algae issue

Following this with interest. Please keep us posted wrt plant growth as well.

Interested cos I'm doing the exact opposite to you in a similar sized, also new tank. No dosing at all, but more light. (412w for 13hrs +100w 3hrs). I had a short stint of brown algae and now a little cyano, but nothing to write home about.

 

Will do. Will post some pics tonight of the tank.
You wont see any affected areas on pics as i have cut them off.

Anyway plants are growing really well and did some planting with the clean trimmings.
Also got an amazing spotted loach and lost 4 fish due to me not putting on the grid on the bottom of the boyu filter..Doh

Will be getting another 100 or so fish and 40 plants once my bba is sorted.

 

Time for an update!

Well the BBA is finally subsiding and balance is starting which is really making everything bloom well.
It seems i have learned a lot more than expected with this algae breakout and even though its a pain its relative to understanding planted aquariums.

Firstly the algae seemed to have been caused primarily because of the nitrate being so high; i don't think nitrate has a direct effect on algae spores but
rather causing a imbalance as a whole in the tank. I did take a few other measures which included turning down the light slightly, feeding the fish far less food as good food is nutrient rich
and not feeding the fish any wafers for 2 weeks; finally they resorted to eating the algae.

I do think the testers were extremely useful and should have done this a while back!

On another topic, i received the LED 50W flood light and have been running it in conjunction with my 112w Flour lights for the same time period and i must say it has really made a difference. Since the floodlight is only on the one side of the tank i have not seen and negatives to this light which includes algae. The plants are growing extremely fast and the Ludwigia is turning bright red. the light has been running for 2 weeks now and it's really been fantastic.

It also gives a really great reflection on the tank base with fish shadows.

On another note, regarding the rule of thumb being 2.5W p/g, this really must be taken as a guide and not a set in stone figure as i am having to turn down 112w of flour lighting in almost 600L. I have a range of plants growing in the tank like Rotala Willichi and Tonina Fluviatilis and they grow perfectly.