# Algae problems :(



## Humper (Aug 7, 2006)

I haven't been taking good enough care of my tank obviously and I am getting some algae growing on my leaves of my plants and on the filters. I have only had one light fixture working lately due to one having to be sent back for replacement. So the light has been on for 12 hours a day and is a 36" 96W 67k bulb (usually 2). No CO2 and on a 180 gallon tank. I used some excel with my water changes but it hasnt cleared up as much as I thought. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Pictures are crappy but you can see the algae on the leaves.


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## XSPhoto (Sep 26, 2007)

add CO2?


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## TobiasRieper (Mar 14, 2008)

try moss balls


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

What are your water parameters? Do you do water changes often? Do you add any ferts to your water? if so, how much?

I can't tell what the algea is from the pics.


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## Humper (Aug 7, 2006)

Sorry I got caught up in school and forgot to reply to dippy. My parameters suck from what I noticed. Ive been doing weekly water changes but apparently I need to be doing more than 1 time a week. My params are 40 Nitrate, 6 ammonia, and pH didn't come out clear in my test. I usually put in Flourish Excel after a water change (4 capfuls). As for the water change, I would estimate that I remove about 60gallons each time. Thanks for any help.


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

I added excel every day for a week, then every other day for a week. Cleared it up in two weeks. The ammonia looks like it could be a problem for the fish, but not for the plants. Adding ferts might help, but Dippy will have to help with that.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Humper said:


> Sorry I got caught up in school and forgot to reply to dippy. My parameters suck from what I noticed. Ive been doing weekly water changes but apparently I need to be doing more than 1 time a week. My params are 40 Nitrate, 6 ammonia, and pH didn't come out clear in my test. I usually put in Flourish Excel after a water change (4 capfuls). As for the water change, I would estimate that I remove about 60gallons each time. Thanks for any help.


np

Ya, the 40 nitrate and 6 ammonia seems like the fish would struggle more than the plants. But I know that _water quality _is an issue with aquatic plants, so that is probably right what you said. 
Try doing more, and bigger water changes, and see if that helps.
Then we will go from there.
Be patient unless the plants turn for the worse quickly. Hope that helps a bit..

Be sure to ask any other questions, and add pics as you need to.


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## Humper (Aug 7, 2006)

Ok thanks for the replies. Any suggestions on how many water changes I should do a week? I just did my cleaning on my filters and they are pumping like new again. My fish seem to be doing ok but I could be wrong. No losses yet but I dont want them having bad water. Thanks in advance.


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

I'd say do as many as it takes to get the water to a consistently normal nitrate param like 15-20ppm.

Don't do too much at one time, unless you have 3" of established substrate.. then you can go like 70%


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## Humper (Aug 7, 2006)

What do you mean by established substrate? It has been in there for over a year if that is what you mean


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## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

ya, it's established with colonies of bacteria. That is all you need, undisturbed of course, to do very large water changes hah


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

ya maybe it all boils down to how messy the reds are at eating...... but java fern are tuff plants i swear you could grow them in piss,,,lol there vary hard to totaly kill at the worst if they start dieing the well clone in to tons of small plants and you can start over


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## Humper (Aug 7, 2006)

Awesome thanks. I have a lot of little ferns growing and the anubias grows a new leaf each week. I am going to do a huge water change tomorrow. The reds are pretty messy though but it all depends on what I feed them. I will probably be back with more questions


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