Algae help

[Drose11111]

I have a 29 g planted tank with 7x amazon swords 3x chain swords and a brazilian sword. I Use diy co2 that brings my 7.8 ph water to about 6.9-7 ph. I dose tetra florapride once a week after water changes. I use one aqua-glo t-8 and one power-glo t-8. I am having serious problems with a black hair algae growing on my plants. Can anyone help me out? i leave the lights on for 8-9 hours a day.

[talldutchie]

Try a 90 minute break in that lighting period. Are the lights on a timer?

[Drose11111]

A 90 minute break, as in leave the lights on twice a day for 4.5 hours with a 90 minute break inbetween? what will that do?

[talldutchie]

It will help cut down on algae. Are the algae in the low flow parts of the tank or everywhere?

[Drose11111]

There is algae on a few leaves of each of my tall plants. After water changes it dies away for about 3 days, then grows back until the next water change. I'm thinking either nitrates or not enough nutrients is the cause.

[KevinVA]

What do you dose throughout the week, if anything?

[Drose11111]

I don't dose anything throughout the week.

[genocidex]

i would reduce the time of on light. and look into CO2 of sorts. i think most swords are high light. what is the color temp of your lights?

[KevinVA]

He has diy co2, but I'm leaning toward the reduction of time solution. How old are your lights? Could be they're losing some power, if they're 6 months to a year old. That's been known to cause some algae breakouts.

[genocidex]

ive been having a beard algae problem as well in my 55g. im using liquid CO2 booster bs and i found even 8 hrs a day is too much for my tank. ive cut back to 7 hrs a day and the algae is pealing away lol

[Drose11111]

I reduced light to 8 hours and then I started getting brown algae on my plants, and my lights are 8 months give or take

[KevinVA]

@genocidex - Seriously? Cutting the light back 1hr solved the problem? I may have to try that, in addition to my co2 overdosing. lol I'm currently having a black algae problem (not beard) due to recent exposure to sunlight (I believe) in my 75gal.

@Drose - do you notice the lights seeming dimmer at all? It's said that they lose some of the lighting spectrum over time, so it may not be providing the sufficient spectrum your plants are used to getting.

[Drose11111]

I havent noticed much change, I use very old light fixtures for the lights though, will that have an effect?

[KevinVA]

I doubt that would have an effect. If it's getting enough power to the lights, the lights will work as they should.

[Drose11111]

I put a little more fertilizer in yesterday morning and in one day it seems the hair algae subsided. lack of nutrients?

[KevinVA]

Could be. Algae will feed on light and nutrients, competing with plants. So, give the plants the nutrients they need to compensate for the light/co2 provided, and they'll get back to out-competing algae. It's a balancing act.

[Drose11111]

I supply 30 ml of tetra florapride every water change and that gets run through in 3 days? It just seems like alot, especially because I use root tabs for my swords too.

[KevinVA]

How heavily planted is your tank? It's very possible that that's the case.

[Drose11111]

I have like 4 medium amazon swords(5-6 inches), 2 baby amazon swords (3-4 inches), and 3 large amazon swords (10+) as well as 4 large chain swords and a brazilian sword.

[KevinVA]

I apologize, I missed that you posted how many swords you had in the beginning. They are heavy root feeders, but I know they take nutrients from the water column, as well. Since you have such large swords in a 29gal, you're probably running through your ferts in 2-3 days. I wouldn't doubt that.

[Drose11111]

Okay thanks for the help