# 55g algae questions



## IncrdblHulk7 (Jan 26, 2013)

So I recently got my 55g freshwater cichlid tank up and running. It finished cycling and we introduced fish in mid-March. The tank has a bunch of Vallisneria, an Annubis, and three Java ferns. In the months that it has been up and running, we have gone through brown algae diatoms and blue green carpet algae. Worked through both of those. With those behind us, the green algae seems to be picking up growth for the last month. It is covering much of the decorations, rocks, plants, and grows pretty rapidly on glass.

I have a ~35W Fluval Aquasky 48" led on the tank ... is this not enough light for plants to overtake algae? I thought it was ok given the plants I had selected were lower light.

I have been adding Seachem Flourish Comprehensive and Seachem Nitrogen (trying to keep Nitrate level in the ~20ppm range). Do I need to add others?

The vallisneria is growing fairly well - lots of new growth popping up. However the green hair algae starting to grow on the upper leaves. The Annubis has prety good coating of algae on its leaves, but has a new leaf coming out. The java ferns seem ok.


----------



## IncrdblHulk7 (Jan 26, 2013)

i should also mention that I do weekly water changes ... ~30%. I scrub down all the algae on glass and scrub as many of the rocks/ornaments as I can access in the discard bucket. But i bounces back within 2-3 days of the cleaning each week.


----------



## IncrdblHulk7 (Jan 26, 2013)

... and I have my lights setup to run for ~11hrs each day


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Only the vals are going to help consume nutrients enough to out compete the algae...they are fast growing and anubias and java ferns are slow growing...no help.

You want to reduce lights to 8 hours daily max.

You want your nitrogen to be 10ppm ideally...20ppm means it is time for a 50% water change.

I always have too much algae on java fern and anubias unless I am using C02. I would stop the nitrogen since I assume comprehensive has nitrogen already.

Plants do like phosporus. I have had success with this in the past.

The Redfield ratio calculator
For an aquarium free of algae, the nitrogen - phosphorus ratio has to be around 16 : 1.


----------



## IncrdblHulk7 (Jan 26, 2013)

So just wanted to post an update. Stopped adding additional Nitrogen. Keeping Nitrates in 10ppm range with water changes. Lowered light time to ~8hrs. Keep supplementing plants with Flourish Comprehensive and Phosphate. But still getting algae on everything.

Here are some pictures a couple days after I cleaned everything.

Any advice?


----------



## IncrdblHulk7 (Jan 26, 2013)

Is this normal?


----------



## IncrdblHulk7 (Jan 26, 2013)

cleaned the top rocks, but not bottoms


----------



## IncrdblHulk7 (Jan 26, 2013)

Would you recommend that I add more flow? C02? aerator?


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Normal but not desirable. Are those valisneria? How fast are they growing? What does your tap water test for phosphate? You want the nitrate and phosphate to be a certain ratio.

The Redfield ratio calculator
For an aquarium free of algae, the nitrogen - phosphorus ratio has to be around 16 : 1.

I find plants to be way too much work to do well. C02 is expensive so don't do it unless you are determined and committed to the plants almost more than the fish. But it will help with the algae.


----------

