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Getting fed up...

RyanB

Seedling
Joined
10 Feb 2019
Messages
7
Location
Essex
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Evening all,

Would be good if someone could give some further advice on what to do about my algae issues. I have attached images to show what I’m talking about.
I’m starting to get really fed up with the algae.

Set up is currently:

Juwel Vision 180L
Standard twin T5 lighting
Light period: 7 hours
Minimal natural lighting as blinds are left closed most of the time.
Plain sand substrate.
Easy life root sticks.
Daily dose of the aquascaper complete fertiliser. (5ml)
Daily dose of Seachem Flourish Excel. (5ml)
Weekly water change approx 60%.
Medium stocking fish wise.
Filtered using Fluval 206. Filter maintained once a month.
Air pump runs 24/7.
Tank is mature. Well over a year.

So as can be seen from the images I have some BBA, Staghorn or Black Thread? and Brown Diatoms.

Around 4-5 weeks ago I introduced 5 otocinclus catfish and they have eaten a lot of the brown diatoms however some is still present on the Anubias and crypt leaves.

As per the image of my valisneria, lots of thread algae or stag horn? Is this due to it being right near the waters surface therefore very close to the light? I have spot dosed this with flourish excel and it did kill the algae but also killed the valisneria.

The roots on my anubias are covered in BBA and some of the hardscape also have bits here and there.

I get that I haven’t got it that bad as I have seen others with real big algae issues. But I have tried very hard and been patient with the tank and the plants and it still looks unpleasant close up.

If anyone has any more advice further to what I am already doing I would really appreciate it.

I have read some other posts where people are suggesting some stem plants to suck some of the excess nutrients out of the water? Correct me if I am wrong but doesn’t that counteract the point of adding liquid ferts?

Plant stocking is currently:

Anubias
Crypts
Java fern
Valisneria
Echinodorus Harbich
hygropgila

Thanks in advance!

Ryan
 
Possibly more than enough light, inadequate filter ( I use the same for my 80 liter) which results in an abundance of organics.

Adding ferts everyday for the plants you have is unecessary.

Excel is allegedly bad for Valisneria.

Is this a fake plant on the right side?

Get floating pants to make use of extra nutrients, increase filtration and water changes and decrease water dosing to once a week.
 
Having been also fed up many times and had a nano tank for months with plants like yours, people told me the basics over and over as my light was fine and I began over thinking things. Your light seems to be fine - and eventually I got it right and could see it was quite straight forward: flow and co2.

Your corner tank like my Trigon 350 is very hard for planted tanks to ensure circulation.

I would say up co2 gradually and check changes, and add a circulation pump like the Hydor ones to get a nice flow going would help immensely.

Will have to spot dose for BBA or remove infected leaves and water change until the balance of change establishes though.

Floating plants is a good shout for the less light demanding plants too while they get settled in.

Not all nutrients used from plants are good so they would still help filter nitrates and offer more plant mass to out perform algae. I would say that’s not the priority though as the changes above done bit by bit would allow you to pinpoint things which is key.

Changing too much means you could add new problems to fix.

Hope that helps.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Considering your tank is one year old and you are not injecting C02 it looks quite good!

However, I would say your algae is caused by to much light for the amount of availability C02 .

I have never used liquid C02 and I don’t know the max safe dose of Excel but I would check if you can up the dose.

I agree that floating plants would be a very good idea.
 
Yeah lighting is too much reduce it by at least an hour dose ferts every other day maybe add a couple of nerite snails to help with clean up. Maybe add a few more fast growing stems
 
Looks okay, but your light intensity is too high, 2 x T8 would be more than adequate. If your filter isn't up to the task of dealing with the organic load given off by the fish etc that could be adding to your problems.

The solution is to add floating plants and plant more in the substrate. Clean your filter more regularly and perform at least a 50% water change once a week. See how you go.

More plants would help soak up organics, inorganic fertz don't really cause algae.

Personally, I'd be tempted to strip it down and use a soil substrate and cap it with the sand, and plant very heavily from the outset. But then that's just me :)

If you haven't already, have a read of this Non CO2 Methods and this Soil Substrate Planted Tank, the latter will give you more on the basics of a planted tank common to both low and high energy systems.
 
Many thanks for the replies guys!

Very interesting reading Tim thanks for them links.

First things first I’m going to get ordering some more plants from AG. Surface plants and some more back/foreground fillers? Any suggestions based on what I have already?

I will lower lighting period by another hour to 6 hours.

Will my clown loaches have ago at nerite snails?
 
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