too many watts?

[Big Vine]

Here's what I found in my 2.9 WPG situation...may help you...
I had low-light plants in there. Many of them slow-growers. I also had the tank up and running for weeks with these and no CO2 (which was a huge mistake).

What I found was that the hairy and brush-type (i.e. BBA) algae really took hold on a lot of the slowing-growing plants such as anubias (big leaves provide excellent surface for algae to grow on) and java fern & microsword(extremely slow growers).

Getting CO2 up and running efficiently pretty much halted the formation of these nasty types of algae. Within a mere matter of days you could see several inches of completely algae-free new plant growth!

Once I removed the slow-growers and the algae-infested parts of the rest of the plants (and just replanted the few inches of new algae-free growth), the nasty algae has been completely halted.

I'd maybe think about replacing some of your slower-growers and 'algae-collecting' plants with some fast-growing stem plants (you can always put the slow-growers back later once things get under control with the algae).

I'm dosing trace ferts + Iron, by the way (no macros yet).
Hope this gives you some insights!

BV

 

[WetChicken]

From this thread, ways to reduce algae:
Less light
More CO2 (properly diffused)
Faster growing plants
Fertilizers
Less food

Any other suggestions?

 

[iamcowboy]

That is pretty much what it appears on the surface. However, most of those thing are relative not only to themselves but also tank size, stocking level and many other variables. I hope that I am not getting you as confused as I am, but I just don't want anyone getting improper information from this thread.

 

[Big Vine]

You're right, cowboy---which is why I gave specific accounts of my experiences with a planted tank. All of which may or may not work out differently in someone else's setup.

Like you said, it depends on all sorts of variables.

BV

 

[rollntider]

reading this thread, its a good one. iamcowboy, if you think thelighting issue is confusing, discuss putting salt in a guppy tank, you get 40 different facts that all contradict each other

 

[iamcowboy]

UPDATE!

Ok folks got good news and bad news. The good news is my tank is virtually algae free. The bad news is I resorted to the use of Excel. All of my fish and shrimp are doing very well. Plants are really coming around now that the algae is gone and I am on a regular schedule of ferts. Have more plants coming and once they are in the tank,I may try and go with the full 130w again.*thumbsups

 

[iamcowboy]

TRYIN' IT AGAIN

After planting my latest shipment of plants which includes bacopa carolina, rotala, and pearl weed, I have plugged the other bulb back in. The tank is back to basking in 130w of light.*SUNSMILE* I must say that at this point the tank looks great but it has only been 24hrs. I have increased ferts. (hopefully proportionally) and still have two bottles of DIY CO2 pumping into the tank. I'll see how it goes.

 

[iamcowboy]

Well so far my infantry (amano shrimp) and comandoes (SAE's) are doing a terrific job. 130w of light and only minimal algae. At the suggestion of some I have changed my CO2 diffussion method, instead of injecting it into my HOB intake, I have one of those ladders that comes with a Nutrafin natural plant system. It has been almost 3 days since I changed it and I'll check the PH this afternoon to see if it has made a difference.

 

[tropicalfish]

I suggest you take a powerhead (I prefer Hagen AquaClear) and feed the CO2 into the intake of the powerhead.

 

[iamcowboy]

Yeah I may consider a powerhead for the 46g when I set it up. Not looking to make any equipment purchases until then.