Algae in low-tech tank? LED lighting related?

[Emyr]

I set this tank up a while ago with my AquaFX lighting unit 15W (equivalent to a 24W fluorescent) Eheim ecco pro 130 and standard (very hard) tap water, a few fish and bogwood with Anubias on it I didn't dose the tank at all.

I was hoping the Anubias would grow in nicely and I could use it again in another proper scape. However it didn't, it really didn't do well at all and looked as if it was dying off.

The algae in there got out of control and was horrible, particularly on the back wall where I fixed the lighting bar (shining in off the back wall forwards) I could never work out what caused the algae and am slighting worried about the lighting bar as I was planning on using it in my new tank.

Anyone have any thoughts on this one? Thanks.

 

[CeeJay]

Hi Emyr

I didn't dose the tank at all.

There's the start of your problem.

Anubias, although slow growing, still need feeding. You can see in pic 2 & 3 that the leaves are clearly failing.
Also, these new style 'high output' LED's do put out a fair amount of light for their given wattage. Probably too much for a low tech arrangement, unless you diffuse the light somehow.
I would have a clean up and start dosing.

 

[Iain Sutherland]

Hi , As chris has said all plants need to be fed or they fail giving algae the opportunity to feed of the leaching nutrients from the leaves and bloom.
As far as light goes, light is light no matter where it comes from its just about the intensity of that light. You say the algae is worst on the back glass which is also where you say the light is pointing which tells you what some of the problem is. Some LED's are quite intense at point of source, you should raise the light up rather than right at the water line so an even spread is achieved across the tank.

To move forward i would suggest raising the light substantially, have a massive scrub down with very large water change, maybe 90%, trim off all the damaged leaves on the plants as they wont ever repair themselves and only add to the problem and start dosing. Also adding some fast growing stems while you tank stabilizes will help no end in the fight.

All the best.

 

[Emyr]

Thanks for your responses Chris and Iain.
I knew it was something to do with the relationship between the lights and other elements. I have shut this tank down completely now so don't need to worry about sorting it out. I have now learnt and realised from your responses that the light intensity will probably be to much for my new low-tech Dwarf puffer tank, which you may have seen. So it will need to be reduced, which I can do on the controller. I will also be positioning it above the tank in a new housing I built for it so the spread will be much more even and not directed as you say at the back wall where there was a huge light intensity.