Starting Date: 11/18/2012
Hey got a green hair algae on my dwarf baby tears and its spreading to neighboring plants. this is the second algae infestation that I am dealing with in this tank. The first was grey algae which was started due to my laziness which caused a lot of fish food being dumped in the tank and me thinking I just don't need to feed them for a few weeks. :flick: I got rid of the algae by closing the lights for 3 days but that also killed most of my plants.
To get rid of the algae this time I have reduced the light to 2xT5-HO for 3 hours a day. I have mechanically reduced the algae as much as possible without pulling the roots of the plants for most of the plants (really difficult for dwarf baby tears on sand substrate). And also doubled the dosage of the Seachem excel. I added 4 True SAE, 2 Chinese SAE (Not sure), 2 corydoras and a twig catfish. Anyway today I started using Hobby Algen-killer, which is a liquid algaecide (link to their website is here: http://www.dohse-aquaristik.de/en/p/51500/AlgenKiller-). It says to dose [STRIKE]2ml per 100liters per week[/STRIKE] 2ml per 10liters for heavy algae and to repeat if algae is "stubborn" so if it works I'll let you guys know. I have tried Tetra Algumin which did not work on the grey algae or the green hair algae.
If the algaecide shows no progress I am thinking of using Hobby Duplarit K:"Natural tropical laterite in pellet form for subsequent use in existing aquariums. Iron-active soil additive for all aquarium plants. Enhances growth and appearance and prevents deficiency symptoms" and Hobby Sanoplant: "CO2 fertilizer tablets for strong and healthy plant growth. Ideal and inexpensive carbon dioxide fertilization. Basic fertilization with all necessary nutrients", to help kill the algae.
UPDATE1 [11/19/2012]: After realizing that I misread the instruction for the algae killer, which I have corrected above to the correct dosage for heavy algae which I will not be using as a noticeable reduction in algae has been noticed, so I will be using the normal dosage conditions of 1ml per 10 liters.
Update2 [11/24/2012]: The first day I got the SAE they were awesome half of the algae was gone but after that they don't seem to be eating the hair algae. Some are becoming lazy while some are looking for food at the sand area but are not going anywhere near the hair algae. (Discussing Problem here.)
Update3 [11/28/2012]: 1 True SAE is died probably from algaecide and another missing and its been a week since algaecide has been added and no reduction noticed. 3 days ago I added nutrients and CO2 fertilizer to boost plant growth and ended up giving the hair algae a boost. :sad
I removed a driftwood that had hair algae growing on it and placed it inside a drawer. I placed more plants in the tank.
Update4 [12/05/2012]: 2 weeks have passed and I gave up on the algaecide after 10 days and used neutralizer to remove the copper so I can add 6 Fire Red Shrimp. I currently using Seachem Phosoguard and am going to do a weekly 30% water change and hope for the best.
Tank originally:http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...pe=f&id=12289&title=First_One_15-11-2012b.jpg
Tank Currently:http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...92&title=First_One_Alteration_28-11-2012c.jpg
Update5 [12/25/2012]: I have removed the algae mechanically once again and did a 30-40% water change two-three times since the last update. I have reduced the weekly fertilization to half and noticed the algae has a slower growth. I've used the Algencide once again but then I went and used "Ocean Free Pure liquid" which according to the box might remove the effect of the algencide. Place a pic of what "Pure Liquid" does.
Update6 [12/26/2012]: Removed some algae mechanically and did a 10% water change and poured another batch of algaecide.
---Specs--- (A copy of a reply I wrote)
My tank is bow front tank about 120 liters.
-Odyssea light fixture with a built in timer has four 39W T5HO lights 3 at 6500K and one at 8000K. Ones all four at nine and turns of at seven.
-Tetra EX700 Canister Filter with the correct dosage of Seachem phosoguard in it.
-Tetra 100 (for 100 liters) air pump opened to half capacity.
