Is lighting the ultimate algae control? - Page 3 - Algae

standoyo · 11-05-2005, 08:57 PM

cool discussion, never really thought of light being a problem in the first place but this thread set me straight.
i voted to reduce light intensity as i don't like stem plants going haywire and needing constant attention. limnophilia aquatica is a pain to trim as it grows at 6-8 inches a week.
i'm only half of what edward is doing at 3WPG at 12 hours constant. i can't imagine 6WPG... whoa...i'd say it would be cool if at those intensities it sped up the growth of the slower than turtle ones like bolbitis, downnoi and the crypts...but the algae! i can't imagine as i've made peace with the algae.
i have it easy and scrape once fortnightly and the tank is good to look at for at least ten days without any interference other than dosing and water top up.

Edward · 11-06-2005, 07:00 AM

Hi standoyo
Some plants under the 6Wpg high light grow denser and shorter. Some actually bend and grow horizontally as they were afraid to come any closer to the light source. Dosing must be done daily keeping the high nutrient demand. If one or two days are missed plants complain by turning reddish in hours. A usual fresh dose returns their mood back to normal like nothing had happened. Water changes are not that necessary because the daily dose has been used up in a day or so. The PPS dose is 2 ml SS, 4 ml PF, 4 drops Mg and 4 drops TE per 10 gallon.

The water flows through a UV sterilizer keeping GW green water away and making crisp clean visibility while having no filter and no filtration in these aquariums. Algae is absolutely 100% non existing.

Thank you
Edward

Bill Weber · 11-09-2005, 08:28 PM

Water change, water change, water change.
With that amount of light you need to do a 50% water change at least every other day. Over time this will reduce the algae in your tank.

Laith · 11-10-2005, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Weber

Water change, water change, water change.
With that amount of light you need to do a 50% water change at least every other day. Over time this will reduce the algae in your tank.

I'm puzzled as to what the relationship is between light levels and having to do many large water changes as you suggest?

standoyo · 11-14-2005, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward

Hi standoyo
The PPS dose is 2 ml SS, 4 ml PF, 4 drops Mg and 4 drops TE per 10 gallon.

The water flows through a UV sterilizer keeping GW green water away and making crisp clean visibility while having no filter and no filtration in these aquariums. Algae is absolutely 100% non existing.

Thank you
Edward

i like the idea of speeding up some plants but alas i'm not around everyday to dose. works takes me away for 3wks at a time.

erm, never had green water issues but spot algae yes. i like it on the rocks but not on the glass. scrape scrape scrape!
i have trouble getting loose ferts and luckily friend has found some kh2PO4 and KNO3.
let me reread the PPS and i'll get back to you as i'm new to PPS...

thanks a heap...

stan

banderbe · 03-05-2006, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laith

Curious to know what people think...

Given that all your other plant nutrients (including CO2) are available to your plants in adequate (or more than adequate) amounts for your level of lighting, what lighting changes will have a positive impact on the reduction of algae?

Assume that you have let's say 3-4wpg.

If healthy thriving plants are the true enemy of algae, then assuming your ferts are in order, it stands to reason that MORE light is a good way to stop algae.

banderbe · 03-05-2006, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plantbrain

Most of the answers in the poll are possible, there is no correct single answer.

If the other elements are non limiting, a reduction in light intensity will add a more robust anti algae environment than higher intensity. It will slow growth, allow better plant health and a more stable system. Time of lighting can play a role going longer/shorter. Burst works well and allows less to be used for the remainder of the light cycle. I would say overall though at 10 hour photoperoiod, less intensity is the best option if algae is the only factor but there are other possible answers.

Still, way too many folks have way too much light as a rule.
Plants do not need that much and algae does do better as higher and higher light intensities are present.

Regards,
Tom Barr

So what IS "too much light" ?

I have 2.25 WPG and a mid-day 3 hour period of 4.5 WPG, and I am going to expand the mid-day period until eventually I have 4.5 WPG for the full 10 hours of my photoperiod.

banderbe · 03-05-2006, 04:37 PM

Every single time I see "experts" talking about combating algae, they *always* talk about nutrients, CO2, healthy plants, etc.

It seems to me that if you are having to back off your lighting, install UV sterilizers, etc., then you are fighting symptoms rather than the cause, which is an imbalance in your tank.

I could be wrong. I'm a noob, but this is what I have gathered after hours upon hours of reading people like Tom Barr, Roger Miller, old papers like the Sears-Conlin paper, etc. People may disagree about the nature of the nutrient imbalances, or how to go about correcting them, but I haven't seen anyone suggest that lighting is the problem.

As a temporary corrective measure, lighting could be eliminated or reduced but that's not a good solution and not a way to have a vibrant planted tank. Or so I have read.

banderbe · 03-05-2006, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Weber

Water change, water change, water change.
With that amount of light you need to do a 50% water change at least every other day. Over time this will reduce the algae in your tank.

I have read some experts say water changes make an existing algae problem *worse* but maybe that's only for non-CO2 tanks... can't remember..

jeff63851 · 03-06-2006, 12:22 AM

I voted for the reduction of light. When I have the 4.0 wpg power compact lighting, there was so much algae, it wasn't even funny! But I reduced the lighting to 2.0 wpg and the algae started to die off. As my aquarium got more established, I slowly added more lighting.