Lighting Question

[broncofan27]

I currently have a light on my tank that is for planted tanks. I run bare bottom with nothing in my tank except filters and fish. The problem with this light is that I am constantly wiping away algae which is beyond annoying. It's a 75 gallon tank. What would you guys suggest that is reasonably priced to replace this light?

[Sean Buehrle]

It has nothing to do with your light.

Algae wont grow if there are no nutrients in the water.

Increased water changes are in order and you should be wiping your tank down on a regular basis anyways.

Brown algae will cover the bottom of the cleanest tanks in a week, so dont feel bad.

[broncofan27]

I guess you learn something everyday. I am doing water changes daily when I'm home and gf does them every other day when I'm not home.

[Skip]

I guess you learn something everyday. I am doing water changes daily when I'm home and gf does them every other day when I'm not home.

http://www.stickerblvd.com/stickers/shelly.jpg

[broncofan27]

http://www.stickerblvd.com/stickers/shelly.jpg

Oh believe me I know!!

[Sean Buehrle]

I guess you learn something everyday. I am doing water changes daily when I'm home and gf does them every other day when I'm not home.

It just depends on the size of the waterchange. Even a 50percent waterchange does very little to remove organics and waste from a tank. You are better off doing a 100 percent change every two days than 50 every day. Jmo. Get a bigger barrel.

yep you are lucky to have a girl who will help you out with the fish. Tell her that she is going to get a break from doing water changes from every day to just every couple days. instead of using up all your precious time every day doing these water changes, you can just do one big one every two days.

If she falls for that, shes the perfect woman, marry her.

[nc0gnet0]

Even a 50percent waterchange does very little to remove organics and waste from a tank. You are better off doing a 100 percent change every two days than 50 every day. Jmo.

There is something very wrong with this logic. In order for it to be true, it assumes that the organic material is evenly distributed throughout the water column. Troube is, this isn't the case at all. 80%+ of the organic waste is on the bottom. So if you concentrate on doing a good job vacuuming this waste out, 50% daily would be better than 100% every other day.

[Sean Buehrle]

There is something very wrong with this logic. In order for it to be true, it assumes that the organic material is evenly distributed throughout the water column. Troube is, this isn't the case at all. 80%+ of the organic waste is on the bottom. So if you concentrate on doing a good job vacuuming this waste out, 50% daily would be better than 100% every other day.

Vaccuming out waste is a gimme.
Everyone does it,its not even relative to this discussion.

A 50 percent waterchange leaves half the crap in the water.
Its a never ending battle to achieve clean organic waste free water. Half is always there.

With a 100 pct change ill bet the levels in 2 days time are much lower than the tank with 2 50s. And at least The fish got a days worth of clean water. Which will NEVER happen with a 50.

In the future if you are going to be giving figures and percentages stated as fact you should provide a link to these facts or let people know its just your opinion. Opinions are like, well you know the rest.

[Sean Buehrle]

it assumes that the organic material is evenly distributed throughout the water column. Troube is, this isn't the case at all. day. it most surely is the case. Ever heard the term dissolved solids ?

When you test water for anything it is what is evenly distributed in the water column.
Ammonia,nitrate,nitrite, disolved solids it doesnt matter.
Algae cannot grow unless it has nutrients, nutrients are in the water column. And they are dissolved,
How can that statement not be true?

[Sean Buehrle]

Ill explain why I said a 100% waterchange every 2 days is better than a 50 every day. And this is just my opinion why the water quality would be better, you can use your own judgement.

we will go with the levels between 0 - 100 as a reference. And say 20 as 1 point of any nutrient, lets say nitrate. nitrate is what we are trying to remove when we do water changes. nitrate is pretty much responsible for algae growth in all aquaria, salt or fresh.


If you start out with a 50 percent waterchange your nutrient level will be 50, mine will be zero. This is a 24 hour timetable, look at what your readings will be in 3 days compared to mine at 100 percent. it is a never win situation for you at 50 percent.

100 divided by 24 = oproximately 4.16 so we will say the nutrient level is going up 4.16 per hour.


you 50 me 100


1 50 .......................... 0
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2 54.16 .................... 4.16
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3 58.32 .................. 8.32
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4 62.48 .................. 12.48
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5 66.64 .................. 16.64
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6 70.8 ................... 20.8
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7 74.96 .................... 24.96
---------------------------------------------
8 79.12 ..................... 29.12
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9 83.28 ...................... 33.28
----------------------------------------------
10 87.44 ..................... 37.44
----------------------------------------------
11 91.6..................... 41.6
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12 95.7 ..................... 45.76
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13 99.92 ...................... 49.92 you are already at 100 percent nutrient level. a nasty
----------------------------------------------
14 104.08 ...................... 54.08
----------------------------------------------
15 108.24 ....................... 58.24
---------------------------------------------
16 112.4 ........................ 62.4
---------------------------------------------
17 116.56 ....................... 66.56
--------------------------------------------
18 120.72....................... 70.72
-------------------------------------------
19 124.88........................ 74.88
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20 129.04...................... 79.04
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21 133.2....................... 83.2
-------------------------------------------
22 137.36 ....................... 87.36
------------------------------------------
23 141.52......................... 91.52
------------------------------------------
24 145.68......................... 95.68

ok so here is the part where you are going to see how a 50 percent waterchange is in the long run going to make your tank over run with nitrate.


you do a 50 percent waterchange because the 24 hours is up. I cant do one yet I have 24 hours to go.

your total of 145.68 gets cut in half because you do a 50 percent water change. your total is 72.84 that you are starting with now instead of 50.