-Tetra Co2 Optimat, uses a thin membrane to diffuse the Co2 into the water.
-Tetra Complete Substrate with sand gravel over it.
When I was starting I didn't have the Odyssea light fixture, but I had the aquarium built in hood which has 2 25W T8 "Daylight" lamps. And I added Tetra "Initial Sticks" plant supplement tabs. Most of the Tetra supplements I bought had no english instructions so I guessed the dosage from what the instruction said instead of translating the instructions to english, but the algae didn't appear until I found some dwarf baby tears and want to to provide enough plant supplement that accidentally dropped too many Tetra plant supplements tried to push them into the substrate but some resurfaced out of the substrate and thats when the algae first appeared. A few weeks ago I checked the substrate but the tabs dissolved.
As you can see I used only Tetra at the beginning until I noticed lack alot of info on their products and sites compared to Seachem.
--Current dosage--
I currently dose half a cap of Seachem Excel and one or none of the tetra Co2, that's after checking with a co2 indicator. I stopped using Seachem Flourish, only a few drops over unaffected plants. Which might be the reason why the algae has barely grown in the past week.
I placed once (2-3 weeks ago) 2 Dulparit K (placed 1cm under substrate) which is meant to enhance plant roots. The areas where I placed it had a strong algae growth.
Use 1 sanoplant on infected area. Sanoplant, 1 tab for each 50 liter, it provides fertilizing with Co2, general fertilizer containing all nutrient salts and fertilizing with trace elements and iron.
I will not use "pure liquid" until 2 weeks from as a second chance for the algenkiller.
Update7 [01/05/2013]: There has been no growth found on the algae. Since the last update no Seachem flourish but Co2 tabs with trace elements, indicated dosage of seachem excel and half the dosage of tetra Co2. what suprised me is that I found that some of my fire red shrimp alive. After their complete disappearance and someone informing me that guppies eat shrimp and poured algaecide on the 25th of December (Update 5).
Let me know what you think.
Here are the Pics.
Hey got a green hair algae on my dwarf baby tears and its spreading to neighboring plants. this is the second algae infestation that I am dealing with in this tank. The first was grey algae which was started due to my laziness which caused a lot of fish food being dumped in the tank and me thinking I just don't need to feed them for a few weeks. :flick: I got rid of the algae by closing the lights for 3 days but that also killed most of my plants.
To get rid of the algae this time I have reduced the light to 2xT5-HO for 3 hours a day. I have mechanically reduced the algae as much as possible without pulling the roots of the plants for most of the plants (really difficult for dwarf baby tears on sand substrate). And also doubled the dosage of the Seachem excel. I added 4 True SAE, 2 Chinese SAE (Not sure), 2 corydoras and a twig catfish. Anyway today I started using Hobby Algen-killer, which is a liquid algaecide (link to their website is here: http://www.dohse-aquaristik.de/en/p/51500/AlgenKiller-). It says to dose [STRIKE]2ml per 100liters per week[/STRIKE] 2ml per 10liters for heavy algae and to repeat if algae is "stubborn" so if it works I'll let you guys know. I have tried Tetra Algumin which did not work on the grey algae or the green hair algae.
If the algaecide shows no progress I am thinking of using Hobby Duplarit K:"Natural tropical laterite in pellet form for subsequent use in existing aquariums. Iron-active soil additive for all aquarium plants. Enhances growth and appearance and prevents deficiency symptoms" and Hobby Sanoplant: "CO2 fertilizer tablets for strong and healthy plant growth. Ideal and inexpensive carbon dioxide fertilization. Basic fertilization with all necessary nutrients", to help kill the algae.
UPDATE1 [11/19/2012]: After realizing that I misread the instruction for the algae killer, which I have corrected above to the correct dosage for heavy algae which I will not be using as a noticeable reduction in algae has been noticed, so I will be using the normal dosage conditions of 1ml per 10 liters.
