# Algea problems



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

Hey guys, 

im new here but i have been with aquariams for a bit, only problem is that im a kid.

i have just move a country and i got a new aquariam which is about 50 Liters.

after a few month i seem to not be able to fight the algea, but i dont want ot use any chemicals for the reason i have dwarf shrimp.

i would be glad for help...

in my aquariam i seem to be fighting black beard (i think ,not sure though, because im no expert) ang the other one a long stringy algea, donno what they are.(this is a planted aquariam)
i have about 10hours of light a day, filter, i live in israel, so its very hot in summers, but about 10 to 20 degrees Celcius in winter... aquariam is im my room...

Thanks in advance


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Can you give us some more stats on your tank and set up. Like gallons, type and pwer of lights, water parameters, etc. What plants you have?
What type of shrimp? Many eat BBA.


----------



## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

50 liters is about 13 US gallons.

Does the aquarium receive direct sunlight? What is the substrate? (Soil, gravel, sand, etc.) What type of filter?

I would try reducing the lighting time and try a mid-day break. You could try four hours of light in the morning, then a break for 1-4 hours, then another 4 hour light period. If you are not using a timer, just try a shorter light period. Maybe more water changes. If sunlight shines on the tank, from a window, try putting paper on that side of the tank to block it, especially on the lower half of the tank. This may take some time to fix.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

ok, sure so here it is:

as you said, its about 13 gallond

no direct sunlight, only lighting
Kind of lighting: 2 florecent
florecent 1: 18 watt 24inch white color
florecent 2: 18 watt 24 inch pink color

Filter: canister, 600L/H

plants: not too sure, but i can mazbe add a pic?

ps. i just need to clean the canister and then ill put pics

shrips: also not really sure cause they are new to my aquariam i got them as a present... 
i got about ( i think) 5 shrips thats what i see every day, but i have thick vegetation, but not too thick.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

vicky said:


> I would try reducing the lighting time and try a mid-day break. You could try four hours of light in the morning, then a break for 1-4 hours, then another 4 hour light period. If you are not using a timer, just try a shorter light period. Maybe more water changes. If sunlight shines on the tank, from a window, try putting paper on that side of the tank to block it, especially on the lower half of the tank. This may take some time to fix.


 my Lighting plan:

6am to 11:15 AM there is light
11:15 AM to 5 PM no light
4:30 PM to 10PM there is light

yes, i am using a timer
any suggestions in this will help


----------



## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

You have nearly three watts per gallon, which seems like a lot for a non-CO2 system. Try backing off on the lights, maybe just running one bulb with a mid day break like I said earlier. See if that helps.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

There is a CO2 system, forgot to metion, DIY yeast 1 bottle

pictures almost ready...


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

Here come the pictures:


----------



## Green024 (Oct 26, 2009)

You have roughly 11 hours out of the day your tank is getting light, and you are using diy co2. Diy co2 is not a bad thing, but it can be inconsistent. Fluctuating co2 levels, mixed with too long of a photo period will bring in algae of all kinds. 

Also, are you dosing the tank with any kind of Fertilizers? that might also be part of your problem.

I recommend cutting your "On" hours back to a total of 8 hours. And be sure to keep up with your co2. Consistency is key when fighting off algae. To help kill off the algae you currently have, I suggest you look in your bathroom for some Hydrogen Peroxide (h2o2). If you have some, "spot treat" the algae effected areas with a syringe of some sort( i dosed something like 1ml per gallon of water at a time, daily). Be sure to turn of all filters and powerheads before doing this. Than replug them in after a few minutes following this treatment. This will have the same effect that excel has on algae, it will kill it. But remember, this treatment alone will not solve your problem, only cover it up. You must tackle the problem at the source. ( light,co2,ferts, and water flow)


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

ok, here is a bit of more info

no, im not using fertilizers

so ill make this my new time plan?:

7:30 to 11:00 yes light

11:00 to 16:30 no light

16:30 to 21:30 yes light

i dont have that chemical, but even if i had, i have dwarf shrimp, won't they be effected?

i want to tackle the problem, but anything i try won't work, and is 1 bottle of DIY CO2 enough? i m using a homemade wodden bubble rock


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

when i started adding CO2 my plants started to grow like there is no tomarrow, (even though im not sure they would really care if there is no tomarrow) but after some time, they "stopped" and algea took over, so i stopped the CO2, but now ill be putting it back, may anyone give me a good recipe?

my recipe:

1/2 teaspoon of yeast
7 cups of water
2 cups of sugar
1 teaspoon of backing soda...

it wokr, ok... i have the bubbles coming out under the filter output, and they are small bubbles, so they dissolve...


