• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Very neglected tank...

Myrtle

Member
Joined
21 Aug 2008
Messages
827
Location
Basingstoke
It's been a while since I've been on here as my tank had been ticking over ok. However due to a severe shortage of money I have been unable to replenish my TPN+ which ran out some time ago (as well as the CO2 :arghh: ) and as the substrate has been in for over a year it is looking very sad in there :thumbdown: . Algae has taken over and many of the plants are beginning to give up except the crypts and anubias. The fish are all healthy though!
Can anyone suggest a very cheap way to revitalise my tank? I can't afford to replace the substrate so it'll have to last a fair while longer so would starting the TPN+ again suffice or would I need to start again?
Thanks, Jo
 
Hi jo
if you could afford some tropica plant capsules they last for six to twelve months depending on plant species,this would save you from changing your substrate,as for the algae issues you have plenty of water changes will help and maybe reduce your photo period a little,If you could afford some easy carbo that would help too,

john
 
Thanks, some of the plants are going to have to go as they are too far gone but I'll try the capsules and see how that does. I have vallis so I don't know if easy carbo would work but were having our FE serviced soon at work so I'll have a word and see if they have a spare! The algae is all over the leaf edges abt 1cm long (a lot longer in places) and is grey looking. It seems to have left the crypts alone, it's just on everything else!
 
I don't really think you need to spend anything. You say the Crypts and Anubias are doing well and that would say to me there is enough nutrient in the tank.

You could take the hardscape and plants out empty and give the subtrate a good stir up and then put a fresh layer of cheap gravel or sand on top to make it cleaner and then go the non CO2 route. Lower light, non CO2 at all, decent filtration and no water changes.

AC
 
Hi,

By the sounds of things me and you are have been in the same boat. I went the Dennerle root for my CO2 system, little did i know that Dennerle regulators only fit Dennerle CO2 canisters - sneaky buggers! These are quite hard to get hold of, i finally found them on zoo plus but they don't accept my lowely visa debit so i had to apply for a 'proper' credit card to buy them, finally 3 weeks after i ran out of CO2 i could order some more. During this period i reduced lighting and ferts (3 parts TPN, 2 parts TPN+) and dosed easy carbo, that was 3 months ago. The picture in my sig is what it was like before the problems, it has been a fighting struggle ever since, i completely lost my beautiful carpet of HC whilst the java moss, V.Nana, Anubias Barteri and bleheri were consumed by brush algae, 50% water changes twice a week, constant algae removel and trimming and going back to the nutrient and lighting regime of old has not been enough so far, the algae is now even taking hold on fast growing Cabomba and suprisingly the only plant left untouched is my Blyxa Japonica. I have accepted defeat and i'm not far off stripping it all and starting over. However, like you my fish are the picture of good health - so not all bad then aye :)

I do not envy your task but the best of luck to you.
 
It's depressing isn't it? My tank looks horribly bare right now as the worst affected plants have beem removed, namely the hygro which was everywhere but reduced mostly to algae covered stalks. I have a new FE and am now ordering the ferts so hopefully things will be back on track soon. Now I have to convince myself that I don't want to totally rescape (even though I do!) as I can't afford it!
 
Yeh i know what you mean, all the hard work, the hours, the precision, blood, sweat, (no tears as yet, very close though:) and then it all gets ruined. I hope you have better luck than me in getting rid of the algae, i would recommend you use easy carbo or excel, it does seem to act as a light algaecide.
 
hi,
sorry for a late comment on this, but have just stumbled upon this thread and might be able to save you some money.
i have 2 dennerle twin gauge regs (profi), one is 5 years old the other is 18 (neither were used for a few years until the beginning of this one) and both work as good as the day i bought them, touch wood. they attach straight to fe's, so i assume you must be talking about the nano set, which i also bought at the beginning of the year, to set up a nano, i was still in the condition of being brainwashed. at the same time i purchased an adaptor made by/branded dennerle, at the exhorbitant price (like most of their products) of 14 quid, which allows the pressure reducer to also be attached to fe's. though i think the adaptor paid for itself at the first refill, especially as my job sometimes entails stripping out supermarkets for refurb! :oops:

3995791383_56c94f60b6.jpg


cheers and thanx,
bazz!
 
Back
Top