Update2 [11/24/2012]: The first day I got the SAE they were awesome half of the algae was gone but after that they don't seem to be eating the hair algae. Some are becoming lazy while some are looking for food at the sand area but are not going anywhere near the hair algae. (Discussing Problem here.)
Update3 [11/28/2012]: 1 True SAE is died probably from algaecide and another missing and its been a week since algaecide has been added and no reduction noticed. 3 days ago I added nutrients and CO2 fertilizer to boost plant growth and ended up giving the hair algae a boost. :sad
I removed a driftwood that had hair algae growing on it and placed it inside a drawer. I placed more plants in the tank.
Update4 [12/05/2012]: 2 weeks have passed and I gave up on the algaecide after 10 days and used neutralizer to remove the copper so I can add 6 Fire Red Shrimp. I currently using Seachem Phosoguard and am going to do a weekly 30% water change and hope for the best.
Tank originally:http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...pe=f&id=12289&title=First_One_15-11-2012b.jpg
Tank Currently:http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/p...92&title=First_One_Alteration_28-11-2012c.jpg
Update5 [12/25/2012]: I have removed the algae mechanically once again and did a 30-40% water change two-three times since the last update. I have reduced the weekly fertilization to half and noticed the algae has a slower growth. I've used the Algencide once again but then I went and used "Ocean Free Pure liquid" which according to the box might remove the effect of the algencide. Place a pic of what "Pure Liquid" does.
Update6 [12/26/2012]: Removed some algae mechanically and did a 10% water change and poured another batch of algaecide.
---Specs--- (A copy of a reply I wrote)
My tank is bow front tank about 120 liters.
-Odyssea light fixture with a built in timer has four 39W T5HO lights 3 at 6500K and one at 8000K. Ones all four at nine and turns of at seven.
-Tetra EX700 Canister Filter with the correct dosage of Seachem phosoguard in it.
-Tetra 100 (for 100 liters) air pump opened to half capacity.
-Tetra Co2 Optimat, uses a thin membrane to diffuse the Co2 into the water.
-Tetra Complete Substrate with sand gravel over it.
When I was starting I didn't have the Odyssea light fixture, but I had the aquarium built in hood which has 2 25W T8 "Daylight" lamps. And I added Tetra "Initial Sticks" plant supplement tabs. Most of the Tetra supplements I bought had no english instructions so I guessed the dosage from what the instruction said instead of translating the instructions to english, but the algae didn't appear until I found some dwarf baby tears and want to to provide enough plant supplement that accidentally dropped too many Tetra plant supplements tried to push them into the substrate but some resurfaced out of the substrate and thats when the algae first appeared. A few weeks ago I checked the substrate but the tabs dissolved.
As you can see I used only Tetra at the beginning until I noticed lack alot of info on their products and sites compared to Seachem.
--Current dosage--
I currently dose half a cap of Seachem Excel and one or none of the tetra Co2, that's after checking with a co2 indicator. I stopped using Seachem Flourish, only a few drops over unaffected plants. Which might be the reason why the algae has barely grown in the past week.
I placed once (2-3 weeks ago) 2 Dulparit K (placed 1cm under substrate) which is meant to enhance plant roots. The areas where I placed it had a strong algae growth.
Use 1 sanoplant on infected area. Sanoplant, 1 tab for each 50 liter, it provides fertilizing with Co2, general fertilizer containing all nutrient salts and fertilizing with trace elements and iron.
I will not use "pure liquid" until 2 weeks from as a second chance for the algenkiller.
Update7 [01/05/2013]: There has been no growth found on the algae. Since the last update no Seachem flourish but Co2 tabs with trace elements, indicated dosage of seachem excel and half the dosage of tetra Co2. what suprised me is that I found that some of my fire red shrimp alive. After their complete disappearance and someone informing me that guppies eat shrimp and poured algaecide on the 25th of December (Update 5).
Let me know what you think.
Here are the Pics.