I got rid of BGA in my tank by upping the water changes and giving the filter and the whole tank a good clean out. Upping the flow rate also seemed to have a big effect on it too. Maybe syphon out any debris and algae you can at least once a week, but even better would be every couple of days for a little while and you'll be amazed at how fast you'll get rid of it.

I'd probably have the lights on for longer than 5 hours too. That's a very short photoperiod IMHO. 8 hours would help the plants grow more as that's what you really want to achieve.

 

Ok, thanks for that. I'll give what you suggested a try.

 

I would try doubling the KNO3 dosage too. Higher nitrates tend to inhibit BGA.

 

Cleaning out the tank is a real job and i need to know that there's a good chance of eliminating this algae to keep me feeling like what im doing is worthwhile. I've cleaned it out enough times only for it to come back so my patience and perseverance is thinning.

I've got to do water changes today and sort out my other tanks planting arrangement first, but then after that i might start again with this algae infested tank.

 

Looking at your set up again, you have a really intense light for a 22 gallon tank, and BGA shows up where the light is most intense, like where sunlight hits the substrate. So, it may just be that you have too much light for the other conditions you have.

 

I'm running a 96w CF over a 30g and don't have any trouble with BGA.

Your ferts look very low. I'd test for levels and work out a scheme that works for you, but I dose KNO3 at about 1/2 teaspoon 2 or 3 times a week in a similar sized tank (may have wildly different plant or fish loads: your mileage may vary).

BGA is associated with low Nitrates. You're dosing seems very conservative. I'd start there.

 

You can use 3+ watts per gallon if you maintain very good control over the amounts of all of the fertilizers in the water, so they never drop too low, and maintain CO2 concentration high, always at the same level every day and reaching that level very close to when the lights come on in the morning. Plus, you need to maintain good water circulation throughout the tank and do regular maintenance - pruning out excess growth, cleaning up dead leaves and debris, etc. But, if you are like me, and tend to let some of the maintenance slide, or allow the plants to get too thick, which kills the water circulation, you are very likely to have algae problems with that much light.

I gave up the battle and switched my 110 watts of light down to 72 watts, on a 45 gallon tank, and have had no regrets at all. When I had the 110 watts on a 29 gallon tank I learned what virtually all forms of algae look like and how fast they could grow. I didn't really want that knowledge.

 

BGA is associated with low nitrate levels. You have BGA. You have low nitrate levels.

According to the Fertilator you're currently dosing 3.9ppm Nitrate. That's your high point. If you're zeroing out between dosings, that's your range: 0 to 3.9ppm. That's low for Nitrate. The usual recommended range is 10 to 20 ppm.

I've run both 72 watts of CF and 96 watts over my 30g. When I wasn't as able to stay on top of ferts and maintenance, I've had problems. When I've been able to devote the energy, I've been more successful but its always a work in progress. The time and energy your willing and able to devote is up to you and in the long run you its true that you may be happier with lower light.

But before I had another lamp shipped across the pond, I'd try increasing your dosing. Change one thing at a time. If that doesn't work, try something else.

If you do decide to drop your lighting down you may be able to DIY it so that you can keep the better part of your investment. When I went from 2x36w CF to 1x96w, I just changed the bulbs and the endcaps. Same (DIY) canopy, same ballast. Worth looking into.

(And fair or not fair, most folks assume US gallons: if you're going to use Imperial take care to call it out).

 

Right! Thanks for all those replies, they do help me a lot and its good to get some advice and help like that.

I do let my maintenance slide, i was due to do water changes yesterday and was about to when the man from SKY turned up early to fit my SKY+ box and another standard one. (I think he wanted to get the 'nightmare' job out of the way so turned up earlier)

Anyway i think what would be good for me is to have a tank that allows for a little slip in maintenance, im not the most lazy person in the world but i am a little and having a tank that doesnt have such high demands would suit me more. Im a true believer in the saying, 'whatever you put into life you'll get out' and i hope that whatever tank i have reflects the effort that i put into it.

Also im new to the high light/heavily planted tank so starting off as it seems in the deep end isnt a good idea.

I think what i need to do is get a bigger tank or new light, a bigger tank will take the demands of maintenance down. As a begginer i think i need to feel my way into EI and find a schedule that works for me by experimenting a little, now i need to know certain amounts that would be catastrophic obviously but i think common sense would come into play there.
One good thing about the idea of getting a new tank is that i didnt buy the original so i wouldnt loose out so much if i did.

However i did buy the light and it wasnt too cheap either, i think about £80-120 in the end, with shipping costs etc...
I was thinking that my light fixture is 36" long or 3 foot and a bigger tank for example a 4' it obviously isnt going to fit, so what would i do? DIY would seem to be the solution

I do think in the not too distant future 6 months maybe, i'll take one tank down and replace it with a new one, a much bigger one, maybe a 60 gal or even 80+. I could drop my lighting on the 22 gal and take down my 20 to be replaced by a new tank.
That tank would probably include some of the fish i've wanted or kept in the past, almost like a 'favourites' tank, i've been interested in some fish that were just too big to keep, so i could consider those. Also some of the fish that i could've had but werent compatable, available or ones that i overlooked in favour of something else.

I have some serious thinking to do!

My main priority comes first though, and it happens to be a car!
Typically an expensive, money saving priority.
Well i can do my thinking in the process i suppose.