camtang Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 I am currently taking on some suspected staghorn algae and cyano. I have added a heap of water movers, changed my ferts, doing bigger WC and have added more C02. I am replacing the old MH bulbs in the next two weeks so will end up changing the light times as well. It is basicly getting the front section of the tank and no other place that I can see. Now for my question. I think the wood on the right hand side is blocking a lot of flow but I like the placement of it and the look it gives. But if I remove it I can add more plants (From my understanding helps fight algae). So what do I do? persaver, find the correct spots for the water movers and keep fighting or remove the wood and add more plants? The top picture is tank as it is now the second is without the wood in it. Thoughts please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 is there any daylight hitting the tank anywhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted January 17, 2014 Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 Those plants all look like they are starting out, not big and vigorous growth. They won't be using up many nutrients yet. If I were you, I would reduce the lighting (photperiod or intensity) a bit until the plants get established. The increased CO2 will help prevent more staghorn from growing but it won't get rid of the stuff still in the tank. You'll have to remove the effected bits, a 3 day blackout can help by killing it on the wood and stuff but the plant leaves will still need to go. As far as the cyano goes, if you have been battling it for a while, it is probably well established and even good flow and careful control of waste will have a hard time eliminating it so I would recommend a dose of erythromycin. That can sometimes throw things out of whack a bit so that you get brown dust 'algae' but at least that is self limiting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted January 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2014 is there any daylight hitting the tank anywhere? None that I am aware of. Those plants all look like they are starting out, not big and vigorous growth. They won't be using up many nutrients yet. If I were you, I would reduce the lighting (photperiod or intensity) a bit until the plants get established. The increased CO2 will help prevent more staghorn from growing but it won't get rid of the stuff still in the tank. You'll have to remove the effected bits, a 3 day blackout can help by killing it on the wood and stuff but the plant leaves will still need to go. As far as the cyano goes, if you have been battling it for a while, it is probably well established and even good flow and careful control of waste will have a hard time eliminating it so I would recommend a dose of erythromycin. That can sometimes throw things out of whack a bit so that you get brown dust 'algae' but at least that is self limiting! Tank has been running with plants for three mnths so still very young. The day that I get the new bulbs I will start a blackout, and then reduce lights to around 6 hours a day (?) Where do I find erythromycin? Can I do that at the same time as the black out? Do I turn the C02 off for blackout? Stop dosing ferts during black out? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted January 22, 2014 Report Share Posted January 22, 2014 Yes, turn off the CO2 and stop feeding and fertilising during the blackout. The blackout should solve the cyano problem too so you won't need erythro unless it keeps coming back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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