Algae Issues

[RossMartin]

Hi All,

I've been on UKAPS for a while but have always suffered with algae issues. My tanks details are below:

Setup Date: 01/11/2016
Tank: TMC 600 60x45x30
Light: 1 x TMC 1500Ultima at 10% for 6 hours no ramp
Filtration: JBL CristalProfi e1500, with full width Spraybar
Hardscape: Lava Rock
Substrate: Complete ADA Amazonia powder
CO2: 2Kg fire Extinguisher though an UP Inline diffuser. I'm unable to count the bubbles in the bubble counter. I also add 2.5ml of EasyCarbo each day as well
Water: 100% London Tap Water
Plants: Monte Carlo, Staurogyne Repens and Didiplis Diandra
Fertilization: EI:

Macro Solution

4tsp Potassium Nitrate
1tsp Potassium Phosphate
6tsp Magnesium Sulphate
500ml Water

Micro Solution

1tsp Chelated Trace Elements
500ml Water

Dosing:

Macro 3x a week. (10ml per 50ltr of Aquarium water) i dose 15ml
Micro 3x a week. (10ml per 50ltr of Aquarium water) i dose 15ml
20-50% weekly water change.


I had the lights at 25% on both channels so dropped them to 10% two weeks ago. I removed the plant leaves that had algae on them but they have come back! Not too sure what i am doing wrong.

The tank is like a glas of coke as i have so many bubbles in there. The drop checkers are green at lights on and go yellow an hour later...i have no fish or clean up crew so i inject CO2 at a high rate.

I have doubled the Potassium Phosphate to see if that helps. I have started adding 1ml of Iron on each Micro dosing day as well.

I am thinking of replacing the light with something else as i think it is too powerful, but also too focused to the middle of the tank.

Also i had HC in the tank before the Monte Carlo and like the Monte Carlo it went brown and didn't grow, it did nothing, not even root!

I can't help but think there is an issue with the CO2, but i can see bubbles all around the tank, they get everywhere. I've even considered if the CO2 i am getting isn't CO2 at all!

These are the plants:

The Monte Carlo below is right at the front of the tank. The CO2 bubbles hits the front of the tank from the spray bar and then travel down and cover this plant..yet it is brown.

Any advice on why the leaves are going brown would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks in advance.

Ross

 

[xim]

If the tank is crowded with plants, it could be fine detritus. But your tank looks quite bare, so it's probably diatom, especially if you can wipe it off the leaves. IME, I don't know how to deal with it except waiting because it came and went away by itself seasonally. I also have some Oto cats to eat it.

 

[Dolly Sprint 16v]

I have no fish or clean up crew so i inject CO2 at a high rate.
Ross

Hi Ross

There lies the problem. I have tried and it does not work - well didn't for me. My idea was to get an established tank full of tank than add fish but I ended up with diatoms. Get some fish / shrimps in there it will help removing the algae

Paul

 

[Cactusface]

Hi Ross,
Just today added Ottos to my tanks. I can't quite understand why you say you can't count the bubbles of CO2, or did you? It seems your feeding lots of Ferts, but have nothing to complete the cycle? I use the same EI Ferts with 25ml in the 170L and only 5ml the Rio125 that has no CO2. Take a look here: https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/algae-issue-from-empty-co2-bottle.50909/#post-501642
I am only just starting Aquascaping, so see how it goes.
Help, advice and comments welcome.
Regards
Mel.

 

[ceg4048]

Hi Ross,
I searched around for some specs on this model and found this. Not sure if it's the same as yours.

• 10x Cree XB-D Power LED’s – Natural Day Light
• Beam angle of 120 Degrees
• Correlated Colour Temperature of 6500K
• PAR at 400mm in air is 148µEinsteins/sec/mSq

So at 100% and since the tank is 450mm deep, if the unit is mounted near the surface, then at the substrate it's really bright.
I don't really know if 25% power delivers 25% of the PAR. If so then it should have been OK. Has it always bee at 25% or was it at 100% and then you lowered it?

It looks from the growth pattern in picture 1 that the flow is good, but I can't tell whether the leaves are browning or whether they are coated with diatoms.
Does it wipe off or is it actually brown?

In the second picture, the lava rock looks like it has something green but I can't tell whether it's a plant or some kind of algae.

May just need to keep it low for a while.

Cheers,