Help With Planted Tank

[Dj-damo]

Hi all

I am having issues with my planted tank, i set this up 3 months ago and the plants don't seem to be taking well, i even tried using HC as a foreground / carpet plant but this just became riddled with algae so i had to take it out.

Livestock
i have 20 harlequin rasboras, 20 neon tetras and 1 red tailed shark.

Equipment
Tank - 240 liters
Eheim 2078 professional 3e filter
Aquamanta EFX 400 filter
Vectron 600 UV sterilizer
RO filter for water
2 x Heaters
Water movement thingy!!
High tech co2 injection set at 2 BBS on 2hours before lights and off 2 hours before lights out.
Lighting on 12 hours a day.

I spoke to my LFS a month or so ago about my algea issues and they suggested using RO water without adding mineral salts and my GH was really high, about 24.
I have since then been doing weekly water changes of about 40 Liters.

Before my water change today these were the parameters

General hardness - 9
Carbonate hardness - 4.5
PH - 7
Ammonia -very small amount
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - very small amount.


After water change

General Hardness - 6
Carbonate hardness 4
PH - 6.5

I feel i have reduced these 3 categories to what they are supposed to be?? is this correct.

I have been using an algaecide that started working really well but now has no effect.

I have been dosing a plant fertilizer with no phosphate or nitrate in the mixture.

I am at a loss of what to do.

I do need to replenish the lighting and the uv bulb so that is my next step.

also woudl flourish excel help? is a nutrient and can i use this in conjunction with the co2

All help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Damien

some pics!!

 

[SO19Firearms]

Not had a detailed look at your specs but the stand out problems are 12 hours of light would be better at 6 if you have a problem and working up to 8 if you have it cracked.
Ammonia should be undetectable and as this causes algae generally needs sorting (Fish aren't that keen on it in a death kind of way too)
You've got CO2 and high light but no nitrate and phosphate to feed the plants = dead plants = ammonia = algae

They're the basics without looking in to what types of algae you have, but solve them first and get sorted.

Lower light, start feeding the plants with a proper fertiliser with nitrate and phosphate and all the other good stuff.

 

[Dj-damo]

Hi ya

ok so i have reduced the timer on the lighting to come on for only 6 hours a day. does my co2 need to reduced as that is also on a timer or should i leave on 24 hours?

i did a phospate reading this morning and it is very high, which i'm guessing is the reason for the algae issues. how do i reduce this (if i need to)

someone has suggested a dry fertilizer as this is apparently better than liquid ferts, also cheaper too!

http/www.ebay.co.u...#ht_2047wt_1163

here is the link. doesnt have much in the way of info though

i have just found another link and this seems quite interesting.

http/www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/dry-chemicals/starter-kits/ei-starter-kit-plus.html

http/www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3952

Thanks

Damien

 

[m_attt]

the way you have your outlets set up looks a problem aswell, they are all facing towards each other which will cause dead spots and turbulance. You wont both outlet spray bars on the back wall facing the front glass, same with the powerhead. then you want you co2 diffusser under this unless its inline.

more plant mass would help, and better ferts.

also move you drop checker around the tank, over the course of a day and check that its still lime green.

 

[SO19Firearms]

You want your CO2 to come on a couple of hours before lights on (or enough so your drop checker is lime green at lights on) you can turn it off an hour or so before light out.

I'd never buy a fertiliser that doesn't say what's in it.
Somebody will be able to recommend you something, or you could have a go at making your own fertiliser here

Phosphate and Nitrate doesn't cause algae.

EDIT: EI dosing is also a good choice if you can stick to it. there's a calculator in my sig for working out what you need to dose in a tank your size etc.

 

[Spurry]

Lighting on 12 hours a day.

As said this is to high

Before my water change today these were the parameters


Ammonia -very small amount

You should have 0


After water change

What was the ammonia

I have been dosing a plant fertilizer with no phosphate or nitrate in the mixture.

I think you need them when using co2

also woudl flourish excel help? is a nutrient and can i use this in conjunction with the co2

Dont think so carbon is for none co2 tanks as far as i no

someone has suggested a dry fertilizer as this is apparently better than liquid ferts, also cheaper too!

http/www.ebay.co.u...#ht_2047wt_1163

ive just got some of this and you mix it with water

 

[SO19Firearms]

You can use liquid carbon and co2 together. Plants will like it, wallet less so

 

[Dj-damo]

Hi guys just thought i would give an update....

i have replaced both bulbs 1 is a red sea max white 10 kelv rating (think more for reef tanks but did the website said it could be used for tropical. and the other a 6 kelv rating. tank doesnt seem that much brighter if at all. but will just have to wait and see if the plants like it or not
i have replaced the uv bulb,
i am dosing "easylife easy carbo
also i am dosing "easy life" alg exit, see if it actually works, and it better do bearing in mind the cost of it!
i have moved both spray bars to the back so they are facing the front of the tank and i have moved my powerhead to the back center just under the spray bars.
also i got a phospate pad to help lower my phospate as it is sky high!

i am toying with the ideas of replacing all the plants and starting from scratch again. but i will see how it goes!!

i do about a 30-50% water change a week, should i reduce this??

Thanks Guys

 

[SO19Firearms]

also i am dosing "easy life" alg exit, see if it actually works, and it better do bearing in mind the cost of it!
i have moved both spray bars to the back so they are facing the front of the tank and i have moved my powerhead to the back center just under the spray bars.
also i got a phospate pad to help lower my phospate as it is sky high!

It's probably better to identify the algae and get a good handle on what causes algae. Using products to control it is never really the answer as you're just throwing money at it short term. And without fixing the problem it will come back.
Doing stuff like removing phosphate tends to be a rookie error.

Have a look at the algae identification guide, see what algae you have and work from there.

IMO

 

[PJPJ]

I am also fairly sure I read the other day that UV sterilisers, although good to eradicate waterborne algaes, also effects the balance needed for good plant health.

You might want to consider switching this off, you are using other algae controls inc. both of the easy-life products, the carbo is an algaecide itself.

If you have any ammonia or nitrite then this will effect plant growth and boost algae growth, even at lowish amounts the plants can burn and appear to melt. Get the water quality under control and the plant-keeping will become so much easier.

The water changes are important for plant and fish health.

I am no CO2 expert but it seems the most popular setup is to have the CO2 switch on 1hour before lights on and at lights off. You could experience large PH swings and low O2 during the night if left on 24hours.

The tank is looking very nice all the same.