20 gallon high-new planted tank

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hb3133

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Jun 25, 2005
Messages
148
Location
Flagstaff, AZ
Around 3 years ago, I started with a 20 gallon high tank. For the past 3 years, I have had plastic plants in this tank with the usual assortment of common community tank fish. Around 1 1/2 years ago, I bought a 10 gallon tank and started my journey into the live plant world. Its been a great experience, both as a planted tank, and shrimp only tank. Well, the live plant bug has attack my 20 gallon tank and I need some advice/opinions. I'll first list the specs of the tank:

Size: 20 gallon(US) 24X 12X16.
Substrate: Red floruite (3 inches thick).
Lighting: generic hood with (2) 15 watt CF spiral bulbs @ 10 hours per day.
Plants: Anubias Nana(2), Crypt Lutea, Anubias Coffeefolia, Anubias Hastifolia, Green Wendtii, Anacharis(2) w/ more on the way.
Fish: 6 bloodfin Tetras, 2 Harlequin Rasboras, 3 Black Neon Tetras, and 3 Corydoras Paleatus.
Ferts: Seachem Flourish, Seachem Potassium, Seachem Iron, Seachem Nitrogen, Seachem Excel and Seachem Phosphorus and Prime.

Just today, I purchased the following light strip to replace the spiral CF's.

24" 1x36W Coralife Aqualights CF hood w/ 50/50 -Straight Pin - 53002

I replaced the 36 W-50/50 bulb with a Coralife 36W-10,000K straight pin. I also purchased some coralife adjustable mounting legs.

The "new" planted tank has been up and running for 1 week and I just started the liquid ferts last night. I have noticed some possible thread or fuzz alage on some of the plants (anubias and crypts).

So, this is where I am at. The light will be here in about 5 days and in the mean time, I will study this new tank and figure it out. I would appreaciate any tips or suggestions. Good day!
 
Congrats on the new setup, we'd love to see some photos!

What type of filtration/flow do you have on the tank?

If you can ID which type of algae you have, we can help correct it. Fuzz algae is typically present when there's an imbalance of ferts. What dosing regime are you using? thread algae is typical of high iron levels, meaning too much traces are being added usually, or an unbalanced amount. Test for Nitrates, that's the easiest thing to see if you're bottoming it out and may need to dose more.
 
Here is a 2 week photo update:

I added 1
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Cryptocoryne spiralis, some Watersprite and a few more Anubias nana and petite. I will be receiving a small portion of flame moss and some java ferns later this week. I also added some of my FW blue shrimp and ramshorn snails from my smaller tanker and then also added 2 Otos. I think I am finished with the inhabitants!! What I thought was thread/fuzz alage was more than likely BBA. I have treated with Flourish Excel and its slowing going away. So far, so good!
 

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Neilanh.... Thanks! The corydoras just love to hide and spend time in the rock cave. Its just a bunch of lace rock and a big peice of driftwood.
 
Plants: Anubias Nana(2), Crypt Lutea, Anubias Coffeefolia, Anubias Hastifolia, Green Wendtii, Anacharis(2) w/ more on the way.

Ferts: Seachem Flourish, Seachem Potassium, Seachem Iron, Seachem Nitrogen, Seachem Excel and Seachem Phosphorus and Prime.

Anacharis and Excel don't play well with each other. I wouldn't be surprized it the Anacharis just started to disappear on you.
 
Rkilling1- Yeah, I haven't been able to grow anacharis for years now since I dose Excel fairly regular in my 10 gallon tank. I just have these small little stumps so I added these smaller stumps to my 20 gallon. I plan on taking them out any day now since they are not doing much; just throw them into a bucket and watch them grow!
 
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