Frankr409
12-06-2004, 01:30 PM
I did some research over the past several weeks to find answers to my own algae concerns in my planted tank. Like many of you, I am running a high tech tank with massive amounts of Eheim filtration, UV sterilizers, advanced lighting with timers, Automatic water changing with R/O, Automatic CO2, etc, etc, I still have algae.
The process of elimination seems to suggest lighting as the cause, either because the lighting is not in the right spectrum, or just possibly because it is used at the wrong time. One of the books I read over the weekend suggests that algae can be controlled using what is known as the "Siesta Method"
Algae is not as biologically advanced an organism when compared to plants. Plants can ramp the photosysnthesis process up or down very rapidly. Algae, however cannot.
The Siesta method is simple. Using a simple timer, set your tank to receive 5 hours of light, followed by three hours without overhead light, followed by 5 hours with light.
My system is modified a bit further so that I begin and end the day with a seperate lighting system that provides one half hour of greatly reduced light before and after the main lights go on and off.
The book I read suggests that since Algae requires stable, and not interrupted light source, that the 3 hour siesta can not only reduce further algae growth, but it can also cause existing algae die off.
Essentially you are fighting the enemy where it is weak. It's light requirements.
While lighting is not the only source of algae problems, for those of you who have eliminated other water conditions as the culprit, I think this is worthy of a try.
The process of elimination seems to suggest lighting as the cause, either because the lighting is not in the right spectrum, or just possibly because it is used at the wrong time. One of the books I read over the weekend suggests that algae can be controlled using what is known as the "Siesta Method"
Algae is not as biologically advanced an organism when compared to plants. Plants can ramp the photosysnthesis process up or down very rapidly. Algae, however cannot.
The Siesta method is simple. Using a simple timer, set your tank to receive 5 hours of light, followed by three hours without overhead light, followed by 5 hours with light.
My system is modified a bit further so that I begin and end the day with a seperate lighting system that provides one half hour of greatly reduced light before and after the main lights go on and off.
The book I read suggests that since Algae requires stable, and not interrupted light source, that the 3 hour siesta can not only reduce further algae growth, but it can also cause existing algae die off.
Essentially you are fighting the enemy where it is weak. It's light requirements.
While lighting is not the only source of algae problems, for those of you who have eliminated other water conditions as the culprit, I think this is worthy of a try.