# Advice on LED reef lighting and Black Algae



## brucemcl777 (Nov 16, 2011)

I am seeking opinions or knowledge on this. I am running 7 freshwater tanks in my family room. 2 of the tanks ( a 90 gallon and and 55 gallon ) have unrelenting problems with Black Algae. The others don't have problem or much less.

Here is what the two ranks have in common that have the black algae.
1/ They both have Marineland reef bright LED lighting.
2/ They both are cichlid tanks. I therefore have no real plants in them as dig them up or eat them.
3/ I have no plecos or orthos in them as the cichlids kill them or beat them up.
4/ Because they have no plants there is no C02 going to them.

The other tanks have less strong LED lights or flouresent lights, co2 in some of them and they all have plecos. They also have plants in them.

I am not sure whether to look at decreasing the light strength, or getting rid of the cichlids so I can have CO2 and plants in the tanks. Anyone have any experience in this area to advise me?


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## juyun1 (Apr 7, 2012)

How many hours do you have the lights on for? Maybe you could decrease down to 6 or 8 hrs a day.

Is there a lot of uneaten food sinking to the bottom? That might be providing nutrients for the algae.

Would your cichlids destroy tough plants that grow on top things instead of in the substrate? ie. anubia is pretty tough or maybe java fern?


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## brucemcl777 (Nov 16, 2011)

All my lights are on timers for 9 am to 7 pm

Not a lot of uneaten food I think.

Had not considered top growing plants - will give that a shot - thank you for that idea

That %&%&$^# black algae seems resistant to everything but a blow torch


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## juyun1 (Apr 7, 2012)

You may want to reduce the light down to 8 hours or less. I program the time to when I'm home from work so I can enjoy looking at the fish.

We all have some black algae and we'll never be able to get rid of it all.


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## solarz (Aug 31, 2010)

If you can keep some SAE, they're great at eliminating BBA.


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