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BGA in new tank

B

bjorn

Member
Joined
1 Dec 2010
Messages
223
I seem to have a bit of BGA in my new tank, but I've read that it often appears due to low Nitrates.. which makes no sense because my test kits show up high amounts of Nitrates. the Brown diatoms are gone but now there is a bit of this BGA + some Green Spot Algae. The BGA seems to be concentrated around my clumps of Dwarf Hair Grass but I think it might have spread to some stones as well.

I've started to use a AquaMedia 1000 for CO2 hooked up to my old JBL Filter.. so that the Aquamedic wouldn't restrict the flow of my larger new Eheim filter:

My tank:
170L
Filter 1: Eheim Professional 3 350T (1050L / hour)
Filter 2: JBL CristalProfi 700 (700L / hour)
CO2: Aquamedic 1000 hooked up to Filter 2.
Substrate: ADA Amazonia + Power Sand

PH: 6.55
KH: 7
CO2: 2 bps
NO2: 0
NO3: 25-50
NH4: 0
Phos: 5-10? (test isn't very accurate as it shows 0, 10, 20 readings)

Any ideas where I'm going wrong?
 
bjorn said:
I seem to have a bit of BGA in my new tank, but I've read that it often appears due to low Nitrates.. which makes no sense because my test kits show up high amounts of Nitrates...
Click to expand...
Yeah, why is it that people never assume that it's their test kits that make no sense? BGA is not capable of lying. Test kits on the other hand lie every day.


bjorn said:
Phos: 5-10? (test isn't very accurate as it shows 0, 10, 20 readings)

Any ideas where I'm going wrong?
Click to expand...
Yes, your belief and trust in test kit readings will doom your tank to extinction.

Cheers,
 
Tom said:
Ignore the test kits, Green Spot Algae has also been linked to low PO4, as well as CO2. How is your flow around these areas? I would also increase the CO2 from 2bps unless you have pretty low lighting.

What are you dosing?
Click to expand...

More than 2 bps? But doesn't PH 6.55 and KH7 = 59ppm of CO2? The drop checker is limegreen too. Fish seem fine though.

I got 2 filters so the flow in the tank should be decent, the BGA seems concentrated on the Dwarf Hair Grass, i.e. on gravel and plant. There isn't much of it though, just small amounts that I've removed.

I'm dosing ADA Brighty Step 1 + Brighty K and ECA. Nothing else.
 
ceg4048 said:
bjorn said:
I seem to have a bit of BGA in my new tank, but I've read that it often appears due to low Nitrates.. which makes no sense because my test kits show up high amounts of Nitrates...
Click to expand...
Yeah, why is it that people never assume that it's their test kits that make no sense? BGA is not capable of lying. Test kits on the other hand lie every day.


bjorn said:
Phos: 5-10? (test isn't very accurate as it shows 0, 10, 20 readings)

Any ideas where I'm going wrong?
Click to expand...
Yes, your belief and trust in test kit readings will doom your tank to extinction.

Cheers,
Click to expand...

Yes, I've noticed readings are a bit random. But I've tested using 2 different kits, and they both show Nitrates. But I guess I should then go on to dosing Micro and Macro.. currently with the ADA stuff I only do Micro + Phos.
 
bjorn said:
More than 2 bps? But doesn't PH 6.55 and KH7 = 59ppm of CO2? The drop checker is limegreen too. Fish seem fine though.[/b]
Click to expand...

Don't quote me on it but as I understand it, the pH to KH ratio relies on acidification by carbonic acid (CO2) alone - Aquasoil lowers the pH of the water by itself (although I'm not sure of the process), so I would say it's safe to assume the reading could be quite inaccurate.

bjorn said:
Yes, I've noticed readings are a bit random. But I've tested using 2 different kits, and they both show Nitrates. But I guess I should then go on to dosing Micro and Macro.. currently with the ADA stuff I only do Micro + Phos.
Click to expand...

The Brighty K is Potassium, not Phos. As Clive says, if you are getting these types of algae then trust what they tell you, not the test kit. Don't rely on or expect any consumer test kit to be accurate. If it were me I would start dosing macros, as it looks like the Aquasoil isn't providing enough N or P for your plants. Then again I'm only just re-learning it myself!
 
