# Possible algae problem...



## Fuzz (Jan 27, 2012)

Hey it has been a while since I've posted on here, but i have been having some issues with my tank. My plants were doing really awesome for a long time but then one of the changes that I made must have created an imbalance that started the algae. 

I recently switched to an inline Co2 reactor. I raised my light fixture so the bulbs are about 26" from the surface of the substrate(I also removed one bulb so I only have one T5HO at 6500K). I changed substrate from Flourite to dirt(capped with PFS). My Cabomba still grows about half an inch every day and all my other plants seem to keep growing...however, most of my plants have some kind of algae on them and it is making my tank look really dirty.

I don't have any issues with changing my tank around or putting the flourite back in or turning the Co2 up or down. I've been dosing the EI method for a few weeks now, but the problem has existed for longer than that(the ferts didn't seem to change for better or worse, honestly). As of yet, I haven't really done anything about the algae except scrape it off the glass every week or every other week.

My tank setup is as follows :
- 40 gallon long (same footprint as a normal 55 but shorter)
- In-line Co2 reactor (drop checker is lime most of the photoperiod)
- EI fertilizer method(with a weekly 50% or more water change)
- 1 T5HO 6500K bulb sitting 26" above the substrate

I have a 37 gallon with Val and a few anubias without Co2 and I'm using a premixed dry fert, but no algae issues at all.

I'll post a few pics of the "effected" plants...



























Any help/suggestions would be awesome*cough*cough*Grogan*cough*.


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