Recheck the nitrates. The level can go up really quickly, like the day after it was at zero. Clean the gravel really well and feed very sparingly. Get rid of any decaying matter in the tank.
I use lights over 12 hours per day and only have algae problems when nitrates rise above 10ppm or even less sometimes.
Old lights also seem to grow algae. I used a bunch of old 95 watt bulbs I found in the trash and I got hair algae growing like crazy, and with very low nitrates too. I stopped using the old lights and the algae stopped.
I just bought regular (new) flourescents from the hardware store and the plants started growing better and not the algae.
Bown Alge
53 posts • Page 6 of 6
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Peterkarig3210 - Posts: 1980
- Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am
I just read the above posts. You have fish that produce a LOT of waste, and they're allways hungery. I think you still have a nitrate issue, and I see no reason for a sump on a fresh water aquarium. Get a bigger, or at least a second filter, and do more frequent water changes.
I don't use anything but my city tap water and a clorin/cloramine dechlorinator. My lights are on from say 10 am to 12 am, (14 hours) which is to much, but I want to SEE my fish! I don't think it's the lights unless they're really old.
Just a thought........Really fowl smell comes from either a dead fish rotting away or anerobic bacteria. I'd remove all fish, and clean the gravel really really well. Feed much less, and get more filtration. If there is very little current in the tank increace it. That should help a lot.
I don't use anything but my city tap water and a clorin/cloramine dechlorinator. My lights are on from say 10 am to 12 am, (14 hours) which is to much, but I want to SEE my fish! I don't think it's the lights unless they're really old.
Just a thought........Really fowl smell comes from either a dead fish rotting away or anerobic bacteria. I'd remove all fish, and clean the gravel really really well. Feed much less, and get more filtration. If there is very little current in the tank increace it. That should help a lot.
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Peterkarig3210 - Posts: 1980
- Joined: Wed Oct 24, 2007 3:04 am
Having 2 filters is a good thing because when yo clean one the other still has live nitrifying bacteria in it. When you clean the second filter the first should have seeded itself and you'll always have a good cycling process going.
Ammonia also stinks,
So dose cyano-bacteria. Cyano-bacteria can be brown (usually blue-green) and will come off with a blast of water. That stuff comes back in a night and is a pain in the ass. Keeping nitrates below 10 ppm will eventually get rid of it.
Just my thoughts. Sumps are cool, but like I said, they're rarely used for fresh water aquariums.
Ammonia also stinks,
So dose cyano-bacteria. Cyano-bacteria can be brown (usually blue-green) and will come off with a blast of water. That stuff comes back in a night and is a pain in the ass. Keeping nitrates below 10 ppm will eventually get rid of it.
Just my thoughts. Sumps are cool, but like I said, they're rarely used for fresh water aquariums.
