nry
Member
I'm back
To the point - I don't think I've ever managed to keep my tank algae free, or at least with minimal issues, in all the times it has been re-scaped.
I'm going to re-scape again in the next week or two - I always regretted buying the 30cm height (54L) Juwel Rekord tank instead of the taller 70L one - I happened to find someone had thrown a perfect one in the skip at work so it has been rescued and will replace my current 54L one. My setup will be as follows:
* 60w x 30d x 45h 70 litre aquarium
* TetraTec EX600 filter - 600 litres per hour book spec. connected to glass lily/inlet pipes
* 2 x 15w T8 tubes on timer
* Pressurised CO2 via FE/inline diffuser on timer
* Tetra Complete substrate topped with 3mm Dorset gravel
* Koralia Nano on timer with CO2
I have some Redmoor wood on the way from AE and am looking to plant mainly crypts with a eleocharis mini carpet.
I follow the full EI scheme using powders (inc. trace) mixed with water from Fluid Sensor, weighed and dosed to their supplied specifications. 50% water change on Monday evening each week. Filter cleaned every 4 weeks (sometimes 5 if I forget which week).
Not sure on fish stock yet, I'll worry about that once the scape and plants have settled in nicely - there will be some cherry shrimp in from day one since I have plenty.
What I always find is that initially things always start off well. Algae ever seems to rear its head until maybe 3-5 months into the scape. At present BBA loves my current substrate (FloraBase) and rocks, though it doesn't bother the plants much. I have some thread algae on the vallis.
CO2 is as high as I can get it without the fish gasping. I did have some manzanita wood in but like the rocks, it was impossible to keep algae free, BBA coated it and it looked very messy.
Lights are on for a single 7hr photo period, 3pm through to 10pm. CO2 is on from 12pm to 10pm.
Overall I am confused as to what I'm doing wrong - the filtration is perhaps low for the tank size given the 600lph may well end up halfed, so as recommendations are for 10x volume per hour, I'm hitting half that. The Koralia should have helped here, but overall it didn't have a major impact on reducing algae.
Suggestions welcome - having the taller tank will mean the lighting moves further away from the substrate/lower plant leaves. I'm just looking to keep things more algae free like many of you on here appear to achieve, yet I never seem to manage! I was close to ditching the tank this time around, but my kids persuaded me to have one more go as they love having the fish
To the point - I don't think I've ever managed to keep my tank algae free, or at least with minimal issues, in all the times it has been re-scaped.
I'm going to re-scape again in the next week or two - I always regretted buying the 30cm height (54L) Juwel Rekord tank instead of the taller 70L one - I happened to find someone had thrown a perfect one in the skip at work so it has been rescued and will replace my current 54L one. My setup will be as follows:
* 60w x 30d x 45h 70 litre aquarium
* TetraTec EX600 filter - 600 litres per hour book spec. connected to glass lily/inlet pipes
* 2 x 15w T8 tubes on timer
* Pressurised CO2 via FE/inline diffuser on timer
* Tetra Complete substrate topped with 3mm Dorset gravel
* Koralia Nano on timer with CO2
I have some Redmoor wood on the way from AE and am looking to plant mainly crypts with a eleocharis mini carpet.
I follow the full EI scheme using powders (inc. trace) mixed with water from Fluid Sensor, weighed and dosed to their supplied specifications. 50% water change on Monday evening each week. Filter cleaned every 4 weeks (sometimes 5 if I forget which week).
Not sure on fish stock yet, I'll worry about that once the scape and plants have settled in nicely - there will be some cherry shrimp in from day one since I have plenty.
What I always find is that initially things always start off well. Algae ever seems to rear its head until maybe 3-5 months into the scape. At present BBA loves my current substrate (FloraBase) and rocks, though it doesn't bother the plants much. I have some thread algae on the vallis.
CO2 is as high as I can get it without the fish gasping. I did have some manzanita wood in but like the rocks, it was impossible to keep algae free, BBA coated it and it looked very messy.
Lights are on for a single 7hr photo period, 3pm through to 10pm. CO2 is on from 12pm to 10pm.
Overall I am confused as to what I'm doing wrong - the filtration is perhaps low for the tank size given the 600lph may well end up halfed, so as recommendations are for 10x volume per hour, I'm hitting half that. The Koralia should have helped here, but overall it didn't have a major impact on reducing algae.
Suggestions welcome - having the taller tank will mean the lighting moves further away from the substrate/lower plant leaves. I'm just looking to keep things more algae free like many of you on here appear to achieve, yet I never seem to manage! I was close to ditching the tank this time around, but my kids persuaded me to have one more go as they love having the fish