New Tank Algae Bloom

[evonner]

I need help to confirm algae type and problem solve. 29 gallon freshwater new tank setup. 

THE TANK DETAILS: I started this tank on 01/07/2023. Substrate is a layer of stratum and eco-complete. HOB filter, 200 gph and bio-sponge filter with airstone. Light, 19.6" long, RGB full spectrum, 6500K, 1117lm, 12W. Is set on a timer of 10 hours, 100% full spectrum intensity. Temp 76-78 degrees. 

TANK LOGS:

Test results on start of tank (1/7/23) pH 7.0, ammonia. 25, nitrite 0, nitrate 20, dGH 10, dKH 6, PO3/4 1.0ppm.

1/9/23- Planted plants. Used 50% dosage of Easy Green liquid. 

1/11/23- pH 7.6, nitrate 20, dGH 7, dKH 4.

1/15/23 -nitrate rose to 40ppm.

01/20/2023 -Algae Bloom, 50% WC, 100% Fert dosage. Began weekly 50% WCs with 100% fertilizer dosage and tried twice a week dosing but that caused my nitrate level to lower. Silicate levels were 8 mg/L.

1/28/23- Started running 5W UV Sterilizer. 

2/4/23- pH 7.6, nitrates 5.0ppm, dGH 5, dKH 3.

2/10/23- PH 7.6, ammonia. 25, nitrites 0, nitrates 10-20 ppm, PO3/4 1.0, Silicate 4 mg/L, dGH 7, dKH 4.

I test more than this but I'm only trying to point out days that I think may be significant. What do I do now?

 

[JoeQ]

You answered your own question, its an immature eco system with a nutrient rich substrate. I'd step up the water change schedule (to maybe 2 or 3 a week) , stop dosing the water colum and get a cleanup crew. Then just give your eco system time to grow. You also might want to see if you can find some mature media/hard scape to speed things along. 

[evonner]

In my HOB I use custom filter media (also in all my tanks). The filter media in it is from an establish tank. I'm not sure why I am picking up trace amounts of ammonia as there is not any livestock in the tank, just plants. I was considering a clean up grew but I question if I have enough bio load for them. 

I was thinking I need to be doing more than one water change a week too. So, stop dosing the water column, ok. What about the lighting? I started the plants just using the hood lights then transferred the full spectrum light from another tank (the light is for a smaller tank, that's why I have intensity set to 100%). It is an immature eco-system and the light change may have nothing at all to do with the algae but I wonder. Any thought? I will start with more water changes during the week and stop the fertilizing and see how that does.

[JoeQ]

The light i would run at 35% for 8 hours and see how your plants react. 100% seems excessive at this point. Also I believe you have ammonia because the tank isnt fully cycled, give it time. This is not a hobby for those that are looking for instant gratification! 

[Sleepy]

As suggested either turn down the intensity on the light or go for a shorter duration maybe down to 6 hours. You don't have a ton of fast growing plants in there so the plants are getting out competed by the algae and don't stop dosing that will just kill your plants and make it worse. One other suggestion would be to take a toothbrush or anything similar you can use to get as much algae off of the leaves of some of those plants or trim off any bad ones.

[evonner]

I clean the plants at every water change. The dosing? I have stratum and eco-complete. Eco-complete is new to me but stratum isn't. The small amount of ammonia I have is most likely leeching into the water column from the stratum, so wouldn't the nutrient enriched substrates also leech nutrients into the water column? Could dosing liquid fertilizer be over fertilizing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[knee]

If your stratum is new then it's leeching ammonia into the tank. That plus dosing of ferts is giving the algae too many nutrients. 

I'd lessen light intensity to 60% and reduce photoperiod to 6 hours, get some fast growing stem plants to outcompete the algae (ludiwgia, hornwort, guppy grasss, water sprite and water wisteria) and I would stop dosing ferts. They have more than what they need in the substrate and the warer column.

 

Remove whatever algae you can by hand and during water changes.

Edited February 13, 2023 by knee

[evonner]

I am just chiming in to give an update. I removed the full-spectrum RGB light and started just using the hood LED lights on an 8 hour timer, doing water changes 2 times a week. None of that seemed to really help so I bought a bottle of Seachem Excel and gave it a full dose yesterday. Today, barely no algae. My nitrates usually run at least 20ppm. I tested today and my nitrates are at 5.0ppm which is the amount in my tap water. I changed the water 2 days ago. Do you guys think I should try dosing some liquid fert at some point? I am attaching pictures of the tank today for comparison.

