Rampant Algae

[Belltrain]

Yea... the algae has been getting out of hand... Thankyou for letting me know the types. When you say excel you just mean the liquid bottled version? The tank is blacked out *properly* right now so it's going to be another 3 days. I'm going to trim the plants and try and get rid of the algae after the blackout. But it's an uphill battle

 

[myswtsins]

Yes regular liquid excel. Or you can use metricide 14, same active ingredient but WAY cheaper. It is a little stronger then excel so adjust accordingly.

I wish I replied sooner so you could have hit the algae before the blackout but here we are. We are rooting for you!

 

[Belltrain]

Okay sounds good. Yea I wish I caught that before I put the tank in blackout. Right now on day 2. Havnt peaked at it yet so I'm curious. But on a really good but unrelated note before I did a W/C and put the tank in blackout I was inspecting my corys barbels and they are repairing! I guess the melafix is working and it was a bacterial infection!

 

[Aqua nut]

If I may add to this...
I agree with almost everyone's posts, all great info.
My advice 50 percent water change, add double the amount of carbon (removes nutrients in water column)
As normal. Buy Otto cats, some snails, a siamese algae eater or 2, and pick up some Seachem flourish excell.
Don't overdose the tank, but dose EVERY day.

Did you dirt the tank? I did that once and it took me a year to get that tank balanced. Also it will all work out, and wish you best of success with your tank.
Buy stem plants, lots of them they will also help out compete algae.

 

[Belltrain]

Thankyou Aqua nut for joining in this fight to get my tank looking great! So your saying double the excel dosing? I just did a 40% water change before the blackout but I will do another after. Unfortunately the only LFS near me when I bought 4 ottos they where very emaciated and 2 died right away. I tested the water everything fine maybe I was rough with the acclimation? Idk...anywho I was not happy with the Otto stock but it's okay 2 alive and hopefully repairing. I also have 2 Amanos in there but no one else has stock of them near me. I want a SAE but no one has them and I think they might outgrow my tank. What do you mean by dirt the tank?

 

[Aqua nut]

What kind of substrate did you you use?

 

[FreshyFresh]

The substrate you use can effect your cory's barbles. They'll shorten up on gravel or chunkier, sharper substrates. Ottos should be fed sinking veggie goodness, or be placed in long established tanks with lots of tasty bio films for them to skim.

 

[Belltrain]

What kind of substrate did you you use?

I used Eco complete planted substrate. Other members on the forum here said they have kept corys on that substrate. I'm going to add sand soon though once I have the money. On a good note I'm almost off work and it's my weekend! Oh also the tank comes out of blackout tommorro . Stoked to see all my finned friends again.

 

[Belltrain]

Today is the unveiling! I have to say it looks a lot better ! Almost all the algae is gone from the wisteria. There is still quite a bit on the anacharis unfortunately. I'm going to be changing gears. My dream for a wall of anacharis as the background is fading... In light of what I've learned from this form I'm going to get more rooted plants to out compete the algae. More wisteria will be nice and I'll see what else I can find. I will still keep the healthy anacharis, and maybe it will keep growing. I'm also open to it being a floating plant to diffuse light. All the fish look great! Going to give them a nice brine shrimp treat for doing so well in the blackout.

P.s. Sorry about the glare and bad quality picture...

 

[myswtsins]

Glad the blackout helped! You still should do some of those other treatments we talked about now though or your existing algae will just spread again.

Looks like your wisteria was grown emerged at first? I would cut the tops off where the growth is different and replant the tops only.

Heavy root feeding plants don't help fight algae too much. Since they get most of their nutrients from the substrate they are leaving the water column nutrients in the water. But in an interesting twist if the water column has more nutrients then the substrate (like if you are dosing ferts) they do adapt well and benefit from water column nutrients! In your non-dosing situation though root feeders are good for having plants (if you use root tabs) and but not your answer to fight algae.

Floating plants to filter out light is a great idea though! Fast growers and true floaters are best cause they can use the CO2 from the air but just fast growing planting in general are good choices.