How to prevent algae on slow-growers?

[ElissaBee]

I have two slow-growing plants in my tank. Lobelia cardinalis and Cryptocoryne undulata. These are the only two plants that seem to attract algae, I suspect because they are slow-growing so don't get trimmed as often. It's mostly green spot algae. In the picture on the crypts in the lower right corner, you can see a leaf with some bright green spots. The Lobelia is in the center foreground, you can probably see some algae there too. The tiger lotus, Ludwigia, Bacopa, and java moss have zero algae whatsoever. Needless to say, seeing the algae on the other two plants drives me nuts. Is there a way to prevent this or should I just use all fast growing plants to the algae never has a chance? For reference this is a high-light tank with injected CO2.

 

[Retired Viking]

The two main factors in controlling algae is light and nutrients. For light the longer you leave on the light and the more intense the light the higher chance of algae. For nutrients the more in the water the higher the chance. You need to keep these two factors in mind to control algae. Fast growing plants can help by absorbing the nutrients. I have both fast floating and slow growth plants in my tetra tank. I also have nerite and ramshorn snails to keep it under control.

 

[seangee]

I have no experience with lobelia, but in my tanks crypts are not slow growing at all. But they are heavy root feeders. That plant does not look like it is getting sufficient nutrients for the light / CO2 level. Perhaps try some root tabs.

 

[Byron]

Agree with both members above. Algae only becomes problematical when the balance of light/nutrients is out. The light intensity and spectrum as factors, along with duration; intensity must bee sufficient for the plant species, and the spectrum is important for photosynthesis. Nutrients are likely the issue here; CO2 is one of 17 required nutrients, so the question is, are you supplementing the others?

Reducing the photoperiod can help, this too is a factor of the balance. When nuytrients are used up, any light beyond that point will encourage algae. There is a lot of algae on the end glass, not a problem per say but it does suggest a likely imbalance.

 

[ElissaBee]

Agree with both members above. Algae only becomes problematical when the balance of light/nutrients is out. The light intensity and spectrum as factors, along with duration; intensity must bee sufficient for the plant species, and the spectrum is important for photosynthesis. Nutrients are likely the issue here; CO2 is one of 17 required nutrients, so the question is, are you supplementing the others?

Reducing the photoperiod can help, this too is a factor of the balance. When nuytrients are used up, any light beyond that point will encourage algae. There is a lot of algae on the end glass, not a problem per say but it does suggest a likely imbalance.

Thanks all! I don't clean the algae from the side walls because my snail likes to graze there. So that algae has built up over time. I am dosing fertilizer at half a pump, 3x per week with NA Thrive (all-in-one). I also dose a capful of Excel 2-3 times per week. I don't see algae as a problem in my tank except for the older leaves on the Lobelia and Crypts. I have wondered if the crypts aren't doing as well because this is a really high-light tank. Maybe it's too much for them?

 

[Byron]

Thanks all! I don't clean the algae from the side walls because my snail likes to graze there. So that algae has built up over time. I am dosing fertilizer at half a pump, 3x per week with NA Thrive (all-in-one). I also dose a capful of Excel 2-3 times per week. I don't see algae as a problem in my tank except for the older leaves on the Lobelia and Crypts. I have wondered if the crypts aren't doing as well because this is a really high-light tank. Maybe it's too much for them?

Cryptocoryne species are moderate to low light plants which is why they are so often suggested for "natural" or low-tech tanks. The algae on them is without question due to the light which is obviously on for longer than the nutrients are available, but also being a slower growing plant there is less light/nutrients required.

Excel. This is a highly toxic substance, glutaraldehyde, which will kill some plants even at recommended doses, but if it is overdosed it will kill plants, fish and bacteria. It is used in hospitals to sterilize surgical instruments. It has no place in a fish tank. Dump it down the drain--or wait, no, don't do that, because it is so deadly toxic, instead dump it out in the garden in a spot that doesn't matter. Other members have reported getting skin burns when splashed with a drop or two of this chemical so be careful.

You do not need a "liquid carbon" anyway with diffused CO2, but even without CO2 there is no need for Excel (or the basically identical API CO2 Booster. Why reputable manufacturers produce something like this is beyond me.

I don't know the Thrive all-in-one, and a very cursory check online suggests it has most nutrients in it. Finding the balance with the light may be less easy.

