Planted tank 6 months in

[nevets]

So I started this project 6 months ago not knowing anything about planted tanks. I had a spare 4.5 gallon tank that I use to keep crickets for my lizards and converted it.

I bought fluval substrate, zoomed ultra sun light and the plants everything else I had. Stocked it with 3 cardinal tetras, 1 oto, 1 assassin snail and 4 rcs.

I only have one female rcs left, the others dies off. Water parameters are all ok, they probably passed their life cycle. I'm going to get more this week end.

The one problem I have is the hair algae on some plants and the driftwood that come and go. Also the black spots on the anubias.

And here is one dumb question... can the tank be too clean, meaning not enough food for the shrimp and oto. I sometimes see the shrimp swimming around fast like she can't find anything to eat and the oto does the same



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[fort384]

Tank looks great to me. Your photo period might be a bit long if you are getting a bunch of algae... are you testing for nitrate and are you dosing anything for the plants? Nutrient imbalance might be another cause.

RCS can be finicky... but if the lived six months, it might have been just natural, as you stated. Once the tank is established and if you put some more in, they will breed and keep the colony going. They don't take much food to keep them going.

 

[nevets]

I use Seachem excel and my nitrate, nitrite and ammonia are at 0. Lighting is on for 7 hours

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[fort384]

No nitrate tells me you are bottoming out and it could contribute to algae growth. I'd look at dosing nitrogen. Either dry KNO3 or seachem N.

 

[Aquaman-13]

If you want to remove the black spots on the anubias, do a 5ml of bleach per 2 gallons of water mixture and just throw them in, rub the leaves with your fingers, rinse them in the sink and put them back in the tank.
The anubias are a "hard to kill plant" and they are not as sensitive as many other plants. I did this process with all my anubias because they were all covered with black spots and it works.

Have a good chance with your algae problem and try to do 20% or 30% water change twice a week, it should help.

 

[nevets]

My anubias is tied down to the wood and to put it back would be impossible

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[Aquaman-13]

Try to put your anubias on driftwood in your shrimp tank, they might help removing the black spots.