Tank imbalance, all sorts of algae

[CaptainBarnicles]

Ammonia : 0
Nitrite : 0
Nitrate : 5
PH : 8
Hardness out the tap : liquid rock (see photo)
Temp : 82

We've been struggling with covid over the last 3 weeks so I've been slacking a bit with maintenance admittedly...having a good look today and it's an absolute mess with algae of all types...I can see green spot on the glass, staghorn on some of the plants and the dreaded black beard all over the rocks and some leaves. I'm pretty sure there's cyanobacteria in here as well

I dose TNC lite which I should have stopped when I changed over my lights but didn't think I'll include what my lights are running on.

I've noticed as well that my 3 sunset dwarf rainbow fish are acting very peculiar....they're swimming against the filter flow and one female swims in circles....they have excess slime coat so something is irritating them....everyone else appear as normal.... 50% water changes down every week and substrate is disturbed. I've tried to net them to stick them in the hospital tank, figure I'd dose some salt but they're too quick to catch and don't want to stress them out further help please!

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Bump

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Salt the tank.
Lose the red and blue light.
Lots of watr changes.

(Hope the Covid is under some sort of control for you and yours).

The swimming into the current suggests discomfort with the water. Do you have bubblers?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I did think about salting the tank but I was worried about the plants? If they turn to mush I'm blaming you

I'm waiting on an airstone bar to arrive as I thought the same with the high plant load....funny how its only the sunsets and no one else?

 

[Colin_T]

reduce light and nutrients and do some water changes

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I did think about salting the tank but I was worried about the plants? If they turn to mush I'm blaming you

I'm waiting on an airstone bar to arrive as I thought the same with the high plant load....funny how its only the sunsets and no one else?

Higher plants are way more resistant to salt than algae, so...
Blame me...go ahead, everyone else does!

The sunsets are a different species from the others. Sorry to sound as if I'm stating the obvious, but it is often as simple as that.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

One thing looking at your full tank photo you have the intake and output of the canister filter in one corner and it looks like that is the only water flow?
(I'm on mobile so can't see well).

Part of the issue if this is the case could be too many dead spots and not enough water circulation.
Depending in your fish requirements a small, low powered powerhead or pump with a spray bar on the other side of the tank might help.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

One thing looking at your full tank photo you have the intake and output of the canister filter in one corner and it looks like that is the only water flow?
(I'm on mobile so can't see well).

Part of the issue if this is the case could be too many dead spots and not enough water circulation.
Depending in your fish requirements a small, low powered powerhead or pump with a spray bar on the other side of the tank might help.

Yup, it's the one criticism I have for the tank...the filter comes through the bottom of the tank (which is cool but inconvenient) so the circulation isn't great, there is movement on the plants on the other side of the tank buy its not substantial...do you have a powerhead recommendation?

 

[xxBarneyxx]

do you have a powerhead recommendation?

Honestly will depend on what your fish can deal with.

Safe option would be a small pump with a bit of pipe going into a spraybar. Can make that fairly compact without having to much direct flow. One of the 400lph newjet brand pumps would probably be enough and is small enough to hide behind something.

Newjet is a pretty cheap brand but I have a few of their pumps that I have used in fresh and salt water for years and they are still kicking.

It might not 100% solve the issue but I have seen dead spots in my own tanks become an issue.

You do have pretty bright lighting as well but are not dosing nutrients and don't have a lot of high light requiring plants. For the amount of plants you have I would cut the intensity of the lights down a little and reduce the photoperiod to between 6-8 hours total.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

@Byron ....please have a look at this previous thread

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

@Byron ....please have a look at this previous thread

This is about algae control...nothing useful in saving floating plants in here.

 

[Byron]

@Byron ....please have a look at this previous thread

You've lost me, sorry. Algae problem here though is light/nutrient balance again, as it always is. If that is what you were after?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

You've lost me, sorry. Algae problem here though is light/nutrient balance again, as it always is. If that is what you were after?

I referred you here as you suggested I keep going with the ferts...looking at this thread you can understand why I can't another moment

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

This is about algae control...nothing useful in saving floating plants in here.

Yes I know, I wrote the thread

 

[Byron]

I referred you here as you suggested I keep going with the ferts...looking at this thread you can understand why I can't another moment

TNC Lite should not cause algae like this, unless it is being overdosed, or the light is not sufficient to balance.