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

My CO2 system:


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Thats a very long photoperiod.
BBA is typically caused by having 2 parameters out of whack. Low NO3 and high iron would cause it or fluctuating CO2 levels is an open door for BBA. 
String/thread algae can be caused by excess nutrients and low CO2.
Manually remove as much algae as possible.

Any water parameters?

More like 13.2086 gals.
WPG rule was only made up for T12 bulbs and seeing watts is input and has nothing to do with output of the bulb its really pretty much useless.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

the shrimp, it would help if someone could identify them:
(they are hard to see, so look carefully)


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

i have PH, but its not the most dependent

btw, what is fluctuating( sarry for not understanding)

i have added CO2 1 hour ago, i should start soon


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Tikulila said:


> i have PH, but its not the most dependent
> 
> btw, what is fluctuating( sarry for not understanding)
> 
> i have added CO2 1 hour ago, i should start soon


Uneven, up and down
low then hi then low
not steady


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Sorry, cant tell what shrimp you have. Too blurry when I expand the photo.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

ah,ok thanks, i guess a DIY CO2 has that.

ok for the shrimp ill try again...


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

ok,
ive done some research and i think i have Neocaridina heteropoda shrimp

Wild Type Neocaridina, so now, is there anything new i need to do, and btw, i know they are breeding.


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

they should eat BBA.
http://www.planetinverts.com/Neocaridina_Heteropoda.html


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

they are eating all the kinds of algea, but it doesnt seem to make a difference


----------



## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

I think the best thing is to reduce your lighting period like you mentioned. Personally, I would go down to one tube as well, although with CO2 you might not need to do that. You mentioned cleaning your canister filter. Good water movement is an important part of algae control, but you don't want too much surface disturbance or you lose your CO2 too quickly. If your filter is clogging quickly you might look into using a coarser media. In my planted tanks I use a power head for water movement with no filter - the plants remove the ammonia. Algae grows when something is out of balance. Regaining balance can be tricky and time consuming. Sometimes a small change is all that is needed, but it may take a while to determine that. You are in the right place to learn, glad you found us.


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

it always helps, when fighting algae, to give your plants good nutrition. A lot of your plants have white leaves, showing severe iron deficiency.


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Manually remove as much of the algae affected plant material as you can and bump up your nitrates to at least 20ppm and lower the phosphate to around 1ppm or just under.
If the bulbs are old, change them out.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

ok, thanks alot so i now have CO2, 
it is dessolvig well, my filter i clean it once a month so i think its ok.

how do i up the nitrates, iron etc...

@Newt

some of my plants are barely affected al all bfriom the algea, but some are in a really bad state, maybe ill send pics of each plant in indevijual... them you may be able to see better some of the stuff, i think i found a new type of algea too... my aquariam is in a bad state i guess...

@HeyPK 

how do you up the iron, ( sorry for these stupid questions, im a bigginer)

@vicky

for now it seems that my CO2 is good, it travels around ^my aquarim and i think about 70% to 80% dossolves, if not more.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

ok, i have cut all i could dare without destroying the whole plant... also about 5 shrimps decided I am an algea and started trying to eat me...

anyway, what next?

pics  AND i finally got a normal pic of the shrimp


----------



## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I like how you chose the red plant (Gracilis?) for the center point. You have a nice start to an attractive layout.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

yes, thanks, ill be checking what the other plants are


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

> @HeyPK
> 
> how do you up the iron, ( sorry for these stupid questions, im a bigginer)


Any pet store that sells tropical fish ought to have commercial fertilizers that contain iron. 
Online aquarium supply stores also have a variety of aquarium fertilizers. Check out APC's sponsor forums.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

ok any other way? cause im not sure i can get it...


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

Garden supply stores often carry a form of chelated iron.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

i have a jebo store next to my house, is there a suution you reccomend, of a specific brand maybe?


----------



## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I don't know if jebo carries any fertilizers for aquarium plants. In Jackson, MS, where I live, there is a PetsMart store that carries Seachem fertilizers.


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

ok, ill check , maybe ill find something...


----------



## Tikulila (Feb 18, 2011)

is there a specific fertilizer?


----------

