# Whats the goal - No algae at all??



## Borntofish (Nov 30, 2007)

A question for all the pros out there!! I have a high tech, 29 gal, heavily planted tank. I feel I am doing everything just about right including fertilizing w/ EI. CO2 inj w/ 30ppm via drop checker, 4wpg, 10hr photoperiod, weekly water changes, good water parameters, and the plants are growing like nuts, have to trim them weekly......but I still have a lttle bit of algae in the tank?? Nothing too bad, but a light dusting on the glass and the dwarf grass and microsword has some bba on it. Is this normal or should I be able to have no algae anywhere?? Any suggestions on what to change?

Jon


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

Borntofish said:


> A question for all the pros out there!! I have a high tech, 29 gal, heavily planted tank. I feel I am doing everything just about right including fertilizing w/ EI. CO2 inj w/ 30ppm via drop checker, 4wpg, 10hr photoperiod, weekly water changes, good water parameters, and the plants are growing like nuts, have to trim them weekly......but I still have a lttle bit of algae in the tank?? Nothing too bad, but a light dusting on the glass and the dwarf grass and microsword has some bba on it. Is this normal or should I be able to have no algae anywhere?? Any suggestions on what to change?
> 
> Jon


Well, I am by no means a pro but based on my experience, I would reduce the photo-period to 8 hours and that may help with the algae. I don't believe that you can totally avoid algae. Even where people do everything by the book, they still get some green spot algae and that has been my personal experience. A good algae cleaning crew Amano shrimp, cherry shrimp, nerite snail, otos, Siamese Algae Eater, etc., may help to keep the algae to a bare minimum and unnoticeable.

If your goal is to have a totally algae free tank, there is no way around it unless you go the low light, low tech route. The only tanks that I have that are totally algae free are my low light, low tech, non-co2 tank, but plant growth is slower and my 15 gallon high high tech Aquasoil II experimental, high light(about 3.5 watts per gallon), DIY mega co2 injected tank, EI fertilization, with 8.5 hour split photo-period. Lights on between 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. off from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on again from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. However, this tank was just set up, so it is difficult to say how it will fare algae wise in the long run.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

The single most important parameter that determines the algae problems you can face is light intensity. Algae compete almost exclusively for light. Light to them is like.....uh...chocolate to us. (I meant to say something else, but....) So, having 4 watts per gallon on a tank 20 gallons or bigger, is a guarantee that you will learn what various types of algae look like. I'm assuming that the 4 watts per gallon is from compact fluorescent linear bulbs or T5 bulbs, with very good reflectors. I think it is pretty well established that with that quality of bulbs you can grow almost any plant you can find with no more than 2-2.5 watts per gallon, and you will see far less algae while doing so.

I don't think anyone can set up a new tank, new substrate, and not get some algae during the first few months. You can do weekly thorough cleaning, wiping down the glass, and cleaning every surface in the tank, and convince yourself that you never see algae, but you are most likely just removing it before it is obvious. And, that is a good practice.


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## Borntofish (Nov 30, 2007)

Thanks Homer and Hoppy! I appreciate the help! 

Hoopy - would you suggest I decrease the light intensity in the tank, I currently have two 65W 6700K bulbs running 10 hrs a day.....


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## bigstick120 (Mar 8, 2005)

Can you turn one 65 watt on at a different time? You could try a siesta. If not I would reduce it to about 8 hrs, your algae will go away


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

A lot of people find that running the maximum light for only 2-4 hours in the middle of the day, and running half of that for the rest of the lights on period is effective at reducing algae problems. I haven't tried it, so I have no experience doing that.


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## Homer_Simpson (Apr 2, 2007)

FWIW, I tested both noonburst and split photoperiod and found that split photoperiod seemed to work better for algae control but there was a trade off. With noonburst, algae did not appear as controlled as split photoperiod but plant growth appeared better with noonburst than with split photoperiod.


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