Ok, so I've been looking into EI but not sorted out the stuff I need for it yet. But I do have some Tropica Plant Nutrution + lying around, is it possible to do EI dosing using TPN+? TPN+ has if I understand it right both Macro and Micro nutrients.

If so, how do I figure out a dosage for TPN+ doing EI?
 
Yes you could use TPN+, but as with ADA, it's a lot more expensive than the powders. Take the recommended weekly dosage and divide it by 7 (days). Then adjust the dose to suit your system (more TPN+ for more plants, higher light/CO2 - less for less plants, lower light etc). You don't need an exact dose, just find what works. Too much is better than too little. Then reset the nutrient level by a 50% water change at the end of the week.
 
Tom said:
Yes you could use TPN+, but as with ADA, it's a lot more expensive than the powders. Take the recommended weekly dosage and divide it by 7 (days). Then adjust the dose to suit your system (more TPN+ for more plants, higher light/CO2 - less for less plants, lower light etc). You don't need an exact dose, just find what works. Too much is better than too little. Then reset the nutrient level by a 50% water change at the end of the week.
Click to expand...

I will probably do dry fertlizers eventually, but I got some TPN+ left over and available to use now. I just don't know how to adjust the dose to my system.. It's heavily planted but can't find any guides online other than the normal recommended dose. Which is 5ml/50L per week.
 
EI & lots of C02 will cure all your problems!
Try turning the gas up & watch your fish - try 3bps, make sure you have plenty of flow inside the tank so the C02 reaches every corner & plant.
This chap make EI very easy http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/prod ... product=82
 
Hi,
It might be a better idea to simply reduce your lighting intensity for now. If you are using Aquasoil and Powersand then you ought to be OK. As mentioned by Tom, GSA is both PO4 and CO2 related so just from a statistical basis I would first assume poor CO2. Also, as Tom says, your calculations are not valid for tank water. There is no way you have 60ppm of CO2. The fact that your fish have not been annihilated should be evidence of that.

This is exactly what I mean by reliance of test kits instead of believing your eyes. Think about it for a second. How can you possibly have 60ppm CO2 if fish seem to be OK and if the dropchecker filled with 4dkh water is only green, not yellow? This combination of events is virtually impossible.

Cheers,
 
Thanks, yes the CO2 issue makes sense. I didn't think of that. It's probably the Substrate lowering the PH which means using normal CO2 calculator won't work. I've put up the CO2 to 3bbs now. And will lower light level by an hour.

What do I do with fertizlier until I sort out stuff for EI? Would I just use the daily recommended dose of TPN+ for now, add a bit of extra or?
 
Tom said:
You'll need to lower the light intensity, not the period.
Click to expand...

Ok, I can switch off half the lamps..

Currently I have it setup with 2 hours dusk/dawn with all 4 lamps on for 7 hours:

2 x 39w for 7 hours in total
2 x 39w for 9 hours in total

Each sitting on it's owner timer.
 
foxfish said:
So you have 4 x T5s on for 7 hours!! Crikey I would try just two lights for 7 -8 hours.
Click to expand...

Well the Arcadia Lumniare comes with 4 lights.. so I switched them on. :D

Ok.. and how do I see if it's not enough light?
 
Well unless your tank is especially deep or your lights very high above the water 2 x T5 will work well.
Some folk try a short burst of light at mid day using 4 T5s but most of us simply use two for 7-8 hours a day.
C02 is very often the main issue, it is not always easy to get it just right but if you want o use all four lights then it becomes even more critical & very risky for the fish!
I have been using the ferts from that link i posted with great results & you should get the ferts in a day or two.
 
foxfish said:
Well unless your tank is especially deep or your lights very high above the water 2 x T5 will work well.
Some folk try a short burst of light at mid day using 4 T5s but most of us simply use two for 7-8 hours a day.
C02 is very often the main issue, it is not always easy to get it just right but if you want o use all four lights then it becomes even more critical & very risky for the fish!
I have been using the ferts from that link i posted with great results & you should get the ferts in a day or two.
Click to expand...

Oh right, ok that's good to know! I had no idea, I just assumed that you would just use the whole lot. I'll reduce that to 2 tubes and maybe a 1-2 hour lunch time peak.
 
Just an update. I've now used only 2 out of the 4 lights for 2 days. The plants are still pearling like mad, so it seems it's not had any difference on growth.. so that's good. Not sure about the algae yet though.
 
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