# Spot Algae



## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

I've been getting more and more spot algae over the weeks, and it's harder and harder to clean off the tank. I use a microfiber rag because its an acrylic tank. I just wanted to know if anyone had a trick to help kill this stuff. It's very unsightly and a pain in the butt to clean. Thanks
2.32 Wpg
10 hours of light
weekly comprehensive
one capful of excel every few days
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-5-10
P.H. 7.2


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Domelotta said:


> I've been getting more and more spot algae over the weeks, and it's harder and harder to clean off the tank. I use a microfiber rag because its an acrylic tank. I just wanted to know if anyone had a trick to help kill this stuff. It's very unsightly and a pain in the butt to clean. Thanks
> 2.32 Wpg
> 10 hours of light
> weekly comprehensive
> ...


 How many plants do you have and what types. Cutting back the light period could help. 8 hours of light should be fine


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

I have a large Amazon sword, about 7 crypt wendtii, 20-25 bunches of dwarf saggitaria, lots of java moss, 1 large java fern, 2 anubias bartereri, 1 anubias lanceolota, and a huge bunch of water sprite. Everything is growing great, except the lanceolota, but they barely grow anyways. So 8 hours would help get rid of the algae and keep nice growth?


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

Dosing PO4 will help too.


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

I thought algae thrive on phosphates? Seachem make a product like this?


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## Winkyee (Feb 17, 2003)

Fleet enema is the source DIPPY recommended for my tank.
I used to just use the stuff from Flourish.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Domelotta said:


> I have a large Amazon sword, about 7 crypt wendtii, 20-25 bunches of dwarf saggitaria, lots of java moss, 1 large java fern, 2 anubias bartereri, 1 anubias lanceolota, and a huge bunch of water sprite. Everything is growing great, except the lanceolota, but they barely grow anyways. So 8 hours would help get rid of the algae and keep nice growth?


All your plants are low light hardy plants so cutting back the lighting initially mayby an hour would be fine. Id cut back an hour now then if your still getting algae cut another hour. With the wpg you have now your a contender for pressurized co2. How many switches do you have on the lights and how many watts does each control? if you want a hardy setup if possible you could even leave a couple bulbs off for most of the day as you have 2.3wpg over plants that do fine on 1wpg. The sword is probably your most demanding plant, but they require nutrients (fertilizers) over a ton of light


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

Domelotta said:


> I thought algae thrive on phosphates? Seachem make a product like this?


Dont believe everything you read about phosphates. In fact, I keep my phosphates higher than most and I have no problems with algae. Dose some phosphates and watch the spot algae go away.


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

I have two lights that I use. One is a 96watt compact, the other is a 24 or 25 watt T8 bulb. They are run through a coralife timer switch. Should I just take off the T8 and leave the compact only? Also I'll try the phosphate dosing. I just have to find somewhere around here that carries it. Petsmart/Petco?


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

Winkyee said:


> Fleet enema is the source DIPPY recommended for my tank.
> I used to just use the stuff from Flourish.


Wait fleet enema laxative? how would I dose this?


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Domelotta said:


> I have two lights that I use. One is a 96watt compact, the other is a 24 or 25 watt T8 bulb. They are run through a coralife timer switch. Should I just take off the T8 and leave the compact only? Also I'll try the phosphate dosing. I just have to find somewhere around here that carries it. Petsmart/Petco?


 You could run just the pc if you want and still have 1.7wpg which is fine for low light plants. Like i said before the sword will probably need root tabs or something, but the rest should be fine. I would start by just reducing the time that the 25w bulb is on for by a couple hours.


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## Domelotta (Apr 25, 2007)

sean-820 said:


> I have two lights that I use. One is a 96watt compact, the other is a 24 or 25 watt T8 bulb. They are run through a coralife timer switch. Should I just take off the T8 and leave the compact only? Also I'll try the phosphate dosing. I just have to find somewhere around here that carries it. Petsmart/Petco?


 You could run just the pc if you want and still have 1.7wpg which is fine for low light plants. Like i said before the sword will probably need root tabs or something, but the rest should be fine. I would start by just reducing the time that the 25w bulb is on for by a couple hours.
[/quote]

I have a few root tabs in the substrate, one under the sword and a few others dispersed through the dwarf grass. I was wondering about co2. Recommended for this setup or nah? I also didn't really know how it worked. I am looking at a Milwaukee Co2 Regulator with Solenoid and figured I could go buy a 5lb paintball canister and hook it up from there to a powerhead with tubing. Anything I'm missing or have wrong? Never really ran co2, only dosed excel. 
Thanks again for all the replies


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Domelotta said:


> I have two lights that I use. One is a 96watt compact, the other is a 24 or 25 watt T8 bulb. They are run through a coralife timer switch. Should I just take off the T8 and leave the compact only? Also I'll try the phosphate dosing. I just have to find somewhere around here that carries it. Petsmart/Petco?


 You could run just the pc if you want and still have 1.7wpg which is fine for low light plants. Like i said before the sword will probably need root tabs or something, but the rest should be fine. I would start by just reducing the time that the 25w bulb is on for by a couple hours.
[/quote]

I have a few root tabs in the substrate, one under the sword and a few others dispersed through the dwarf grass. I was wondering about co2. Recommended for this setup or nah?*yes and no. With the plants you have now its not needed, but if you want to get some more demanding plants it would be good* I also didn't really know how it worked. I am looking at a Milwaukee Co2 Regulator with Solenoid and figured I could go buy a 5lb paintball canister*i don't think they will attach. You need an actual co2 cylinder like at a welding supply store. there are special regulators for paintball cylinders, but generally they are junk* and hook it up from there to a powerhead with tubing. Anything I'm missing or have wrong? Never really ran co2, only dosed excel. 
Thanks again for all the replies
[/quote]

Like i said before i would just cut lighting a bit to try to stop algae. if you want more demanding plants you could add co2 and raise the lighting again


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