Preemptive algae question

[Rita]

Hello,

I would love some opinions please! So I’m in the process of setting up a 20 gal long tank... and I recently found out my location might introduce too much natural light and cause recurrent algae issues... I have a picture of the location (don’t mind the mess). There is about 30 minutes of sunset that shines through the sliding glass door, but I would of course draw the blinds so it wouldn’t beat on the aquarium directly. So I was told that even with drawing the blinds it would still be too much light and cause algae. The reason for my questioning is I do have the option to put this tank in a bedroom (office) which has significantly less natural light... if the answer is to move it I’d like to do it before I fill it!

Thanks in advance!!

 

PS. Apologies for not posting this in the plants and algae forum... if I knew how to delete this and put it there I would! 

Edited August 23, 2020 by Rita
Posted in wrong forum

[Cyndi]

HI Rita!

Though there are differing opinions out there, I will give my opinion on natural light. I love it! Few things are as beautiful as natural light filtering through the water! If you have enough Healthy stem plants, they will absorb the light while not encouraging algae growth. I've had good success with swords and ludwigia. 

However, there are many factors that effect algae. Available nutrients and number of hours of artificial light can also encourage algae. In fact, since this will be a new set-up, I believe you can expect algae for a while (hello diatoms 👀). Dense planting and frequent water changes will help alleviate it though. The key is to balance the nutrients so that the plants take up all available nutrients while not leaving any for the algae. This seems to be working for my 20 Gallon that is in front of the window (though I don't get direct light).

For your set-up, I would have my lights on a timer and set them to go off when the natural light is hitting it full blast. 

For the record, I have been only doing planted tanks for about 2 years, so I also wait for more experienced fish keepers to chime in - this is just my experience and two cents!

[Daniel]

2 hours ago, Cyndi said:

Dense planting and frequent water changes will help alleviate it though. The key is to balance the nutrients so that the plants take up all available nutrients while not leaving any for the algae. 

@Cyndi I believe is right to home in on nutrients.

I have a tank that I setup directly in front of a South facing window (as a placeholder the for the 1930s Historically Accurate Planted Aquarium while I am waiting for the vintage tank to be repaired).  It gets about 2 hours of direct sunlight each day. 

It has guppies, hornwort, anacharis, and some Jungle Vallisneria that I just got from the Co-Op. But it has never had any algae despite being directly in front of a South facing window and receiving direct sunlight. It get so much light that the plants pearl:

I once intentionally put in a wad of green hair algae for the guppies to eat, but it died off before they were able to eat very much of it.

So why no algae in a tank in direct sunlight?

I believe the answer is low nutrients. As keeping with the 1930s protocol, the guppies are fed live daphnia and live mosquito larva. They eat what they need and excrete waste as ammonia into the tank. The hornwort and other plants quickly absorb that ammonia leaving little for the algae to use and get a foothold in the aquarium.

So, if it were me, I would put the tank where it made me the happiest and control for excess nutrients in the tank. If I found I couldn't control the amount of nutrients in the tank, then next I would control the light.

Edited August 23, 2020 by Daniel

[Cyndi]

35 minutes ago, Daniel said:

@Cyndi I believe is right to home in on nutrients.

I have a tank that I setup directly in front of a South facing window (as a placeholder the for the 1930s Historically Accurate Planted Aquarium while I am waiting for the vintage tank to be repaired).  It gets about 2 hours of direct sunlight each day. 

It has guppies, hornwort, anacharis, and some Jungle Vallisneria that I just got from the Co-Op. But it has never had any algae despite being directly in front of a South facing window and receive direct sunlight. So much light that the plants pearl:

I once intentionally put in a wad of green hair algae for the guppies to eat, but it died off before they were able to eat very much of it.

So why no algae in a tank in direct sunlight?

I believe the answer is low nutrients. As keeping with the 1930s protocol, the guppies are fed live daphnia and live mosquito larva. They eat what they need and excrete waste as ammonia into the tank. The hornwort and other plants quickly absorb that ammonia leaving little for the algae to use and get a foothold in the aquarium.

So, if it were me, I would put the tank were it made me the happiest and control for excess nutrients in the tank. If I found I couldn't control the amount of nutrients in the tank, then next I would control the light.

This is so cool and I can't wait to see this tank set up! I can attest - hair algae is a bear to get rid of, so this demonstration is pretty amazing! Are these plants authentic to 1930 also? 

[Daniel]

Yes, they are. The hornwort and the anacharis I collected locally in the wild as they are North Carolina natives. The Jungle Val is also native and also grows locally but our generous host deserves some of my aquarium budget, so I bought the Jungle Val from him 🙂.

All of these plants (and more) are mentioned in the 1936 The Complete Aquarium Book that I am using as my guide/rulebook for the tank.

 

Edited August 23, 2020 by Daniel