A day from now you will be starting with 86.12% of the nutrients that have built up because you are only removing half of the total amount.

Im at zero again because 48 hours has elapsed.

you will never be at zero, in fact your nitrate level will keep rising until like in this posters case, algae is taking over his tank because theres tons of nitrate in his water to get nurishment from, an endless supply.

[jimg]

It has nothing to do with your light.

Algae wont grow if there are no nutrients in the water.

Increased water changes are in order and you should be wiping your tank down on a regular basis anyways.

Brown algae will cover the bottom of the cleanest tanks in a week, so dont feel bad.

It has quite a bit to do with light. algae uses the light to sustain itself through photosynthesis.

[KEWX]

How many watts are your lights? 1 or 2 tubes? Have you thought about adding algae eaters? Albino bristlenose plecos work for me (plus water changes).

[Sean Buehrle]

It has quite a bit to do with light. algae uses the light to sustain itself through photosynthesis.



Ok now that that has been clarified, what do you suggest he do? not use a light or maybe not have his light on for such long periods. or just remove the food the algae are being sustained by.

[broncofan27]

How many watts are your lights? 1 or 2 tubes? Have you thought about adding algae eaters? Albino bristlenose plecos work for me (plus water changes).

I'm not entirely sure of the wattage as the light came with my tank but I do know it's for planted tanks. It has two banks of two bulbs. I'm so safes to mix in other fish.

[jimg]

I would take 2 of the bulbs out. try to run them no more than 8 hrs.you could also raise them higher above the tank.
water changes all depend on the amount of fish waste, respiration, fish food, the nitrification process itself etc.You could have high levels of phosphates and nitrates in your tap water also and the addition of too much light compounds the problem. you could add a few ancistrus but get the algae under control first. All tanks get algae and ancistus help a lot, but don't use them to cover up a problem.
I would do a good wipe down,wc and start with the lights.

[broncofan27]

I would take 2 of the bulbs out. try to run them no more than 8 hrs.you could also raise them higher above the tank.
water changes all depend on the amount of fish waste, respiration, fish food, the nitrification process itself etc.You could have high levels of phosphates and nitrates in your tap water also and the addition of too much light compounds the problem. you could add a few ancistrus but get the algae under control first. All tanks get algae and ancistus help a lot, but don't use them to cover up a problem.
I would do a good wipe down,wc and start with the lights.

I cam individually control the banks so I never have both on. I do wipe downs pretty consistently. I may test my tap for nitrates. I also age my water a min of 24 hours.

[fishorama]

I have had my discus less than 2 years but I still get brown diatom-like algae on all surfaces--plants, glass, heater. I think it's the discus slime that feeds it. My nitrates are under 5ppm. I've decided that unless I can't see the fish, it's not that big of deal. I do wipe downs & water changes but they never seem to make a huge difference in how fast it comes back. It may be something I don't test for but...After I move I'll try a BN pleco (I'm scared to add any fish right now). I recently removed 2 potted plants & so far it's just 1 less place for the algae to grow...I do get a bit of morning sun even with the shades closed. I dunno...

[Darrell Ward]

There is something very wrong with this logic. In order for it to be true, it assumes that the organic material is evenly distributed throughout the water column. Troube is, this isn't the case at all. 80%+ of the organic waste is on the bottom. So if you concentrate on doing a good job vacuuming this waste out, 50% daily would be better than 100% every other day.

He's just quoting some guy who thought he was a water quality expert, and put out a fancy chart to "prove" his theory. It's been floating around for several years. That logic has many flaws, to be honest. Doing tank vacs, and 50% water change means you are replacing 50% of the water, and diluting the remaining 50%, besides removing all the solid waste. It simply doesn't mean there is still 50% of the waste remaining in the tank. Probably 98% of all discus keepers fish should be stunted if this theory were valid. I know that I would have never been able to raise 6" and 7" fish from egg if this info were true. LOL!

[Darrell Ward]

I have had my discus less than 2 years but I still get brown diatom-like algae on all surfaces--plants, glass, heater. I think it's the discus slime that feeds it. My nitrates are under 5ppm. I've decided that unless I can't see the fish, it's not that big of deal. I do wipe downs & water changes but they never seem to make a huge difference in how fast it comes back. It may be something I don't test for but...After I move I'll try a BN pleco (I'm scared to add any fish right now). I recently removed 2 potted plants & so far it's just 1 less place for the algae to grow...I do get a bit of morning sun even with the shades closed. I dunno...

You probably have silicates, and or phosphates in the source water.

[greengreen84]

There's two reasons why you will get lots of algae in your tank, one is high nutrient load of phoshates and nitrates but I don't think this is the problem and the second one is too much light there is a third but it only applys to planted tanks :), but my best bet would be too much light so try and keep it down to one light tube or apply the light fixture higher there's a few other way's to combat this but would cost money to do!