# Beard Algae - Need help



## sympley (May 23, 2006)

Hello,

I have a problem with beard algae. I don't know what else to try. I am at a stage where pretty much deciding if I should stay in the hobby, or should I just sell all my equipment on e-Bay. I had my tank set up for 9 weeks now and everyting was going fine until 3 weeks ago when the algae started to appear. I searched through many forums but it seems that it is a very difficult algae to get rid of. I just want to give it my last try.

Here is my set up:
-90 Gallons planted tank.
-Coralife Aqualights 4 x 65watts. Of these 4 bulbs 2 are running for 10hours and the other 2 are running for 6hours during that to simulate noon. 
-CO2 is supplied form a 10lbs tank, and a rio 200 diffusor. 
-Dosing ferts that are first dissolved in a bottle and then proper about is poured into the tank.

My parameters are:
-Ammonia 0mg/L
-Nitrite 0mg/L
-Nitrate between 10 mg/l and 20mg/L - depending if I just dosed.
-Potassium can't measure it but I am dosing 120mL every other day, that should keep my tank at around 15mg/L.
-Phosphate between 1 and 2 mg/L - depending if I just dosed.
-pH is dropped from 7.5 to 6.7 using CO2 
-KH tap water is at 5degrees but in my tank it is 8degrees. Something is changing it in the tank, not sure what at this time.
-GH tap water is at 9degrees but in my tank it is at 12degrees. Something is changing it in the tank.

As mentioned before I have beard algae showing up all over my tank. It is not limited to one spot, it is on my rocks, my driftwood, my plants. Daily I am cutting out leaves that have this stuff on them, I remove as much as I can from the rocks and driftwood. However it seems to be comming back in bigger and bigger numbers. Just yesterday I reduced some the light but I don't think it will have a big effect on it. 

Can someone suggest something. Should I increase my dosages of ferts? Reduce the dosages? Anything anyone can suggest.


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## jrs (Mar 18, 2006)

I had a small amount for a period of time in my planted tank. 40-50% water changes every other day and continual use of excel got rid of mine.


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## holocron (Mar 12, 2006)

My First guess would be the lighting and photo period. 2x65 is only 130 watts on a 90g tank, not even 2 watts per gallon. At best you are getting 260 watts which is ~ 3wpg which is good. I would increase your photo period from 10hours to 12 hours and keep both lights (all 4) on for most of the day. 

I run 192 watts on a 50g tank (almost 4wpg) and I have them running at that for at least 10 hours a day. My total photo period is 12 hours, but i have the 2 light off for the first and last hour of the day.

that's my first guess because the rest of your params seem great.... especially the co2 which according to chuck's calc is 47ppm.


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## sympley (May 23, 2006)

Thank you for the suggestions. I was going the otehr way on lighting. I kept on reducing, and reducing my photoperiod. I will change my timers right now to increse the timing and to have both of these on. Will see what happens. 

Any other suggestions please keep them coming.


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## Suzanne (Mar 11, 2006)

cut out the phosphate - is the aquarium near a window - if so block off 
the sunlight and give it time


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## Riche_guy (Jun 10, 2006)

Try using Flourish Excel by Seachem. Use the inital dosing for 7 to 14 days. BBa will first turn red and then greyish white. It will then slowly disintegrate. If you also have hair algae that too will disappear. Monitor plants and fish at all times. If there are signs of stress in fish or plants either reduce or stop treatment. If you have loaches they are sensitive to any treatment so watch them. This product was not intended for this treatment, but it works. I'm doing it now with good results. Treatment though is at your own risk. For more info. check out PLANTED TANK forum under algae. It is the first thread.

Good luck


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Acouple of points, here, that may help. Your lighting is quite high, as the watt per gallon rule applies to normal output flourescents, not power compacts, that emit much more light per watt. You might try to break up the photo period in the middle, as this is supposed to help with algae in general. You would keep the same overall length, but shut off for 2 hours in the middle. If your timers allow for this, it would be worth a try. I had a bit of BBA in my one planted tank, shortly after I set it up. The SAEs didn't seem to realize I bought them to get rid of it, so I removed most of it by hand. I haven't seen any for a while, but have thread algae. I have a lot less light than you do, and don't dose anything.


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## Riche_guy (Jun 10, 2006)

holocron said:


> My First guess would be the lighting and photo period. 2x65 is only 130 watts on a 90g tank, not even 2 watts per gallon. At best you are getting 260 watts which is ~ 3wpg which is good. I would increase your photo period from 10hours to 12 hours and keep both lights (all 4) on for most of the day.
> 
> I run 192 watts on a 50g tank (almost 4wpg) and I have them running at that for at least 10 hours a day. My total photo period is 12 hours, but i have the 2 light off for the first and last hour of the day.
> 
> that's my first guess because the rest of your params seem great.... especially the co2 which according to chuck's calc is 47ppm.


He mentions 4x65watts and not 2x65 watts.


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