Watts

[jhamil]

How many Watts of light do you guys recomend for a 90 gal tank. I currently have 260 watts but i'm having problems with blue hair algae. Its growing on my swords and its begining to kill the leafs.

[clogwood]

I have 324 watts over a ninety but watts are not the best measurment.Are the light t5,t8,seperate reflector or one solid reflector. Most importantly do you have co2,that much light and no co2 is an algae disaster in the making. Please give a few more details and if you are dosing fertilizers and do you have aany fast growing stem plants in your tank so the problem can be better identified.

[jhamil]

I have 324 watts over a ninety but watts are not the best measurment.Are the light t5,t8,seperate reflector or one solid reflector. Most importantly do you have co2,that much light and no co2 is an algae disaster in the making. Please give a few more details and if you are dosing fertilizers and do you have aany fast growing stem plants in your tank so the problem can be better identified.
I cannot afford C02 infection at this time. My tank temp is at 88F. My lighting is Sattelite Brand it comes with 4 lights, two are moon lights. My swords are planted in a pot and i have placed fertilizer pellets in the soil; no nutrients are added to the water. I do not have a Brown algae problem.

[clogwood]

If you just have swords they may not absorb excess nutrients fast enough to outcompete algae.Try finding some fast growing plants such as hornwort,I use several types of fast growing stems and haven't had many issues with algae after they took off.
I have pressurized co2 on my 90 but have used do it yourself co2 on some of my other tanks with fairly good results.Basically cost me an empty plastic bottle, some white sugar, and yeast.Just need to find a way to diffuse it properly.
Small chance you are located in NJ but if so I could give you some fast growing plants that might help.Ther are several solutions to fighting algae, its just finding the right balnce. I have suffered through all types of algae outbreaks and they all can eventually be controlled.

[Chad Hughes]

You will need to lower the wattage on the tank to around 100 watts or add CO2.

Best wishes!

[jhamil]

You will need to lower the wattage on the tank to around 100 watts or add CO2.

Best wishes!
My White lights and my Moon lights run on seperate switches. The purpose for moon lights its to give the tank a Sunrise and Sunset look. This is mostly usefull in Saltwater Tanks (Corals). I will take your Advice Chad. I will turn off 180 WATTs and see how i do. Thank you.

[exv152]

BGA can be a result of: low nitrates, dirty substrate/filter, poor water circulation. I would probably tackle the BGA before uping the wattage, which can bring on a whole new set of issues, especially if you're not using CO2. With planted tanks you want to balance three elements; light, CO2 and nutrients.

[jhamil]

BGA can be a result of: low nitrates, dirty substrate/filter, poor water circulation. I would probably tackle the BGA before uping the wattage, which can bring on a whole new set of issues, especially if you're not using CO2. With planted tanks you want to balance three elements; light, CO2 and nutrients.
my Nitrates are fairly low my reading is 3. Circulation is not an issue, I have two outlets on opposiet sides. I was told to lower the Wattage. As far a Low nitrates what is a healthy reading? Could temperature be a factor?

[blkrob]

Sorry to hear about your issues. I'm not sure what bha is. If you have bga it's really a bacteria and not algae. There are two ways to treat it.

Excel makes a liquid co2, but it would be cheaper to just get a system in the long run. If you don't want to decrease your wattage, you could try adding water lettuce. It will compete with algae and stop some of the light from increasing algae growth. I attached a link hope it helps.

Good luck

Robert

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

[jhamil]

Sorry to hear about your issues. I'm not sure what bha is. If you have bga it's really a bacteria and not algae. There are two ways to treat it.

Excel makes a liquid co2, but it would be cheaper to just get a system in the long run. If you don't want to decrease your wattage, you could try adding water lettuce. It will compete with algae and stop some of the light from increasing algae growth. I attached a link hope it helps.

Good luck

Robert

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm
Ok so after reading the information in the link i see that it is growing in the high flow areas in the tank. YOU mentioned that it is a bacteria? Please elaborate.

[exv152]

Good nitrate readings are between 10-20ppm for a discus/planted tank. Any higher and the fish will suffer, any lower and you risk BGA (the only type of algae that I know to reacte to low nitrate levels).

Try a blackout, physically removing the algae, and adding a small amount of potassium nitrate.

[Darrell Ward]

You will need to lower the wattage on the tank to around 100 watts or add CO2.

Best wishes!

I agree. Swords don't need 260 watts in a 90. When I had a planted 240 gal., I ran 192 watts, and my sword plants would grow out the top of a 31" tall tank.