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Algae outbreak



Hi all!

I've set up a new (experimental) small tank: 40*24*20(h) cm. Net water 
capacity around: 19liters. The tank is set up 14 days ago.

Substrate: Ada® Power Sand special, around 250ml, and Ada® Aqua soil(around 
5/6 cm high).

Complete Dennerle CO2 system Profi (but without pH-meter).
Askoll Fe-1 inner canister filter (200ml volume of the filter canister), 
loaded with perlon wool and Eheim EfiLav.

lights: 3 fluorescent tubes, 15W each. Osram: type 32 (1), and type 21(2). 
8hours of light. Both type are full spectrum, type 32 is 3000K, type 21 is 
5300K.

water data:
GH= 20 ppm eq CaCO3 (at the end of light period, it starts higher before 
light switchs on)
KH= 30 ppm eq CaCO3 (at the end of light period)
pH= 6.3 (at the end of light period)
NO2= 0 ppm
NH4= 0 ppm
NO3= 2 ppm
PO4= undetectable (as orto-phosphates)
Fe=0.01 ppm (as divalent iron Fe2+)
COD= 6/7 ppm O (at the end of light period)

water change: every day, ~30% of the tank, with RO/DI water (RO water 
conductivity is around 2 microSiemens) and Dennerle®
OSMOSE PLUS salts plus some sodium bicarbonates. I also add 1ml of 
Dennerle® TR-7 every water change (humic acids). I usually make the water 
change at the end of light
period to reduce oxygen contents.

No fishes!

Plants:
Eleocharis Acicularis
Glossostigma Elatinoides
Ludvigia Glandulosa perennis
Ludvigia Arcuata
Rotala wallichii

Fertilization: for the 1st 5 days I haven't fertilized at all, then I
started adding Ada® Bright Step I, and some drops of Ada® ECA (as iron
fertilization).

I had an algae outbreak from the very beginning. It's a kind of brown string
algae that attacked firstly the Glossostigma, and then on old leaves of
Glosso also a dark grey, black string algae. Slowly the brown algae is
taking also the other plants, especially the Glandulosa which is slow in
growing. The R. Wallichii is growing fast and it seems to be the only one
not to be attacked by the algae, but it's color, which is pink and not
really red seems to show some nutrients deficiency. I posted some pics of
the algae and the plants at this web address:

http://digilander.iol.it/mytanks/

Any suggestion is appreciated. Tell me what you think.

Sincerely,
Luca Specchio