[jjlin78]

so i have a 10g low tech grow out tank, i had a small corner filter in there for a while and i removed it after i got a toms mini, i left them both in there together for a little over a week. i just lowered the spray bar below the water line b/c i think that everyone else does that. i had huge surface scum and hair algae break out 2 days after i lowered the spray bar. i raised it so the holes are now right at the surface. this has gotten rid of the surface scum, but the algae is still there. so my question is is it better to have the spray bar completely above the water line to create more oxygen in the water or should i leave it where it is now? i know that more oxygen will get rid of the algae but is it healthier for the plants? i've only had a planted tank for a 1.5 months right now. thanks for the help.

 

[paulrw]

when you oxygenate water like that you drive out c02 high light and no co2 is were algae comes from the hair algae is most likely not from the filter out put placement what kind of lighting are you using? and are you using co2 of any sort?

 

[jjlin78]

when you oxygenate water like that you drive out c02 high light and no co2 is were algae comes from the hair algae is most likely not from the filter out put placement what kind of lighting are you using? and are you using co2 of any sort?

i have a 15w t8 on for almost 10hrs a day, i had it at that w/o any algae break out until i lowered the spray bar. i am not using any c02. i was kinda thinking that b/c the plants are used to high o2 that they werent sure what to do when the spray bar was below the water line and not creating any o2 bubbles and i guess that the co2 built up in the tank... with the huge surface scum wouldn't allow for outgassing... which led to the quick algae growth. is that good reasoning? but i also read that surface scum doesn't come around in non co2 tanks, especially after 2 days.

 

[paulrw]

plants use co2 light and fertilizers (npk and micro nutrients) plants don't need o2 as they produce it. i get the surface scum problem not having any surface agitation but the algae problem is most likely not related try reducing your light to 8 hrs. 1.5w of t8 is pretty much in the low light area what kind of plants are you growing? also do you have any fish in tank? if the co2 levels were to high fish would be dieing. there no chance of it happening with out adding co2. co2 out gasses easy .

 

[jjlin78]

plants use co2 light and fertilizers (npk and micro nutrients) plants don't need o2 as they produce it. i get the surface scum problem not having any surface agitation but the algae problem is most likely not related try reducing your light to 8 hrs. 1.5w of t8 is pretty much in the low light area what kind of plants are you growing? also do you have any fish in tank? if the co2 levels were to high fish would be dieing. there no chance of it happening with out adding co2. co2 out gasses easy .

i have 3 crypts, some bacopa, some sunset hygro, chain swords, java ferns, moss, peacock moss, some water sprite, 1 ludwiga repens, 1 val, 1 expecting female guppy, 2 bumblee shrimp. i light feed twice a day, and i does ferts using the tom barr low tech non excel method.

 

[topfrog007]

Try changing your lighting period. Instead of 10 hours, try 7 or 8 hours. Leave it for a week and see what it does to the algae.