Algae problems

[Low_t Tom]

I have 30 in a 75G Tank.

[fjord]

Buy them online, they are much cheaper.

[latchdan]

Originally Posted by fjord

Buy them online, they are much cheaper.

Yeah I was cruising aquabid and found a seller in orange county... like 4 hours from me but I have family near that area. Selling a wide array of nerite snails ranging from 10 for $12 to 10 for $22. Says pickup welcome might go get some next time I'm visiting family.

[AlanLe]

Did you get rid of the algae problem?

[latchdan]

Originally Posted by AlanLe

Did you get rid of the algae problem?

Yes and no. The green dust algae for the most part decreased, I am thinking thanks to reducing photo period. (6 hours)

Although, since I started this post I have moved and I had to drain the tank and refill and I'm having an outbreak of brown diatom algae. Its brown and looks hairy. I am pretty sure its diatom because when I grab it and rub it between my figures it just disolves.

I'm researching how to get rid of it but from what I have read it will go away on its own, but that is in new set ups. Only explanation for it is I caused a mini cycle when moving the tank since the filter was off for an extended period of time. I am doing 50% water changes twice a week with RO water adding seachem equilibrium and baking soda to get 4 degrees kh and 4 degrees GH. (which is what the tank is about)

I'll see if I can get a picture of what the tank looks with the new algae and the added plants I have got.

Oh also forgot I have got new phosphate and nitrate test kit and they are showing some high numbers so I have stoped dosing nitrate and phosphate. Nitrate was around 40 and phosphate was around 5+. I also calibrated the test kits and they seem accurate. (thanks to hoppy http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...tion+solutions)

I have also added 2 zebra nerite snails and 1 tri colored horned nerite. May get more in the future but is all they had when I went and looked.

[latchdan]

Update:
Here is that brown diatom algae I think.






Full tank pic, it looks good if you don't look real close.



I'm not sure what I should do to get rid of this algae. I've reduced trace to 1/32 teaspoon, and stopped adding macros since nitrate is now 20ppm after 50% water change and phosphates are around 2ppm after water change.

[latchdan]

To help fight this algae problem and maybe help the plants grow could I add some Excel? I have a bottle and haven't been using it for a while. I know it melts some plants vals and I've hard anacharis. Would it be okay if i dosed a lower dosage maybe every other day or somthing like that? For instance I would normally dose 3ml a day could I do 1.5ml a day or 3ml every other day? Skipping the initial dose of course. Or are these plants super sensitive and any would melt them?

I have contortionist vals and I remember years ago I killed them with excel before I knew better. But it seems like a waste to have this excel just sitting around.

[latchdan]

Bump

[Dx3Bash]

Excel will help control many types of algae. I use it in my heavily planted aquarium in conjunction with pressurized CO2. Are you EI dosing? If so, don't forget the VERY IMPORTATN 50% water change weekly. After the water change dose 1 capful of Excel per 10 gallons (as instructed on the bottle), then dialy dosage following instructions. I have corkscrew val in my aquarium and they are doing just fine with the excel.

[The Dude]

I'm having some big algae problems in my 75g since I redid it. I'm just using DIY C02 and quite a bit of Metricide. I purposely haven't added any vals or moss to this tank for that very reason.
I've got 6 Nerites in here as well. Going to be adding some Oto's shortly.
Your tank doesn't look bad at all. Personally I'm all or nothing. I would take out anything that Excel will kill and start dosing it pretty good until your plant mass catches up OR add a good amount of additional plant mass.
Personally I determine how heavily my tanks will be planted based on the point when I have zero algae.

[Low_t Tom]

I have 20 of them in my 75G and I hardley notice them. They come out mostly at night. The problem I have now is to have enough algae for them to eat!

[latchdan]

Originally Posted by Dx3Bash

Excel will help control many types of algae. I use it in my heavily planted aquarium in conjunction with pressurized CO2. Are you EI dosing? If so, don't forget the VERY IMPORTATN 50% water change weekly. After the water change dose 1 capful of Excel per 10 gallons (as instructed on the bottle), then dialy dosage following instructions. I have corkscrew val in my aquarium and they are doing just fine with the excel.

I am doing 50% water changes twice a week. I have also modified my EI dosing by cuting potassium nitrate to 1/8 teaspoon, and cut out adding phosphates. I must have a lot of decaying plant mass because it doesn't go down at all unless I do a water change while the nitrates are being used up.

The diatoms if anything are getting worse rather then better I just want to correct what I can before it gets out of control. I added a lot of plants some died off one being myro I believe it was labed as foxtail at the fish shop. The only two plants that have noticible growth is the amazon sword and the ambulia.
Just did a 50% water changed nitrates were at 5ppm so dosed 1/8 potasium nitrate. Phosphates were around 2-3ppm so adding nothing. added 1/16 teasponn potassium sulfate and 3ml of seachem iron.

I might add some excel too drop checker is yellow ( surface agitation provided by an aquaclear 50 and spray bar is turned up a little on rena xp1)