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10 Posts
This is my first post on this site. I have read through a bunch of the posts on this site about algae and they have been helpful.
Everybody always asks, so here are the details. 55 Gal mbuna tank, pH 8.0, temp 77 deg, ammonia and nitrite 0, KH 8 GH 10, nitrates average 8 ppm to 10 ppm before water change.
Have been changing about 50% weekly, I am on a well and have acidic soft water (like pH about 6 and 1 KH 1GH, maybe I should switch to discuss) so I add the homemade buffer I found on this site at a lower concentration, since I read Malawi's don't need quite as hard of water. I also have Nitrates about 5 ppm from the well water :? I have a HOB with 50 gal capacity, and 1 canister filter under cabinet.
I have had multiple tanks before, a 29 and an 80 at my current location and had the same issue of brown algae growing on the glass, rocks, substrate, etc... It's not out of control and it's better since I reduced the time on the light, but everything has to be cleaned every 2 weeks or so to keep it "pretty". I have my lights on a timer and reduced the time which has helped quite a bit, but am still running a single fluorescent about 10 1/2 hours. Is this still too long?
I also have not tested for phosphates. Oh, I feed lightly twice a day, fish are doing great. I am also considering not cleaning the rocks anymore.
Everybody always asks, so here are the details. 55 Gal mbuna tank, pH 8.0, temp 77 deg, ammonia and nitrite 0, KH 8 GH 10, nitrates average 8 ppm to 10 ppm before water change.
Have been changing about 50% weekly, I am on a well and have acidic soft water (like pH about 6 and 1 KH 1GH, maybe I should switch to discuss) so I add the homemade buffer I found on this site at a lower concentration, since I read Malawi's don't need quite as hard of water. I also have Nitrates about 5 ppm from the well water :? I have a HOB with 50 gal capacity, and 1 canister filter under cabinet.
I have had multiple tanks before, a 29 and an 80 at my current location and had the same issue of brown algae growing on the glass, rocks, substrate, etc... It's not out of control and it's better since I reduced the time on the light, but everything has to be cleaned every 2 weeks or so to keep it "pretty". I have my lights on a timer and reduced the time which has helped quite a bit, but am still running a single fluorescent about 10 1/2 hours. Is this still too long?
I also have not tested for phosphates. Oh, I feed lightly twice a day, fish are doing great. I am also considering not cleaning the rocks anymore.
