uv light for algae?

[supaflyz]

Hey guys does uv light help prevent algae from going? My planted tank have a whole bunch of algae growing in it for the past few months. I change the bulb on the lights, run co2, and add other chemicals from the fish store to slow down the algae growth but it stills grow like crazy. I'm thinking of adding a uv light because someone told me at the fish store that it kills algae? If it does indeed do that what brand of uv light should I buy.

[fshfrk]

uv lights will help you get it under control. I would set it up for 3 months then disconnect till the next problem. The bulbs are expensive and have to be replaced every year. I went thru this and thought I needed to add them to all my tanks and wasted alot of money. Live & learn.

[kwc1974]

UV lighs will only kill the algae that the light come in contact with, most commonly green water algae. It will not kill algaes in the tank that are not lowing through the UV housing. Staghorn, BBA, hair, ect... will not be affected by a UV sterilizer.

Bulbs are expensive, although I have found a a source on ebay that has cheap, good bulbs.

What kind of algae do you have?

[mgarrido]

UV lighs will only kill the algae that the light come in contact with, most commonly green water algae. It will not kill algaes in the tank that are not lowing through the UV housing. Staghorn, BBA, hair, ect... will not be affected by a UV sterilizer.

Bulbs are expensive, although I have found a a source on ebay that has cheap, good bulbs.

What kind of algae do you have?

Could you share your source ?

[kwc1974]

I tell you, you tell someone else, my source gets wise.........ok I will tell

This is the 9W PC sytle bulb. But 2 for $10 + shipping and they work. Hard to beat.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2pcs-9W-9-WATT-UV-Bulbs-for-Coralife-Turbo-Twist-3x-ESU_W0QQitemZ350257524942QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item518cf9b0ce&_trksid=p4999.c0.m14

[supaflyz]

I think I have hair algae. It look like thin strands all roll up into a ball. I have some green algae dots on the glass as well. So if uv lights does not work what do you recommend I should use kwc?

[kwc1974]

What are you using for a ferts?
What are you using for algae eaters?
Lights? CO2?


Basicaly, hair algae and green spot algae (in fact all algaes) are cause by a imbalance in the water. Light, CO2 and ferts in the right proportions will out compete algae. But sometimes one or more will be unbalanced (ie too much of one of the ferts, too much light, not enough CO2)

For green spot, scrub it off. Get a magnetic algae scrubber. Also get ocats and nerite snails.

For hair algae. Probably have too much iron and not enough CO2. Optimal CO2 is generally accepted at 30 ppm. Remove as much as you can and do water changes. Also Amano shrimp will help. The best hair algae eating fish are a little aggressive.

[kwc1974]

Try these out, I know one is a repost.

http://www.guitarfish.org/category/algae

http://gwapa.org/wordpress/articles/algae-in-the-planted-aquarium/

[supaflyz]

I even decrease the amount of time the lights are on. I use the ADA fertilizer, t5 lights, and I run my CO2 also. I also have some chinese or siamese chinese algae eater and amano shrimps.

[Complexity]

Hair algae is frequently caused by (1) too much light and (2) poor water quality. It sounds as if you're taking good care of your tanks so I would doubt water quality. However, it wouldn't hurt to look at your normal schedule for water changes. You should be changing about 50% of the water every week.

My suspicion is going to be the lights.

Chinese or whatever algae eaters you have are useless. Siamese Algae Eaters (only the true ones) can help with BBA, but no fish will remove a full algae breakout. They just nibble on any tiny bits that may try to grow. Fish can help, but not solve algae problems.

You haven't given very many details to go on. For example, you have stated that you use T5 lighting and that you've cut the photoperiod down, but you haven't said how much lighting you have, which kind of T5 you have (NO, HO?), how long your photoperiod used to be or what you've cut it back to now.

Same with CO2. Is it injected CO2? Yeast DIY? Does it run 24/7? With a pH controller? Do you use a drop checker? If so, what color are you getting? How is the CO2 being dissolved into the water? A diffuser? A reactor? What kind?

What filtration are you using? That can affect the water condition, the stagnation or current in the water, and whether the CO2 if being outgassed due to surface turbulence.

If you can give details on your setup, maybe I or someone else can give you a better idea of what to do to help get rid of the algae and keep it away.

But without any details, my best stab will be that you have too much light on the tank since that's a very common cause for hair algae.