[JoeQ]

I wouldn't stop dosing entirely, but id cut down quite a bit.

Edit: how are your plants reacting to your light? Are they opening and closing according to your light schedule? 

Edited February 19, 2023 by JoeQ

[evonner]

Opening and closing?? I'm not sure what that means.

[JoeQ]

On 2/19/2023 at 6:17 PM, evonner said:

Opening and closing?? I'm not sure what that means.

When i say opening and closing, many plants (stems mostly) will have cycles where the leaves open (similar to a flower blooming) and close when they have had enough light. This occurs daily, dictated by your light cycle. If your plants do not do this its indicative of not enough light. If they close early yet you have 2, 3, 4 hours left in your light cycle its a good indication they are getting too much light

[Maeve]

@JoeQ would you mind to share a couple stem plants that do this? 

[JoeQ]

On 2/19/2023 at 6:55 PM, Maeve said:

@JoeQ would you mind to share a couple stem plants that do this? 

It would probably be easier listing what doesn't. I took a picture 30m ago, my plants should be closed in an hour+, ill post the 2 pictures so you can compare. 

[evonner]

Ok, well I do have stems in the tank, all leaves are wide open. The light runs for 8 hours, its due to go off in about 3 hours. So if the leaves close then they have had enough light? If they don't then they are not getting adequate light? Is that right?

[JoeQ]

On 2/19/2023 at 7:44 PM, evonner said:

Ok, well I do have stems in the tank, all leaves are wide open. The light runs for 8 hours, its due to go off in about 3 hours. So if the leaves close then they have had enough light? If they don't then they are not getting adequate light? Is that right?

It might not be text book correct, but that's something I always try to take note of (especially with new plants). It tells me if the plant is photosynthesing during the day and processing that absorbed energy at night. 

[JoeQ]

2 hours till lights out, compared to 15 minutes till lights out

 

 

[JoeQ]

On 2/19/2023 at 6:55 PM, Maeve said:

@JoeQ would you mind to share a couple stem plants that do this? 

This is a more dramatic comparison of plants opening&closing. The first picture was taken 3m after my light turned on, the second was taken 9 hours after the light turned on. WARNING, I run my lights for way longer than anyone recommends (14h), do not attempt what you see here at home!! 🤣

 

Edited February 20, 2023 by JoeQ

[evonner]

I went today and bought some guppies, platys and 5 nerite snails. Wow, these snails are already on the job. I cant find any otos or shrimp locally so I got snails. They are babies because they are little. I might go get some more.

[JoeQ]

On 2/24/2023 at 1:36 AM, evonner said:

I went today and bought some guppies, platys and 5 nerite snails. Wow, these snails are already on the job. I cant find any otos or shrimp locally so I got snails. They are babies because they are little. I might go get some more.

Watch adding too many, otos & nerites, they are veracious and will quickly eat themselves into an algea famine! Supplementing them with calcium rich foods is also recommended. 

[evonner]

Well no one has any Oto's. I got 5 baby nerite snails for 29 gallon tank and I let the algae bloom again, knowing I was going to get them and do have the food on stand by for when they need it. So in the 29 gallon tank with the algae bloom is the snails and 3 platys. The guppies are in another tank. I have been feeding the Platys sparingly with brine as I need them to also help with the algae. I never had anything except guppies and bettas, oh an ADF. These Platys are shy but I think its just because their adjusting to there new enviroment. The guppies are warming right up to me already. These fish can in yesterday, so I nabbed them right after the truck was unload and they were put in the tanks. So pretty stressful for them.

[neitherman]

On 2/19/2023 at 4:25 AM, JoeQ said:

I wouldn't stop dosing entirely, but id cut down quite a bit.

Edit: how are your plants reacting to your light? Are they opening and closing according to your light schedule? 

In my tank the Cabomba are the most dramatic example of a plant reacting to light or a lack thereof. They basically turn into green sticks with pompoms at lights out. Plants can have character, too!

[JoeQ]

On 3/2/2023 at 2:17 PM, neitherman said:

In my tank the Cabomba are the most dramatic example of a plant reacting to light or a lack thereof. They basically turn into green sticks with pompoms at lights out. Plants can have character, too!

One of these days i plan on getting my hands on a bunch of that!