Major algae bloom problems

[Chrisinator]

Hey Guys!

Tank Info: 10 Gallons
Fauna: 1 Borneo Sucker, 3 Neon Tetras, 1 Harlequin Rasbors and some Yellow Shrimps
Flora: Sunset Hygro, Eiichornia diversofilia, L. Inclinata 'Cuba', Taiwan Moss, Christmas Moss, Fissiden, Anubias, Crypts and Tiger Lotus
Add.: Fluorish (mondays,) Plant Trace Dry Ferts (wednesdays), and Iron (fridays) with some Fluorish added.
CO2: 2, DIY CO2 Bottles (2 liters)

Questions:
I recently changed both CO2 bottles without changing them for a month. I changed them on monday, and after about an hour after being mixed, large amounts of CO2 bursted out. I leave the CO2 bottles hooked up 24/7 just because it makes it easier for me not having to plug it in and out in the morning and stuff.

Then, the next couple of days, algae started forming, like, TONS. Brown Algae (not diatoms), Green Spot algae, hair algae, every algae you can think of. LOL.

So, I'm asking, what's your remedy and how can I keep it "clean" and clear for a long time?

[Hoppy]

Everything else about growing plants in an aquarium is dependent on the lights you have. So, what lighting do you use, watts, type of bulbs, and how far above the tank are they? If you have even moderately high lighting you need to be fertilizing with nitrates, potassium and phosphates, in addition to the trace mixes you use. (Flourish is a trace mix.). If you allow the CO2 concentration in the water to vary greatly from day to day, you will be telling algae spores to start growing, and they will do just that. So, you need to work hard to keep the CO2 bubble rate as constant as you can, and with two DIY bottles, that means staggering the start days for them, and restarting them at least every two weeks, if not weekly.

[Chrisinator]

Forgot about lighting:

I have 2, 26W Compact Fluorescent 64000K

[blackjack]

I think that might be too much of a lighting system you got there! I think 1 x 26 watts with a good reflector is plenty good for a DIY CO2 system.

How long of a light period do you have it on for?

[epicfish]

Lighting is fine.

[Chrisinator]

I have it on for 10 hours. How should I combat the algae? Would a coupel otos or nerite snails help?

[Hoppy]

Those spiral CFL bulbs aren't nearly as efficient at getting light down into the water as the linear tube lights are. So, 52 watts of the spiral CFL bulbs isn't nearly as much light as it sounds like. I think that is about right for a high light 10 gallon tank too. When I used two 20 watt spiral CFL bulbs on a 10 gallon tank I didn't have much success with any plants other than crypts, so I certainly didn't have high light intensity. With Tom's PAR meter I measured about 30-40 micro mols blah blah at the substrate level right in the middle of the tank. I later found that the particular bulbs I was using are not good at all in red or blue light, being mostly light in the green area of the spectrum, for what that is worth. I suggest treating this tank, with 52 watts, as if it were a high light tank and using CO2 and fertilizers accordingly.

[Chrisinator]

Thanks.

[eyebeatbadgers]

I'd like to add that I have a 10 gallon tank, with two 13 watt CFL bulbs mounted in clamp-on desk lamps. I get more than enough light in the tank to grow anything. Dwarf hairgrass stays very short, Downoi stays very compact and bushy, HC creeps along the substrate like no one's business. Even Rotala species grow along the substrate like a carpet if pruned regularly.

I would recommend leaving the lights on for only 8 hours for a while, that may help with the GSA at least. What is your filtration like? Any ammonia in the tank will cause a quick algae bloom. Also, remember that just because you see a lot of algae on Tuesday, does not mean something got out of whack on Monday night. These things can take time to manifest into a problem. You'll find that reducing the light intensity gives you more wiggle room when screw ups do happen (like not changing the CO2 mixture for a month).