I can grow algae!!!

[Rickd]

I’m having a bad problem with hair algae and spot algae in my 75 gallon tank.:mad: I started this project 2 months ago. The plants have been planted about 4 weeks.

We have been keeping Discus for several years but everything other then the fish was fake. I thought that the fish would be happier in a planted tank.
I replaced the substrate with 100% Seachem Flourite, 3 to 4 inches.
Replaced the lights 4x55 watts at 6700k I’m running the lights 110 watts for 12 hours with the full 220 for 6 of those hours. I also installed a co2 injection system with a Milwaukee controller. The co2 has been running for 2 weeks. I’m also using a Rena canister filter. Been doing about 50% water changes every other day while sucking up the hair algae.

Plants:
Anubias Nana. Some new growth, dark spots on the leaves.
Red Wendtii Crypt. New growth with dark spots on leaves and tips of leaves brown.
Wisteria. New growth
Contortion Val. Light green, brown on ends and edges.
Oriental Swords. Dark spots on old leaves, new leaves growing.
Anubias Barter. No growth.
Micro Swords. Not doing well at all. Brown on edges and on the tips.
Cabomba. Not doing well, very little if any growth.

Fish:
5 Discus
4 Cardinals
2 sae

Water Perimeters:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
KH 6
PH 6.9
Phosphate .5ppm
Nitrate 6ppm
Temp 84

I’m treating the water with these products using the directions on the bottles and been doing this for the last week. Things do not appear to be getting better.
Leaf Zone for fe
Flourish Potassium
Flourish Nitrogen
Flourish Phosphorus
Flourish Comprehensive Supplement
I cannot find any test kits for any of these.

I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks in Advance, Rick

[Ed13]

Rick, see I think you are blasting the plants with too much light too soon after their introduction. The plants sort of need a recuperate and repair period before they can efficiently metabolize nutrients and grow, this time is often best without fish or you'll end up where you are at. Most plants are grown emerged(especially swords) by introducing a lot of light and a lot of nutrients from day one you set yourself up for trouble.

Ok, that being said I would do is to alter the photoperiod,for starters reduce the time to 8-10hrs. You can also interrupt the light cycle for example 4hrs on-1 to 3hrs off- 4hrs on. This breaks the algae cycle but doesn't hurt the plants. Another method is in your case to reduce the time of the second 110w and slowly during weeks bring its time up

I will assume that the water surface has little to no agitation during the light cycle

As far as commercial supplements I really like Seachem, drop the LEAF Zone and get yourself some Seachem IRon. Check the Comprehensive supplement, I don't remember but I think it has all you are adding separetely, you could be overdosing.

BTW, I think all of your problems wil go away after the wisteria, cabomba and the swords take off, just keep up with water changes and manual removal of the algae and don't forget to search the canister for strands of Hair algae

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Rick, you've said nothing about your bubbles per second rate on your CO2. Knowing that would be important. According to Takashi Amanno the rest period is not needed, he sets up is nature aquariums and hits them with full light and CO2 right away and begins his fert dosing regime immediately following setup.

[Ed13]

Rick, you've said nothing about your bubbles per second rate on your CO2. Knowing that would be important. According to Takashi Amanno the rest period is not needed, he sets up is nature aquariums and hits them with full light and CO2 right away and begins his fert dosing regime immediately following setup.
Yes, but he cheats, he mounts the ADA fixtures(mostly MH) in moving tracks, so they can be moved up and down:mad: That cheater,lol

He also starts with an 80% or higher coverage of bio mass in plants, that come from his possesion(no long distance travel and propper handling).

But, his method works, lots of light, CO2 so then nutrients are high too. By now he knows what will achieve the required balance before the setup starts.

[Rickd]

I want to think everyone for there help.

I’m going to cut back on my lights and bring them back to full strength over a longer period of time, after reading a lot on this board I seen that was one of my mistakes.:mad:

There is no surface agitation with the lights on but I’m using a air stone at night after the lights and co2 go off.

I’ll get some seachem Iron and stop the Comprehensive supplement as it does have all the other ingredients but in smaller doses.

On my bubble counter I’m getting real close to 3 bubbles a second. With my kh at 6 and using the chart I thought I could slowly adjust my controller to get a ph of 6.9 to get close to 25ppm of co2. When I cut my lights back will I have to raise my ph or cut back on the co2?

Thanks.

[Polar_Bear]

Rick, you've said nothing about your bubbles per second rate on your CO2. Knowing that would be important. According to Takashi Amanno the rest period is not needed, he sets up is nature aquariums and hits them with full light and CO2 right away and begins his fert dosing regime immediately following setup.

Tom Barr says exactly the same thing.

IMO BBA comes in on plants and there isn't much you can do about it. High levels of CO2 will keep it at bay, overdosing Seachem Flourish Excel will kill it, but the spores will remain and it will come back eventually. Maintaining high levels of CO2 is the only long term solution I have found. Interestingly if I dose both Excel and H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide) at the same time it knocks back the BBA for a much longer time than Excel alone. This works fairly long term (3-4 months) even in non-CO2 aquaria.

[ILuvMyGoldBarb]

Tom Barr says exactly the same thing.
Yup, I know, I'm a member of his site. :)

The H2O2 method is quite effective in killing BBA on plants however the best method for using it can often be to remove the plant and bathe it in a stronger solution. However you can treat symptoms all you want but you need to get to the root cause. The BBA will start to thrive is because of low CO2 levels. Therefore treating by increasing your CO2 plus adding Excel will help clear it up. Trimming the areas most heavily effected is also an important step.