[bgbmxer]

my tank setup is a 40 gallon tall with two 36 inch aquaticlife dual lamp t5s on it 39watts each and just a few rotalla speciaes plants in it. i have a 305 fluval filter do 20 percent water changes every week. my water tests come back just fine but i still have algae growing at a rapid rate. if i do a 3 day blackout (before i put plants in) the algae would completely go away only to come back a short time later. tank has been running for months and is cycled also and grew plants at very rapid rates. my questions are.

1 what life expectancy should i see out of these bulbs one 6500k and one 650nm
2 what bulbs should i replace these with to help aid in growing plants.

3 any other areas that i havent thought of to try?

and also if im doing something wrong in posting this take it easy on me im a newb. thanks brandon from york, pa

 

[2in10]

You should get a year out of the bulbs easily.

Are you using pressurized CO2?
Are you using fertilizers? If so what are you using? How much?
How long are the lights on?
How high is the light above the tank?

 

[livingword26]

I doubt old lights are causing algae, exactly how old are they? Looks like you have quite a bit of light. Is the fixture right on top of the tank, or raised? Are you running CO2, and are you fertilizing, if so what are you using? What are all the parameters that you have tests for?

 

[bgbmxer]

co2 no im using flourish excel and thats it.

one set of bulbs might be 11 months old the other 7. the one has a black ring around it so i know its definitly due.

lights are on ten hours ran on a timer.

my tests are nitrite nitrate amonia ph its an api kit not the strips.

the lights are on the mounts it came with and are about 4 inches from the surface of the water but the tank is also a 40 gallon tall.

the thing that gets me is that i had the tank set up before i moved and the plants were growing amazing and the fish were healthy even bread. then the algae started.

then i moved and set it up again and with or without plants i still get algae. before was well water and now its city water. to me it all seems to lead to the lights. if i turn a set off the algae growth slows down drastically but still grows

 

[kevmo911]

If you really have 4xT5HO bulbs over your tank, with no CO2, that's your problem. Start by removing one of the sets of bulbs. I'd probably remove the newer of the two sets, but you can start by doing either.

 

[bgbmxer]

If you really have 4xT5HO bulbs over your tank, with no CO2, that's your problem. Start by removing one of the sets of bulbs. I'd probably remove the newer of the two sets, but you can start by doing either.

so your saying to much light. not enought co2 for the plants to starve the algae out.

 

[2in10]

If you really have 4xT5HO bulbs over your tank, with no CO2, that's your problem. Start by removing one of the sets of bulbs. I'd probably remove the newer of the two sets, but you can start by doing either.

Definitely turn off one set as kevmo stated.

I had the same problem with my tank using too many bulbs. I cut back to two and the algae cut way back but was still going. I added pressurized CO2 and an aggressive fertilizing program and it is almost nonexistent.

 

[bgbmxer]

Definitely turn off one set as kevmo stated.

I had the same problem with my tank using too many bulbs. I cut back to two and the algae cut way back but was still going. I added pressurized CO2 and an aggressive fertilizing program and it is almost nonexistent.

presurized co2 isnt in the budget at the moment. will some ferts and flourish excel do?

 

[CLASSIC]

CO2 is more than likely your problem. But even with CO2 you can still get algae if you dont have enough plants or if the lights are just too much.

 

[2in10]

presurized co2 isnt in the budget at the moment. will some ferts and flourish excel do?

Adding them in might help. Increasing the Excel could help. Raising the lights and cutting back the light period should help too.

 

[kevmo911]

presurized co2 isnt in the budget at the moment. will some ferts and flourish excel do?

Unfortunately, no. The high light increases the plant demand for both ferts and CO2. If either of those demands is not met, algae will take advantage of excess light. Excel is a very poor substitute for CO2.

 

[bgbmxer]

Unfortunately, no. The high light increases the plant demand for both ferts and CO2. If either of those demands is not met, algae will take advantage of excess light. Excel is a very poor substitute for CO2.

figured lol. whats a good co2 system for a decent price.

 

[bgbmxer]

Adding them in might help. Increasing the Excel could help. Raising the lights and cutting back the light period should help too.

how much should i raise the lights in your oppinion?

 

[2in10]

how much should i raise the lights in your oppinion?

At least 12".

 

[bgbmxer]

At least 12".

even after i have removed the other set of lights?

 

[2in10]

Yes, you need to get down to a medium or low light level. I would suggest the bulbs to be 30" above the substrate.

 

[bgbmxer]

Yes, you need to get down to a medium or low light level. I would suggest the bulbs to be 30" above the substrate.

ok gotcha. guess i will be getting stuff together to mount her up here soon.

 

[2in10]

ok gotcha. guess i will be getting stuff together to mount her up here soon.

Lot of folks use shelf brackets to hang the fixture. It would give you added storage space and not be too costly.

 

[bgbmxer]

so i have started doing co2 injection via the jello yeast and have it coming from the coke bottle into the tank and into the intake of the filter. i have had it running about a day and a half now and also have a drop checker to.

my question is how long until i raise c02 levels enough to notice it on the drop checker or a difference in the plants or algae?

i also raised my lights like i was recomended above.

is running the co2 throught my canister filter a decent way of difusing it?