[Bluydgrl]

I have a fully planted 36 gallon Bowfront tank.I run a Rena XP2 Canister filter.Tank is fully cycled.I have a Coralife T5HO Colormax and 6,700k Bulbs.They are on from 7am-7pm.I hear 8 hrs at most for a tank?
I get most the algea on my Anubias.There is just a little black hair algea on my Val and Amazon Sword.Whay causes this algea?

 

[dave56]

You have an imbalance in your tank. Too much light, too long of a photoperiod, no co2 or too much or too little fertilizer.
First thing I would do is cut the photoperiod back to 6 hrs per day. Switch the colormax bulb out for another 6700 K bulb
What is your fertilizing regimen?
You have BBA on the plants. Slow growing plants are more susceptible to BBA. You can spot treat it with 3% hydrogen Peroxide and a syringe. You need to make adjustments to find what the imbalance is to correct the algae problem.
Adding pressurized, or DIY co2 will help considerably.

 

[Bluydgrl]

I use the Seachem flourish tabs(just started that yesterday) and Seachems Flourish Comp. 1-2 times a week

 

[Bluydgrl]

Would a Actinic bulb work also?I have a extra one or should I use 2 6,700?

 

[Bluydgrl]

Here is another pic

Her is another pic I took earlier.Hopefully it's not side ways like the other

 

[Bluydgrl]

Darn....it isSORRY

 

[dave56]

the Flourish tabs aren't necessary with Anubias. Cut back to once a week on the Comprhensive.. I would also recommend dosing Flourish excel. It will give the plants more carbon to work with.
An Actinic bulb is more designed for a marine tank, corals in particular.
So the plan to try is cut photoperiod to 6 hrs. per day, cut back fert dosing to once a week, change out colormax bulb for 6700K bulb, spot treat algae with peroxide, and start dosing Excel.
You should see improvement in the algae area.
Also if you can give the Anubias some shade in the tank it might help. They are more of a low filtered light plant.

 

[Bluydgrl]

I just use the tabs with my rooted plants.I have the Excel also.Should I just use the Excel for now then once a week?How do I go about dosing with the peroxide?Where do I put it?

 

[dave56]

The excel is dosed daily. Use the comprehensive only once per week. To use the peroxide, shut of all filters. wait for the water to calm down. Draw peroxide into a syringe, and slowly squirt it on the algae. You may have to treat it twice on separate days. Treat one or two plants per session. Leave filters off for around 20 minutes. Then restart them. The algae will turn reddish/ pink in about 24 hrs. then white, then be gone.

 

[Bluydgrl]

I will do that for sure.Is it just the reg hydrogen peroxide you buy at the grocery store?
I also heard that if you use Carbon in your filter.That should be taken out if your growing plants.Is that true?
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[JDM]

I keep seeing Excel being suggested as a first line of carbon supplementation and thought I would look a little closer at the product.

I run medium to heavily planted tanks with 12 to 14 hour photo periods with good growth and no nuisance algae. I use Flourish Comprehensive once every week or so and root tabs for swords. I don't believe that carbon supplementation is necessary in any but the higher energy systems where fast growth is desired for whatever reasons.

The ingredient in the product that keeps getting negatively mentioned is Glutaraldehyde (chemical name 1,5-Pentanedial). To me, any aldehyde is suspect when being used for living organisms as they are used as preservatives, disinfectants and various microbiocidal applications.

So why put it into a tank at all? I'll go off on that tangent elsewhere.

Anyway, something is out of balance and with algae, it is most often the lighting so start by dropping it, 8 hours might be a good place to start. It's far easier to reduce something and watch for results than to start adding one thing, reducing another and changing something else, you'll never know what the problem was and may even introduce another imbalance.

I'm not sure about that algae, can it be rubbed off of the leaf at all? It would be easier to do that if it comes off even a bit than trying to kill it... which won't work long term until after you have the balance right anyway.

Jeff.

 

[BradSD]

To me 8 hours is as long as I would ever have my lights on. Maybe cut to 5 hours for about a week two then go back to 8, do a water change about ever 3 days for awhile. Maybe try the previous suggestions with the Excel and Peroxide. Also make sure to clean your gravel during the water change, if you have gravel. Make sure your temp is normal as well.

 

[Bluydgrl]

I will try reducing the lights to 6 hrs.Im going to try the perixide also.i do have sand in my tank.I hear mix reviews about Excel.I stopped using it because of that.Algea is only really on my Anubias
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[JDM]

Here's a post that I finished from the one that I sort of started earlier here... if you wanted a bit more info on Excel.

Linky posty viola!

Jeff.

 

[Bluydgrl]

Ok thank u
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[RackinRocky]

I HATE BBA! Is any sunlight ever hitting your tank? Even for a short time? My BBA started because of sunlight. Now that I keep it off the tank, it's easier to control. I've also started using Flourish liquid once a week, but I've heard that using just tabs should be enough, as I only have Java Ferns an Apon. and Anubias in my tank.

 

[JDM]

I HATE BBA! Is any sunlight ever hitting your tank? Even for a short time? My BBA started because of sunlight. Now that I keep it off the tank, it's easier to control. I've also started using Flourish liquid once a week, but I've heard that using just tabs should be enough, as I only have Java Ferns an Apon. and Anubias in my tank.

The tabs are for root feeding plants only, which anubias and java fern are not. They may help the Apons as they are but they are best for swords and the like.

Jeff.

 

[BradSD]

It will start on the Anubias and end up on everything in the tank if you do not get it in control. BBA is one tough cookie when you get a outbreak.

 

[dave56]

Yup. the plain old 3% hydrogen peroxide you can find bout anywhere.
Personally I find no reason to use carbon in any aquarium, unless your trying to remove meds from a treatment for some illness.
In a planted tank it can actually remove some nutrients that are needed by your plants.

 

[spreadtoothinly]

Personally I find no reason to use carbon in any aquarium, unless your trying to remove meds from a treatment for some illness.
In a planted tank it can actually remove some nutrients that are needed by your plants.

So, how do you get the carbon OUT of filter media? I use a Penguin Bioweel.
Sorry for lurking... lol, I do that a lot :roll: