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Algae mat on tank bottom

826 Views 2 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  roadmaster
So I overcame my initial onslaught of hair algae but am now plagued by a spiderweb like layer of brown algae on the bottom of my tank and strangling my HC. I dose some various seachem products:iron, trace, comp, and mainly excel. The tank is an ADA 45p with an 18" Ray 2 on top and pressurized co2. Filtration is an eheim 2217 with a 2215 impeller so around 200gph through a lily pipe. I will post pics tomorrow. And help would be VERY appreciated. I'm starting to get frustrated as the tank has now been flooded for over a month.
Thanks...:redface:
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Most probably its diatom. You didn't mention your substrate or your tank age. If it a new tank and has sand as a substrate, most likely it is diatom. It will go away with time as the diatoms consume the silicate.

I am experiencing the same thing in my 10 gal right now :)

May be getting a couple otos would help? I hear otos eat diatoms. But then again getting a fish to solve algae (technically diatom isn't an algae) problem is never recommended. When it accumulates a lot in mine, I just spray H2O2 a little and it goes away for a bit and then comes back again.

Gist is, if it is diatom, it wont go away until they consume all the silicates. And it is harmless to your plants, only annoying and ugly looking.
So I overcame my initial onslaught of hair algae but am now plagued by a spiderweb like layer of brown algae on the bottom of my tank and strangling my HC. I dose some various seachem products:iron, trace, comp, and mainly excel. The tank is an ADA 45p with an 18" Ray 2 on top and pressurized co2. Filtration is an eheim 2217 with a 2215 impeller so around 200gph through a lily pipe. I will post pics tomorrow. And help would be VERY appreciated. I'm starting to get frustrated as the tank has now been flooded for over a month.
Thanks...:redface:
I might consider source for macronutrient's NPK= Nitrogen,phosphates,pottasium.
Of what you are using now ,the only one with the afore mentioned macronutrient's is the flourish comprehensive, and the amount's are prolly not enough for CO2 enhanced (EXCEL) or CO2 injected tank which increases the demand for them.
Greenleaf aquariums.com or Aquarium fertilzer.com offer the macro and micronutrient's in powder form which will last you a long time compared to the product's already bottled which are largely water.
Might also read up on (google),,Estimative index dosing for your size tank.
Keep filter's clean regularly,(monthly)don't over feed,over stock,and perform weekly water changes.
Is what I would suggest.
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