ALGE PROBLEM!!

[machine77]

SO.. i have this alge mostly on my gravel and drift wood, it is short and brown, looks like hair... i have tried so many things to get rid of it but nothing seems to be working, i even cut down my lights to only 8 hours a day... can anyone help me?
nolan

[Eddie]

SO.. i have this alge mostly on my gravel and drift wood, it is short and brown, looks like hair... i have tried so many things to get rid of it but nothing seems to be working, i even cut down my lights to only 8 hours a day... can anyone help me?
nolan

How much wattage in your lights and size of tank?

Eddie

[srusso]

Sounds like beard algae, but if you post a picture we could be sure. What is your pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. KH and GH... Luckily Siamese Algae eaters love the stuff... May be the easiest way to fix your problem. I assume you have a planted tank. The main thing to remember is a planted tank is all about balance with Lighting, Ferts and c02...

[machine77]

i think it is beard alge cuz thats exactly what it looks like... my pH is a steady 7.2 everything else is zero.. my lights are on only 8 hours a day, 3 watts per gal, this is a new tank, it is cycled but only been up a running for about 3 months almost 4... i have no bn pleco but i heard this will help!

[machine77]

and i use no co2, the only plants i have in this tank are some vals and not alot, ferts are pellet ferts, not liquid and i have not added any more since i first planted my plants which was 3 or 4 weeks ago.. hope this helps, as far as my kh goes, that i have no answer, my kit does not test for that, maybe i should go get one that does..

[Eddie]

i think it is beard alge cuz thats exactly what it looks like... my pH is a steady 7.2 everything else is zero.. my lights are on only 8 hours a day, 3 watts per gal, this is a new tank, it is cycled but only been up a running for about 3 months almost 4... i have no bn pleco but i heard this will help!

Is you tank planted? Also, what type bulbs 6,500K or 10,000K, etc.

Eddie

[srusso]

Yeah grab some test strips 6 in 1 from walmart, 25 for $8... they are not perfect tests but some of the liquid tests kits expire in less then a year and can be as inacurate as the strips... and for $40 bucks on liquid test kits that really sucks!!

Go grab some Siamese algae eaters, and are fine with Discus so...

And in the long run learn to balance the three things, light, ferts and c02

Your lighting WPG is a little high for not adding c02, I know I fall into the same trap. also as Bass said 65k to 67k lighting is were you want to be...

[srusso]

http://aquaticconcepts.thekrib.com/Fish/sae.jpg

They are very common in a planted tank, I dont have them b/c I breeding Kribensis might go ape sh!t on them.

[Eddie]

Thats what I was thinking, if the tank is barebottom, that lighting is over kill. At 3 watts per gallon, a 10,000k bulb, will have algae growing out of your tank and into the living room! LOL

Eddie

[machine77]

ha ha, i have gravel, not bb, and my lights are 6500k only.. is that catfish better then a bn pleco for alge?

[machine77]

i dont think i need 4x96 watts for the plants i have, maybe i can turn the front 2 bulbs off, leaving only the back left and right bulbs on, giving me 2x96, which ill have 1.5 watts a gal... i dont think the italian vals need 3 watts per gal! ill try that! and leave the bulbs at 6500k, for 10 hours a day..

[Eddie]

i dont think i need 4x96 watts for the plants i have, maybe i can turn the front 2 bulbs off, leaving only the back left and right bulbs on, giving me 2x96, which ill have 1.5 watts a gal... i dont think the italian vals need 3 watts per gal! ill try that! and leave the bulbs at 6500k, for 10 hours a day..


Sounds like a plan. Best of luck

Eddie

[machine77]

thanks once again for your help!