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Brown unhealthy plants in low tech

Emyr

Member
Joined
20 Jul 2011
Messages
343
Location
London
My low-tech 30l CRS cube has been set-up for about 2 months now and is fully cycled with 20 CRS shrimp. A lot of the leaves are covered in what looks like brown / diatom algae. Seem to be a lot of mixed messages about how to cure (as with all things planted tanks). Could this be from not enough light?

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I'm using remineralized RO water
No CO2
Temp: 23c
Nitrates: Around 10ppm
Ammonia and nitrite: 0
Lighting: 6h from a Twinstar LED at 50% intensity
GH: Around 6
KH: 0-3
Dosing: Half a squirt of tropica specialised once a week (1ml)

Any advice or remedial suggestions very much appreciated.
 
Last edited:
Honestly the only thing your missing to this awesome setup is some co2. That would probably fix your issue or... more water changes. I do about 2 50% water changed every week on my tanks that dont have co2.
 
Generally lowering light intensity and keeping the tank and filter clean is beneficial. Plant some limnophila sessiliflora to outcompete the algae.
Get 3 otocinclus to eat this algae. Avoid ancistrus because they can go after plants a lot more aggressively and they are too big for a 30l.
 
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