Algae Control Advice For A Planted 20 Gal

[Sam_mckbones]

Hi, I started this tank roughly three months ago. There’s several species of plants scattered in it including a moss ball. I dose with a co2 liquid supplement and API Leaf Zone every few days. The fish are fed once a day a small pinch of flakes with a day off once and a while. It went through a brief brown algae phase that cleared itself out, but this green hair stuff has taken over, especially once it took to the driftwood. My Fluval 30 filter has to have the intake tube removed and cleaned out constantly (since I set it up) because slimy brown algae plugs it up and interrupts the flow. A tougher dark algae attached to my Anubias and hardscape items that grows little clumps of long strands. I keep up weekly maintence (small water changes and scrubbing the walls of green dust algae) but have likely been changing less than 25% for the last few weeks. Would that be a possible cause to some of the explosion? What else could I be doing?

I’ve included some pictures below:

Green hair

Tough darker algae

Full tank:

 

[psalm18.2]

You have an imbalance somewhere for that algae to be growing.
What are your parameters?
How long is your light On?
How often do you change water?
Are you using fertilizers of any kind?

 

[Sam_mckbones]

You have an imbalance somewhere for that algae to be growing.
What are your parameters?
How long is your light On?
How often do you change water?
Are you using fertilizers of any kind?

I am planning to pick up an actual liquid test kit to find out what exactly my parameters are for this exact reason. So that I can’t give an exact answer right now. I’ll assume my nitrates may be imbalanced however. pH is in the higher range but not to the point of danger.

My light I forgot to mention. It’s a full spectrum and I have it on 12 hours for the plants but I read I may need to do this in two shifts of five hours so there’s a break?

Water is changed usually weekly, small 15-20% changes.

The fertilizer I use is a liquid supplement, I can list the minerals and amounts if needed. I dose that 2-3x weekly in small amounts. I used a couple root tabs when I first set the tank up.