametres are : ph 6,10 , kh 6 , gh 9, no3 15, po4 1,5.
my ilumination is 300 watts of HQI during 9 hours per day for a 250 liters tank.
could you please give me your advice about where could be the problem ??

Is the amonium harmful for de fishes???? I have read that high levels of amonium could kill the stargorm .
regards !!
nerita 14.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Reduce the N and P to zero for a few days. The plants will be fine. 

Do several water changes in the course of 3-4 days. After that use activated carbon to remove the minor, untestable, amounts of N and P.

If you have fish just stop feeding them they will be fine.

Takes 2-3 days of such starving and the staghorn will literally fall apart.

--Nikolay


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## nerita14 (Oct 24, 2006)

*stargorm*

thanks for you reply niko!!!
I can´t do it , my plants ( polisperma rosanervij, ludwigia cuba, eriocaulom setaceum....) needs N , if not they will be desintegrated themselves.
is there another solution????
regards , 
nerita14.


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## tejinabo (Feb 5, 2006)

*algae*

Hi, what parts of your plants have staghorn algae? I would remove the infected leaves. In the past, I had problems with this algae and found out my co2 level was not adequate. Low co2 levels could be the cause.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Nerita,

If your plants cannot live for 3-4 days with zero nutrients there is some major problem.

CO2 would be something to double check as Tejinabo suggested. Without enough CO2 if you reduce the N and P you are asking for trouble (melting plants).

Other than that - maybe just lower the N but not to zero and do frequent small water changes (10% every other day) with the idea that the staghorn will be weakened.

--Nikolay


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## nerita14 (Oct 24, 2006)

*fuzz*

and what about the fuzz algae ???
why appears in the tank??
I´m going to rise the co2 level and de kh level.
regards nerita.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

The fuzz algae can be a horrible nuisance even if the plants grow well. But if they don't then it's a real problem.

The first thing to do against the fuzz is to reduce the light. 300 watts of MH over a 250 liter tank for 9 hours a day is way too much. Reduce it to 7 hours or so. This alone will reduce the fuzz right away. You can reduce the light to even less - about 4 hours a day and your plants will not suffer if the CO2 is enough.

You never mentioned if you add Iron and Traces. If you don't then don't try to add them expecting the plants to start growing and the algae to disappear. You need to start with a clean tank.

Try to clean your tank from organics - visible mulm as well as invisible organic molecules. Do frequent small water changes and manually remove all the fuzz and staghorn algae you can.

With frequent water changes your CO2 level will vary a little so make sure you have a lot of CO2. Don't pay attention to the pH that much - it may mislead you how much CO2 you have. For a 250 liter tank 1 CO2 bubble per second is a good amoung IF you disolve it well. How do you disolve the CO2? Maybe you have a controller?

Your GH is high enough but does it come from Calcium AND Magnesium together? It could be only 1 of the two and that is a problem that has to be corrected. Check your Calcium and Magnesium. There is no cheap test for Magnesium so get a test for Calcium and a test for GH. Test for them and then use this formula to calculate the amount of Magnesium:
Calculator - Ca : Mg Ratio

--Nikolay


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## nerita14 (Oct 24, 2006)

*algaes probem*

hi !!
I don´t add micros , my nutritive substrate is based in clay and aqualit .
the substrate is akadama.
I have a ph controler ,the ph is between 6,10 and 6. 
I use RO wather and add 4 parts Ca ( OH)2 to 1 part Mg2 (SO4) to rise the kh to 5 and gh 8 .
I dissolve the co2 in a reactor ,that is based in two filtres of 1000 l/h each one , and both introduce the water in another off filter filled of bioballs.


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