Newly planted tank and algae issues!

[GrkBoy]

Hey guys, I recently set up my planted tank (12 days ago), and have been getting crazy growth from my plants... I have been having a couple of issues with the whole proccess....

Tanks specs:-
450l / 120gal
312w HO t5 lamps on for 10 hours a day
CO2 injection via a p.h controller.
temp 29c
p.h - 6,8
k.h - 4,5
g.h - 3
Phosphate - 0,05
No3 - 3

below are a few before and after pics showing the growth, and the algae.

[GrkBoy]

few more pics... could you guys give me advice as to what is causing the algae. I have also noticed on the leaves of my plants some kind of thin hairy algae. My plants are pearling like crazy, but so is some of the algae found on my plants... could the pearling come from the algae? Also what is causing the bubles to collect like that on the surface...

Forgot to mention I am fertilizing with the dennerle range... A1 discus, S7, E15, and S30.... What do the plant gurus advice me to do???

Any help is GREATLY appreciated!

[GrkBoy]

No one???? :-(

[Proteus]

<Topic Moved>

Moved from Lounge area to Garden area where it will get more attention and possible advice/opinions

[GrkBoy]

ooops!!! Sorry for that. Thanks for moving it!! Ok guys, im all ears what can I do?? I'm thinking of performing a 1 week total black out... will that help???

[peppermintman]

Do you have circulation on the water surface? I had algae problem and i found water cirluation fixed it. How much iron have you got in the tank? I asked that cause last pic the leaves look a little yellow.

[GrkBoy]

hey peppermintman

I have 3 eheim pumps running in the tank, and all 3 agitate the surface quite well. As for iron, i dose the tank according to the dennerle guide.... they have some iron tablets that I add to the tank every 2 weeks... they give me iron levels of about 0,1.

The weird thing is that my plant are growing like crazy, and also pearling like crazy. towards the end of my light cycle my tank looks like a glass of champane! lol I would think that with such growth and photosynthesis my plants would out compete the algae.

[Proteus]

What sort of substrate are you using in the back corners, maybe there is an excess of nutrients coming from that as well.

Do you know what kelvin the light tubes are as well? 6500k? 10000k?

[Boyam]

i was always told the general fix for problems like that is to do crazy water changes until its gone. unless you'd prefer the un-natural way with chemicals.

[ILLUSN]

id also sugest water changes, you do have alot of light, try a 9hr photperoid also swich to specific plant grow lamps like grow lux tubes, just eyballing you plants, a few more quick growers wouldn't go a stray.

[AussieStar]

get your levels sorted. the tank has to settle it self out. Wont be perfect straight away, takes time

[GrkBoy]

Illusin, 2,7w/g is too much light??? I am also using pressurised Co2 with ferts....

The left and right corners have the dennerle fertilizer substrate, and above that I have a black substrate which is apparently more poreouse (spelling) as to help with the oxidation and rooting ofthe plants...

I am using 3 dennerle amazon day which run at 6000k and 3 dennerle special plant that I ma not sure of the k, they do have a more warmer reddish light to them....

What oppinion do you guys have to the 2 hour break photoperiod?? ie lights go on for 4-5 hours, you then give the plants a 2-3 hour break, and then on again for 4-5 hours..... during the break you don't have a full blackout, but emmit light from a nearby window etc... this way we mimmick a natural aftenoon storm. Apparently algae doesn't do well with these breaks...

As for water changes, I do 2-3 changes a week of about 30%... still not enough??? My No3 is usually at 0 and my phosphate is at 0,05 with a phosphate remover in the filter.
All this stuff is REALLY confusing! lol

[Boyam]

when i had problems in my smaller tank i did 50-75% water changes; at least every other day. and it was gone in about a week or two.

my personal opinion on the lighting - algae once started... is well... hard to kill. i do not believe, in my own opinion, making a light schedule would fix it. i am not a expert though :!: but, i do believe for what you have in the tank in the pic you are over fertilizing (feeding the growth of algae).

thats my pov! gl mate!

[ILLUSN]

lol wpg only applies to older t8 style lights.
CF and T% you only need half the wattage of t8's even 1/3 with good reflecters on your t5's 312w of t5 is about 624-900w of t8 light dependent on how you have your reflectors configured. my 4x18x24tall uses 4x54wT5 with individual parabolic reflectors and my glosso carpet pearls like crazy 30min after lights on, give it an hour or 2 and the whole tank looks like a glass of champane theres that many bubbles.

cut the ferts till you see defficiencies in your fast growers, you want the tank nutirnt poor to starve out the algae.