Help with a couple of issues

[blinky]

I've recently upped my planting, renewing old plants that had algae all over them with some new ones. Im using liquid CO2 (Easy Life EasyCarb) once a day and have fertiliser - TNC, that is about to run out at which point I will switch to Easy-Life Profito.
One of the plants is starting to get the same algae on it as my old ones and another has holes developing. Overall the plants seem to be doing well and I can see new leaves forming so maybe this is natural? The plants have been in for between 1 and 2 weeks. The tank LED lighting is on between 11am and 9pm. Any help/advice would be great as I feel the tank is now starting to lok really good and I want to keep it that way.

 

[tigertim]

I'd stick with Tnc as the fertiliser, why change if things are starting to look good ?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

and another has holes developing.

The holes in the Echinodorus and Anubias leaves look like mechanical damage, <"possibly by the Loaches"> or <"the Severum"> or the <"Buenos Aires Tetra">?

I'd stick with Tnc as the fertiliser,

I'd be tempted to stick with the TNC, is it the "TNC Complete"? I'm <"too mean to buy "aquarium" fertilisers">, but I think the "TNC complete" is <"reasonably priced"> and effective.

I will switch to Easy-Life Profito.

I know says it is, but it isn't a complete fertiliser, it is a <"micro-element mix">.

liquid CO2 (Easy Life EasyCarb)

I've never used liquid carbon supplements (or CO2), but they can only aid growth if all of the other nutrients are in place and personally I'd stop using it.

cheers Darrel

 

[blinky]

What about the algae forming on the leaves? I bought a 2 pack of the liquid carbon and the fertiliser (the easy life stuff) for a good price from Amazon. Happy to go back to TNC once they are finished and stop using liquid carbon if thats not doing much good. Its TNC Lite I have at the moment, wonder if thats why I get algae and the leaves going brown, is it missing something?

 

[blinky]

Sorry, should have said thanks for the help so far!

 

[tigertim]

Its TNC Lite I have at the moment, wonder if thats why I get algae and the leaves going brown, is it missing something?

That could quite possibly be the case, higher Nitrate and Phosphate are often recommended for certain Algea problems, Tnc complete is as good as any fertiliser, its what i use with good results.
I also ditched liquid carbon as it made no difference tbh.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

What about the algae forming on the leaves?

Personally <"I use snails">, which I appreciate isn't an option for you (because of the Loaches). The liquid carbon may help with some algae, it <"is a biocide">, which is why it deters algae (and damages Vallisneria etc). Because I'm a snail fan, I've never really tried other approaches.

Its TNC Lite I have at the moment, wonder if thats why I get algae and the leaves going brown, is it missing something?

Yes, possibly, I'd try the TNC Complete.

I like to add all the plant nutrients <"The scientific background to the "Leaf Colour Chart"">, it just removes <"most of the guesswork">.

The idea behind the <"Duckweed Index"> was that you could use the <"growth and leaf colour of a floating plant"> as an indication of when to add nutrients. I've used it for ~20 years, the only real change has been to use <"Amazon Frogbit"> (Limnobium laevigatum) as an improved "Duckweed".

cheers Darrel

 

[blinky]

TNC Complete has been ordered! what do I do with the EasyLife Profito? Can I add that as well or alternate week about?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

TNC Complete has been ordered! what do I do with the EasyLife Profito? Can I add that as well

You can, it isn't going to do any harm.

or alternate week about?

I'd probably go with the TNC Complete every week, you may find you can reduce dosing over time. If you have a conductivity (TDS) meter you can use that to get a <"conductivity datum"> range, or you can use <"plant health">, or a <"combination of both">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Jaseon]

Is it true that plants are more susceptible to algae if their immune systems are compromised through lack of nutrients? Kind of like us, and disease if we lack certain vitamins/ minerals?

I encourage my father in law to add more plants to his tanks. He had difficulty with them in the past, but i explained that they wont do well without the proper nutrients so hes dosing with TNC complete as well.

He did have some BBA on his plants, and they were not doing well, but since dosing with TNC its made a massive difference, and the algae has disappeared....sounds like an advert...i dont work for TNC honest LOL.