I have a Juwel Vision 180 with upgraded T5 lighting and reflectors, a JBL Pro-Flora CO2 system and additional Fluval 206 external power filter. The lights are on 6 hours a day and the CO2 comes on an hour before the lights and goes off an hourbefore the lights go off. The substrate is Amazonas Aquasoil. The aquarium receives no natural daylight and is currently stocked with 12 Lemon Tetra, six Neons and two Bristlenose Catfish.
The plants grow well but I have horrendous problems with algae. I have sheets of blue-green algae developing constantly across the upper levels of the aquarium coating all the plants, on the rocks, bogwood and aquarium equipment at lower levels I have black brush algae and the aquarium glass constantly covered in green-brown algae. Some of the bogwood is also showing a strange branching white growth I have never seen before. I have deliberately kept stocking levels low and have tried regular water changes without success. My water test kit shows the following readings - Ammonia 1.0, Nitrate 50, Nitrite 0.5, GH 125, KH 50, pH 7.2.
I have no idea what is going wrong. I was advised on another forum that the introduction of CO2 would solve all algae problems as the plants would out-compete algae but the algae is worse now than it ever was before. The plants are growing much more strongly and not disintegrating as before the CO2 system was installed but everything looks so disappointing because of the algae. I have attached some photos. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm almost thinking of giving up on the plants......
The plants grow well but I have horrendous problems with algae. I have sheets of blue-green algae developing constantly across the upper levels of the aquarium coating all the plants, on the rocks, bogwood and aquarium equipment at lower levels I have black brush algae and the aquarium glass constantly covered in green-brown algae. Some of the bogwood is also showing a strange branching white growth I have never seen before. I have deliberately kept stocking levels low and have tried regular water changes without success. My water test kit shows the following readings - Ammonia 1.0, Nitrate 50, Nitrite 0.5, GH 125, KH 50, pH 7.2.
I have no idea what is going wrong. I was advised on another forum that the introduction of CO2 would solve all algae problems as the plants would out-compete algae but the algae is worse now than it ever was before. The plants are growing much more strongly and not disintegrating as before the CO2 system was installed but everything looks so disappointing because of the algae. I have attached some photos. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm almost thinking of giving up on the plants......