Algae in a 5,2g tank

SIBIETA · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 5

Hello everyone, i need some help with my 5,2gal tank. I`d like to know how
much light is good for this tank with some elodeas, a ludwigia, and some
other plants. I use a 23w light right now and i use sera`s products to
fertilize the plants and there is a lots of algae invading, mainly where the
direct light is.
I have to say that i change 50% of water every 2 or 3 days.

Thanks

Archived from group: rec>aquaria>freshwater>plants

Andrey Tarasevich · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 8

SIBIETA wrote:
> ...
> About the water changes, i think you are right i do too much water changes,
> but i need to vacum the gravel some time so, what do you think if i make 1
> liter changes every day an 50% changes every week?.
> ...

I don't understand why you feel the need to make such intensive water
changes. My setup, for example, is very similar to yours - I have a
well-planted 5.5 gal tank with 26W of light (two independently
controlled 13W bulbs) and DIY CO2 injection. 26W is a lot for a
freshwater 5.5 gal tank, so I keep only one 13W bulb on for 12 hours a
day, while the second one comes on for only 1 hour in the middle of the
day. (I used to turn it on for 5 hours a day, but it seemed to lead to
staghorn algae problem). I change about 30% of the water every week and
try to carefully vacuum the gravel (where I can reach it) every other
week. The tank is doing fine.

--
Best regards,
Andrey Tarasevich

RedForeman ©® · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 339

> Hello everyone, i need some help with my 5,2gal tank. I`d like to know how
> much light is good for this tank with some elodeas, a ludwigia, and some
> other plants. I use a 23w light right now and i use sera`s products to
> fertilize the plants and there is a lots of algae invading, mainly where
the
> direct light is.
> I have to say that i change 50% of water every 2 or 3 days.

First, I'd say that I'm not sure what a 5,2 tank is, is it a 5g, a 2g, a
5.2g a 52g???? and 23W of light is a bunch o light for any tank less than
10gallons.... first I'd suggest cutting the ferts until you figure out what
you really are adding and whether it is really needed???

CO2? DIY or injected?? If none, you really need to cut back on ferts...

SIBIETA · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 5

It´s a 20 liters tank = 5,2 gallons
"RedForeman ©®" escribió en el mensaje@corp.supernews.com...
> > Hello everyone, i need some help with my 5,2gal tank. I`d like to know
how
> > much light is good for this tank with some elodeas, a ludwigia, and some
> > other plants. I use a 23w light right now and i use sera`s products to
> > fertilize the plants and there is a lots of algae invading, mainly where
> the
> > direct light is.
> > I have to say that i change 50% of water every 2 or 3 days.
>
> First, I'd say that I'm not sure what a 5,2 tank is, is it a 5g, a 2g, a
> 5.2g a 52g???? and 23W of light is a bunch o light for any tank less than
> 10gallons.... first I'd suggest cutting the ferts until you figure out
what
> you really are adding and whether it is really needed???
>
> CO2? DIY or injected?? If none, you really need to cut back on ferts...
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

SIBIETA · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 5

Well i´m from Chile, so sorry about the "americanism".
About the water changes, i think you are right i do too much water changes,
but i need to vacum the gravel some time so, what do you think if i make 1
liter changes every day an 50% changes every week?.
"Ed Clarke" escribió en el mensaje@FONGULATOR.watson.ibm.com...
> In article , SIBIETA wrote:
> > It´s a 20 liters tank = 5,2 gallons
> >> > I have to say that i change 50% of water every 2 or 3 days.
>
> You've run into an Americanism - you use a comma ',' where we use
> a period '.' - 5.2 Gallon tank. We'd also probably ignore the .2
> and call it five gallons.
>
> 50% water change per two days seems extreme. I'd feel pleased
> with myself if I changed out 5% per day ( 1 litre ). I think
> you want some stability to let the plants grow, rather than
> keeping up a constant violent water quality change.
>
> Perhaps a more experienced plant person would care to comment?

RedForeman ©® · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 339

Ok then, I apologize for not knowing that, but will now never forget
that....

ok, so 23W over a 5 g, is 4.6WPG, and that is WAY high....in my 5s I have a
12W T5 that does wonders...

It sounds like this is a new tank, and it's common for this to happen.. I'd
suggesting being more patient, and relaxing the fertilizers for a while...
doing water changes every other day to keep the green water down, reduce
your light, slow the feeding and wait... I'm going thru some green water
myself, and so far, it's looking better, every day, clearer, less green,
plants are going great... just wait...