 

[ElissaBee]

Cryptocoryne species are moderate to low light plants which is why they are so often suggested for "natural" or low-tech tanks. The algae on them is without question due to the light which is obviously on for longer than the nutrients are available, but also being a slower growing plant there is less light/nutrients required.

Excel. This is a highly toxic substance, glutaraldehyde, which will kill some plants even at recommended doses, but if it is overdosed it will kill plants, fish and bacteria. It is used in hospitals to sterilize surgical instruments. It has no place in a fish tank. Dump it down the drain--or wait, no, don't do that, because it is so deadly toxic, instead dump it out in the garden in a spot that doesn't matter. Other members have reported getting skin burns when splashed with a drop or two of this chemical so be careful.

You do not need a "liquid carbon" anyway with diffused CO2, but even without CO2 there is no need for Excel (or the basically identical API CO2 Booster. Why reputable manufacturers produce something like this is beyond me.

I don't know the Thrive all-in-one, and a very cursory check online suggests it has most nutrients in it. Finding the balance with the light may be less easy.

Wow thank you for this reply. I did not know that about excel. It's just what I learned from my local aquatic plant club when I got into this hobby more than ten years ago. I just recently got back into the hobby after a 7 year hiatus and went back to what worked for me way back when. Maybe I should take the clip light off this tank and see how things go with just the 24/7 and without the excel. Thank you!

 

[Byron]

Wow thank you for this reply. I did not know that about excel. It's just what I learned from my local aquatic plant club when I got into this hobby more than ten years ago. I just recently got back into the hobby after a 7 year hiatus and went back to what worked for me way back when. Maybe I should take the clip light off this tank and see how things go with just the 24/7 and without the excel. Thank you!

Not sure I follow this...what is "24/7" mean? Light in addition to the "clip on" light? If you are injecting CO2 you will need fairly intense light to balance or the CO2 will cause algae problems. Same for any nutrient dosing. Reducing the duration of the light each day may reset the balance.

 

[Tony blazer]

As Viking stated
1. Too much light in your tank
2. Get some floating plants on the surface to help absorb some of the nutrients as well as blocking out some of the light. Great plants are anacharis, water spirit, water wisteria (some fish will eat these plants is it's like lettuce lol). Cabomba caroliniana and hornworth.
3. definitely reduce the amount of fertilizer you put in your tank it will increase additional algae growth for sure. I use flourish 1/2 to 3/4 recommended dose depending on the percentage of water change I'm doing that week. Typically 18 to 27% anywhere from 10 to 15 gallons in my 55 gallon tank every 7 to 10 days.
4. Do you have any fish that like to eat algae like swordtails platies Molly's and suckers/plecos. FYI plecos can get very big so pick a species wisely for your size aquarium. I personally love the Chinese algae eater very active very efficient can get around 5-6 inches in the aquarium and sometimes can get a little aggressive as they get older I have never had a bad experience with a Chinese algae eater. A more peaceful variant of an algae eater would be a Siamese algae eater. Some rubber lip or bristlenose plecos stay on the small side as well. Stay away from common plecos they can get extremely large and will outgrow most aquariums under a hundred gallons

I like your aquascape just reduce your hours of like I know that's a pain in the ass because he want to watch our fish when we're home and reduce the amount of fertilizer I think that will solve your problem.

I would also look into getting an LED light which you can control the light spectrum with a 24-hour light cycle. you can reduce the amount of light in the tank but not cut down the amount of hours your lights on so you can still enjoy your fish when your home

 

[ElissaBee]

Not sure I follow this...what is "24/7" mean? Light in addition to the "clip on" light? If you are injecting CO2 you will need fairly intense light to balance or the CO2 will cause algae problems. Same for any nutrient dosing. Reducing the duration of the light each day may reset the balance.

The light fixture is called the Finnex Planted+ 24/7. It doesn't mean it's on 24 hours a day. It's a programmable LED that mimics sunrise, mid-day, afternoon, and sunset. In addition I do have the clip light on for 8 hours. It's too small for the tank but I had it so I use it. As I mentioned, the algae isn't out of control. Most of the plants in my tank are completely algae free other than a few crypt leaves and the Lobelia.

