Algae problem in my planted tank

[albatrozz]

Since i added CO2 in my tank, my plants have flourished but days after i noticed that not only were my plants flourishing, but algae was too. Algae has begun to appear everywhere, on my aquarium glass, on the silicone on the sides of the tank, on the gravel, rocks, even on my plants!, anyone know how to control it in my planted tank? (i wanna try to avoid using chemicals).

[fish_r]

algae is a sign of an imbalance of nutrients. if u want to keep a tank with minimal algae u really need to fertilize especially if u are using high light and Co2.
most commercial fertilizers made for aquarium use are no harm to ur fish and u will see great benefits if u use them...

[albatrozz]

do if i add fertilizers then the algae will dissapear? i have high lighing and CO2 but read somewhere that plants obtain their "nutrients" from the gravel so there isnt much need for fertilizers... guess they are wrong :evil: well i'll definitely try out fert's very soon

[fish_r]

if u are running high light u definitely need to use ferts for the substrate and the water column, to get the right balance. u will need to do some testing, IE iron, phosphates, and nitrates etc.
have a bit of a look at this site and do a bit of research.
http://www.aquariumlife.com.au/
there is a lot of info there on what kind of ferts to use IE dry ferts "cheaper" and better imo or commercial bought products. probably a bit easier to use but a lot dearer too.

what is ur tank size and what sort of light are u running and total wattage ?

[albatrozz]

my tank size is approximately 175ish litres. I only have one globe that is 36w but it is on from 7am - 7pm. My tank is situated behind a window so i open the blinds and let natural sunlight flow in to help with the lighting, my CO2 is 2-3 bubbles per sec. Gravel is normal. No ferts used yet

[fish_r]

ur tank is classified as low light "under 1 watt per gallon"
Co2 wont make a big difference unless u add more fluoro lighting.
i would say ur algae problems are coming from the natural light from the window the tank is in front of and not enoght light for the amount of Co2 ur adding.
i would be keeping the blinds closed and add more fluoro lighting IE : 2 more tubes.

to give u an idea, one of my tanks that is a similar size to urs is running 4 x 39watt T5 HO lights and is classified as med to high lighting. but the more lighting u add the more of a handle on ferts u need to know or u will get major algae problems.

[fishgeek]

fluctuating levels of CO2 can allow algae to occur
do you measure you CO2 levels? how do you keep it at a regular rate in the tank?

[albatrozz]

Nope, i dont measure the amoiunt of CO2 but i always watch it and see if it is producing too much/little. Every time i check it always seems to be pumping CO2 at a steady rate. Thx for help guys, guess ive found the problem :)

[happygirl65]

Getting a drop checker will tell you whether you have a good concetration of CO2 but I agree that your algae is likely from the natural light.

Different types of algaes are indicators of different imbalances. What type of algae do you have?

For example green hair/thread algae can be an indicator of too much phosphate

Blue green (cyano bacteria) algae is a bacteria and is often found in areas of the tank that are not getting much circulation

Black Beard Algae (BBA) is often a result of inconsistant CO2

There are lots of types and causes.

You can take comfort in knowing that most people do have trouble with algae in planted tanks especially when you drastically increase the amount of a nutrient. (Like adding CO2 or increasing light) and it takes time to balance everything out just right.

One simple thing that almost always helps is to manually remove all the algae you can and do very frequent water changes. It will help remove any excess nutrients and reintroduce some trace elements that your plants need. :)