drjack
Member
TANK: Juwel Vision 180L ; Lighting: Juwel MultiLux LED Light Unit 92 cm, Day 19W - 2185 Lumens - 9000K, Nature 19W - 2185 Lumens - 6500K; Substrate: Caribsea Eco-Complete; Filtration: Juwel supplied Bioflow 3 internal (1000 lph) plus Eheim Ecco Pro 300 external (750 lph)
FISH 40: Panda Corydoras 2 ; Flag Tail Panda Corydoras 1 ; Cardinals 6 ; Glass Tetras 3 ; Rummy Nose Tetras 1; Kerri Blue Emperor Tetras 4; Congo Tetras 3; Dwarf Neon Blue Rainbows 2; Hengeli Raspora 6; White Fin Bentosi 2; Otocinclos 2; Marble Hatchets 2; Siamese Algae Eaters 2; Amano Shrimp 4; Assassin Snails
PLANTS 90: Aponogeton ulvaceus Bulb 2; Crinum Calamistratum 1; Nymphoides Hydrophylla "Taiwan" 10; Bacopa Caroliniana 10; Microsorum Pteropus 3, Cryptocoryene Undulata 'Broad Leaves' 9; Cryptocoryene Undulatus Brown 21; Alternanthera Reinckii “Pink” (Roseafolia) 10; Crinum Thaianum 1; Microsorum Pteropus Windelov 2; Limnobium Laevigatum 20
I have a low tech tank, no CO2. About a year ago I stopped 50 litre monthly water changes using RO water and just used conditioned (PRIME) tap water. I live in East Anglia and the water is described as very hard - total hardness 21odH. Also, about that time my T5 lights died and I had to replace them with a LED light unit. I am currently fertilising the tank with 20ml TNC complete weekly. I checked with the UKAPS calculator and that seemed about right.
Problems: since the enforced change of lighting and also maybe due to the change in water my tank became unstable. Plants that were fine now struggled and I have had to replace a lot of them with new types. I also have various algae problems, brown on the internal filter housing and green spot algae on the glass and leaves see photo. I have struggled to get the lighting above 5hrs 45mins/day it seems to increase algae growth. The plants never seem healthy, seem weedy, the cryptocoryenes don’t become dense maybe 5 to 6 leaves on each plant and change colour frequently a lack of stable growth. The other plants such as the Windelovs become “dirty” with algae at the ends of their leaves.
Does my lighting period and 20ml weekly of TNC complete with a 50L water change monthly seem okay? Or what changes would anyone recommend to stop the algae and create plants that are cleaner, more dense and healthy looking? I sort of feel it has to be ferts or lighting, but if I reduce the lighting any more I might affect plant growth.
Any help or advice really appreciated.