[kjacks]

I am currently battling with green hair algae. Any ways to treat it the best? Removal? Reduce light? Reduce ferts? R/O water?

 

[fplata]

Use excel, double dose. Do you use co2 or have shrimp on that tank

 

[kjacks]

Yes i use co2 and have shrimp..

 

[k2x5]

What size tank and how much of what type of light/how far from the substrate?

 

[kjacks]

75 gallon 4x 55 watt t5ho 20" from substrate. Really good 6700k bulbs. 10 hr regimen a day..

 

[Woody0229]

I would at minimal cut down to around 8 hours of light. be a very good idea to raise the light too.

 

[synaethetic]

10 hrs is good, don't cut that short. Raise your lights a little.

Manual removal, h202, excel, consistant fert dosing, consistant c02 & o2 are all proven methods to remove and avoid the most common algaes that plague planted tanks.

 

[shinycard255]

I feel like you might have too much light over the tank, but each tank is different. I had 4x 55W T5HOs 18" over my 60G tank and I was still getting algae issues. I kept cutting the photo period down to help accommodate for the lighting (had it down to 6 hrs one time), but still no help. I now run 2x 55W T5HOs 12" above the tank (puts me at 50 PAR at the substrate) and I'm not really having any algae issues anymore. My lights are on for 7 hrs as well (on for 3, off for 2, on for 4). I started with 6 hrs at first but since I saw algae was under control I bumped it up.

I think 10hrs with T5HOs are WAY too much! Either cut back your bulbs or lower your photo period and give it a week or 2 to see how your tank adjusts and go from there

 

[kjacks]

Ill try cutting them back to 7 hrs.

 

[kjacks]

I did notice its mainly at the bottom of the tank...

 

[kjacks]

What is considered as med to high light with t5hos on a 75 gallon aquarium?

 

[Kathyy]

Check the stickied thread in the lighting forum for more accurate information but this older thread may give you a ball park estimate of how to go. I like the second chart for an easy to read look at how much light a fixture is giving.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=105774
4 full length T5HO is likely far more light than the plants can handle unless the tank hasn't any critters and you are blasting the tank with CO2 and fertilizers.

 

[kjacks]

So Im starting to get rather confused with this whole setup i got goin on. Im currently running a ph controller also. Should i be using a bubble counter and a drop checker with a glass diffuser?

 

[shinycard255]

Bubble counter isn't necessary, but people will ask on this forum what your bubble rate is if you have any questions, so it's good have one. But also keep in mind that bubble counters are only a rough idea as to how much CO2 is going into the tank.

Drop checker is better for gauging CO2 than having a bubble counter. A drop checker will let you know what the saturation of CO2 is in the tank. You want to aim for light green to yellow color of the 4dkh solution.

Glass diffuser is probably needed out of most of these. The glass diffuser will break down the CO2 into small bubbles so it gets dissolved into the water better. Without the diffuser, with only airline tubing going into the tank, you will get a big bubble out of the tubing which will float to the top of water level and pop, letting all the CO2 out into the air versus staying in the tank

 

[kjacks]

I mean should i do away with the ph controller??