Rex's Planted Tank Guide

Your Source Of Information For Planted Tank Aquariums, Lighting, CO2 & Fertilizers

Algae Treatment & Prevention Chart

*Reference Note: WC=Water Change | 3xW=Water Change 3 times a week | CO2=Carbon Dioxide | H2O2=Hydrogen Peroxide | ppm=parts per million | Ferts=fertilizer

Table 1: Algae Cause & Treatment
Type of algae Cause Solution
Black Beard Algae (BBA) Low CO2 Add CO2, trim, spot treat with Excel
Blue Green Algae (BGA) Low nitrate Blackout + add nitrate
Cladophora Low nitrate + Low CO2 Add nitrate, add CO2
Diatoms Excess silicates, Low light Wait, add catfish, use RO water/sponge
Green Dust Algae (GDA) Spores Wait out life cycle, remove + WC
Green Spot Algae (GSA) Low phosphate + Low CO2? Add phosphate, possibly add more CO2
Green Water (GW) Ammonia + high light Reduce light, Wait, Small WC, UV filter
Hair Algae Excess nutrients, silicates WC, Excel, feed less, is something limited?
Hydra Stowaway in live food Use cleaner live food, flubendazole, H2O2
Milky Water Bacteria bloom Wait out, protect filter, add fish slowly
Staghorn Ammonia + low CO2 Remove, WC, protect filter, Excel
String Algae Excess nutrients WC + get biofilter working

Dosing Regime

*Reference Note: Traces(micros) have to be dosed on different days other than ferts (macros). Alternate between micros and macros.

Table 2: Dosing Regime
10–20 Gallons 20–40 Gallons 40-60 Gallons 60-80 Gallons
50% WC Weekly 50% WC Weekly 50% WC Weekly 50% WC Weekly
± 1/8 tsp KN03 3xW ± 1/4 tsp KN03 3xW ± 1/2 tsp KN03 3xW ± 3/4 tsp KN03 3xW
± 1/32 tsp KH2P04 3xW ± 1/16 tsp KH2P04 3xW ± 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3xW ± 3/16 tsp KH2P04 3xW
± 1/32 tsp K2S04 3xW ± 1/16 tsp K2S04 3xW ± 1/8 tsp K2S04 3xW ± 1/4 tsp K2S04 3xW
± 2mL Trace 3xW ± 5mL Trace 3xW ± 10mL Trace 3xW ± 15mL Trace 3xW

CO2 Chart

Table 3: CO2 Chart
  pH 6.0 6.2 6.4 6.6 6.8 7.0 7.2 7.4 7.6 7.8 8.0
KH                        
0.5   15 9.3 5.9 3.7 2.4 1.5 0.9 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.1
1.0   30 18.6 11.8 7.4 4.7 3.0 1.9 1.2 0.7 0.47 0.3
1.5   44 28 17.6 11.1 7.0 4.4 2.8 1.8 1.1 0.7 0.4
2.0   59 37 24 14.8 9.4 5.9 3.7 2.4 1.5 0.9 0.6
2.5   73 46 30 18.5 11.8 7.3 4.6 3.0 1.9 1.2 0.7
3.0   87 56 35 22 14 8.7 5.6 3.5 2.2 1.4 0.9
3.5   103 65 41 26 16.4 10.3 6.5 4.1 2.6 1.6 1.0
4.0   118 75 47 30 18.7 11.8 7.5 4.7 3.0 1.9 1.2
5.0   147 93 59 37 23 14.7 9.3 5.9 3.7 2.3 1.5
6.0   177 112 71 45 28 17.7 11.2 7.1 4.5 2.8 1.8
8.0   240 149 94 59 37 24 14.9 9.4 5.9 3.7 2.3
10   300 186 118 74 47 30 18.6 11.8 7.4 4.7 3.0
15 440 280 176 111 70 44 28 17.6 11.1 7.0 5.9
20   590 370 240 178 94 59 37 24 14.8 9.4 5.9

red=amount of co2 is too high   |   green=acceptable amount of co2   |   orange= CO2 IS TOO LOW


Degassing Chart

Acknowledgements:
My Thanks to Christine Bennett for allowing me to publish this work.
Thanks to Wö£fëñxXx on Planted Tank Forum for the above Dosing Regime Chart.

Sources:


“Ecology of the Planted Aquarium” by Diana Walstad, “Aquarium Plants” by Christel Kasselman & “Nature Aquarium World” by Takashi Amano