My advice, after the green water is gone....
1 Weekly water changes maybe 1-2 liters, get into that routine....
2 no more fertilizer, you're only feeding the algae... resume after water is
stable
3 cut your lights down to less than 3WPG watts per gallon, 2-2.5wpg would be
good
4 light duration can be, but not to exceed 18hrs, 12hours is best...

I'm by no means an expert, but have been shown by many people here that it's
more of a patience issue, most humans don't have it, but most parents do...
haha...

"SIBIETA" wrote in message$1@omega.ifxnw.cl...
> It´s a 20 liters tank = 5,2 gallons
> "RedForeman ©®" escribió en el mensaje
> @corp.supernews.com...
> > > Hello everyone, i need some help with my 5,2gal tank. I`d like to know
> how
> > > much light is good for this tank with some elodeas, a ludwigia, and
some
> > > other plants. I use a 23w light right now and i use sera`s products to
> > > fertilize the plants and there is a lots of algae invading, mainly
where
> > the
> > > direct light is.
> > > I have to say that i change 50% of water every 2 or 3 days.
> >
> > First, I'd say that I'm not sure what a 5,2 tank is, is it a 5g, a 2g, a
> > 5.2g a 52g???? and 23W of light is a bunch o light for any tank less
than
> > 10gallons.... first I'd suggest cutting the ferts until you figure out
> what
> > you really are adding and whether it is really needed???
> >
> > CO2? DIY or injected?? If none, you really need to cut back on ferts...
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>

Ed Clarke · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 2

In article , SIBIETA wrote:
> It´s a 20 liters tank = 5,2 gallons
>> > I have to say that i change 50% of water every 2 or 3 days.

You've run into an Americanism - you use a comma ',' where we use
a period '.' - 5.2 Gallon tank. We'd also probably ignore the .2
and call it five gallons.

50% water change per two days seems extreme. I'd feel pleased
with myself if I changed out 5% per day ( 1 litre ). I think
you want some stability to let the plants grow, rather than
keeping up a constant violent water quality change.

Perhaps a more experienced plant person would care to comment?

Racf · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 138

"SIBIETA" wrote in message$1@omega.ifxnw.cl...
> Hello everyone, i need some help with my 5,2gal tank. I`d like to know
how
> much light is good for this tank with some elodeas, a ludwigia, and
some
> other plants. I use a 23w light right now and i use sera`s products to
> fertilize the plants and there is a lots of algae invading, mainly
where the
> direct light is.
> I have to say that i change 50% of water every 2 or 3 days.
>
> Thanks
>
>

Such a small tank with so much light. Its just not gonna be worth the
effort in my opinion. A UV unit would make short work of the green
water.....but then ......some other weird algae would grow.

Just put a normal light on it and work with medium to low light
plants.....but still its just not gonna be worth all the effort.....

~Vicki ~ · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 172

Could an Oto help?

Vicki

SIBIETA · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 5

I don?t use CO2 inyection, is it necessary in this small tanks?... I`m very
interested to use it, i?ve seen on internet how to make this sistems, but
never made one.
How to control the amount of CO2 you put in the tank?. There are products
like seachem flourish excel, is carbon in a liquid form, is this method good
and effective to make plants grow "faster" in small tanks?.
I decided to cut the fertilizer and change the light to a lower watts, maybe
2wpg, and not making so drastic water changes like 50% every 2 days,
obviously allways checking water parameters.
I?ll be telling you guys how the thing are going....
"Andrey Tarasevich" escribio en el mensaje@hotmail.com...
> SIBIETA wrote:
> > ...
> > About the water changes, i think you are right i do too much water
changes,
> > but i need to vacum the gravel some time so, what do you think if i make
1
> > liter changes every day an 50% changes every week?.
> > ...
>
> I don't understand why you feel the need to make such intensive water
> changes. My setup, for example, is very similar to yours - I have a
> well-planted 5.5 gal tank with 26W of light (two independently
> controlled 13W bulbs) and DIY CO2 injection. 26W is a lot for a
> freshwater 5.5 gal tank, so I keep only one 13W bulb on for 12 hours a
> day, while the second one comes on for only 1 hour in the middle of the
> day. (I used to turn it on for 5 hours a day, but it seemed to lead to
> staghorn algae problem). I change about 30% of the water every week and
> try to carefully vacuum the gravel (where I can reach it) every other
> week. The tank is doing fine.
>
> --
> Best regards,
> Andrey Tarasevich
>

RedForeman ©® · Joined: 16 Aug 2007 Posts: 339

probably not, otos eat brown (diatom)algae... usually don't even touch the
green stuff....

"~Vicki ~" wrote in message@storefull-2198.public.lawson.webtv.net...
> Could an Oto help?
>
> Vicki
>