[elliotdxn]

Algae Problem!

Hello all,
I just recently read a post regarding that "Miserable" green thread algae (this is a desciption, not name). I have a 75 gallon aquarium with various plant types (ie. sword plants - rubin, reg. amazon, ozelot, pygmy chain, radican, rosetti and maybe a few others, val, tiger lotus, red lotus, anubias - coffefolia, nana, barteri, aponogeton - crispus and I believe that is the majority of the plants). They are planted in a 50/50 mix of clay based sustrate and reg. gravel, I fertilize via root tabs, the lighting is at just under 4 watts per gallon and is on for 14 to 16 hours daily, my water is soft to medium soft, all water changes are done with RO water and I do not use any method of CO2 injection. I use the Flourish excel instead. Having stated this, I too have been fighting the dreadful green hair algae and am sick of it, it covers my large sword plant leaves and forces me to continue to prune them back in attemps to alleviate it, ...................any ideas on how I may win this battle. Thanks!!!

 

[Botia dude]

The first thing I would do is cut back on the lighting period. Add a timer and stick to around 10 hours a day. That has a good chance of cutting back on some of the algae.

 

[JanS]

You're probably going to need to add other ferts to your water column as well.
Most plants can't do well on just root tabs and Excel, so it's probably causing an imbalance that is algae friendly and not plant friendly.

And yes, cut back on the light period as well, as already stated.

 

[trenac]

With 4 WPG you need to be adding C02 & ferts, this will help balance your tank out; also cut back on your lighting to 12 hours daily.

You may have a in-balance of N03 & P04, keep these at a 23 to 1 ratio.

Just pruning the leaves back will not help the algae problem, only keeping a balance tank will.