 

[ElissaBee]

As Viking stated
1. Too much light in your tank
2. Get some floating plants on the surface to help absorb some of the nutrients as well as blocking out some of the light. Great plants are anacharis, water spirit, water wisteria (some fish will eat these plants is it's like lettuce lol). Cabomba caroliniana and hornworth.
3. definitely reduce the amount of fertilizer you put in your tank it will increase additional algae growth for sure. I use flourish 1/2 to 3/4 recommended dose depending on the percentage of water change I'm doing that week. Typically 18 to 27% anywhere from 10 to 15 gallons in my 55 gallon tank every 7 to 10 days.
4. Do you have any fish that like to eat algae like swordtails platies Molly's and suckers/plecos. FYI plecos can get very big so pick a species wisely for your size aquarium. I personally love the Chinese algae eater very active very efficient can get around 5-6 inches in the aquarium and sometimes can get a little aggressive as they get older I have never had a bad experience with a Chinese algae eater. A more peaceful variant of an algae eater would be a Siamese algae eater. Some rubber lip or bristlenose plecos stay on the small side as well. Stay away from common plecos they can get extremely large and will outgrow most aquariums under a hundred gallons

I like your aquascape just reduce your hours of like I know that's a pain in the ass because he want to watch our fish when we're home and reduce the amount of fertilizer I think that will solve your problem.

I would also look into getting an LED light which you can control the light spectrum with a 24-hour light cycle. you can reduce the amount of light in the tank but not cut down the amount of hours your lights on so you can still enjoy your fish when your home

I guess I'm not being clear in my posts here. I am really not having a problem with algae. A few crypt leaves and the older leaves on the Lobelia have algae on them. But the rest of the plants (which are 90 percent of the plants in the tank) are pristine with no algae at all. I have a mystery snail and amano shrimp. Not really interested in swordtails and platies, etc. Everything i have living in the tank is listed in my signature.

The LED I have is programmable and mimics sunrise, midday, afternoon, and sunset. "Sunrise" is at 11am and it goes through a 24 hour cycle. I set it that way so I can enjoy the tank when I'm home. It's called the Finnex Planted+ 24/7. I also have a FugeRay LED clip light on the tank. It's a really small one, originally intended for a 5 gallon tank. It's on for about 7 hours a day. I just put it up there to cover the rear of the tank which seemed to be in shadow with just the programmable LED.

 

[Byron]

The light fixture is called the Finnex Planted+ 24/7. It doesn't mean it's on 24 hours a day. It's a programmable LED that mimics sunrise, mid-day, afternoon, and sunset. In addition I do have the clip light on for 8 hours. It's too small for the tank but I had it so I use it. As I mentioned, the algae isn't out of control. Most of the plants in my tank are completely algae free other than a few crypt leaves and the Lobelia.

The Finnex is a good lighting unit from what others have reported. You should not need additional light like the clip-on. Removing this may be all that is needed. The algae on the crypts is not insignificant, by which I mean it is worth looking into, and floating plants would help here.

 

[ElissaBee]

The Finnex is a good lighting unit from what others have reported. You should not need additional light like the clip-on. Removing this may be all that is needed. The algae on the crypts is not insignificant, by which I mean it is worth looking into, and floating plants would help here.

Thanks, I'll give it a try and remove the clip light.

 

[Tony blazer]

You have a nice light system in the tank I don't know why you needed a second light as Byron said remove it.

if you don't really have an algae problem I would just remove the plants during your next water change or substrate cleaning lightly rinse the plants in a bucket of tank water and see if you have the same issue with those plants before you adjust any light schedule or any maintenance routine or fertilizer you put into your tank.

If you don't have an algae problem and only on that particular plants I would not change anything you're doing to your tank if it's not broken don't fix it is my motto.

 

[ElissaBee]

You have a nice light system in the tank I don't know why you needed a second light as Byron said remove it.

if you don't really have an algae problem I would just remove the plants during your next water change or substrate cleaning lightly rinse the plants in a bucket of tank water and see if you have the same issue with those plants before you adjust any light schedule or any maintenance routine or fertilizer you put into your tank.

If you don't have an algae problem and only on that particular plants I would not change anything you're doing to your tank if it's not broken don't fix it is my motto.

I only added the clip light because the back quarter of the tank seemed to be in the dark. I'm going to remove the clip light for a few days and see how it goes. The Norman's Lampeye Killies might appreciate a little more shade. I just hope my Ludwigia doesn't lose that amazing red color.