Nomadu571
Aquarium Advice FINatic
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2011
- Messages
- 514
Hi people, i am in need of some advice as my tank has suffered a serious fuzz/hair algae outbreak. The tank is a 20gal high, has 1 dg, 8 neons 4 moss barbs and 2 kribs. Filtration is a eheim hob, rated for 70-100us gal.
It's quite moderately Planted, lots of vals, three/four swords, Brazilian micro sword and java fern. I use root tabs and fertiliser, tetra plantamin which I dose at the recommended rate of 20ml every 4th water change. I do 40% water changes every week.
Ph: 7.6
Ammo: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-10
I only have a standard test as I'm new to planted tanks, I don't have money for co2 so if there is a way around this without raising co2 it would be appreciated. I have the lights on for 6-8 hours a day, with one t8 18w tropical and plants bulb and one t5no 24w daylight bulb. It has only been planted since december, I have had good growth, vals have spread around, the sword are growing well and the grass has started to creep, but in the past week the fuzz has slowly got worse. Trying to stay low tech because of cost and equiptment accessibility.
I have done alot of reading and So far I have; reduced water changes to 20% roughly twice a week instead of one big change, reduced photoperiod to 4-5 hours. I dosed plantamin 2 water changes ago, and plan not to put any in for another 6 changes, effectively missing one dosing, will this help?
Any ideas? Should I be raising my nitrate? Do I NEED co2? Are phosphates an issue? Do I need to get a test kit for phosphates, iron etc? Should I be reducing nutrients? Is there a good cure or is it going to be a battle to the death? Hoping to sort this without throwing money at it. Anyone with experience in getting rid of it, please share your experience. Thanks
It's quite moderately Planted, lots of vals, three/four swords, Brazilian micro sword and java fern. I use root tabs and fertiliser, tetra plantamin which I dose at the recommended rate of 20ml every 4th water change. I do 40% water changes every week.
Ph: 7.6
Ammo: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-10
I only have a standard test as I'm new to planted tanks, I don't have money for co2 so if there is a way around this without raising co2 it would be appreciated. I have the lights on for 6-8 hours a day, with one t8 18w tropical and plants bulb and one t5no 24w daylight bulb. It has only been planted since december, I have had good growth, vals have spread around, the sword are growing well and the grass has started to creep, but in the past week the fuzz has slowly got worse. Trying to stay low tech because of cost and equiptment accessibility.
I have done alot of reading and So far I have; reduced water changes to 20% roughly twice a week instead of one big change, reduced photoperiod to 4-5 hours. I dosed plantamin 2 water changes ago, and plan not to put any in for another 6 changes, effectively missing one dosing, will this help?
Any ideas? Should I be raising my nitrate? Do I NEED co2? Are phosphates an issue? Do I need to get a test kit for phosphates, iron etc? Should I be reducing nutrients? Is there a good cure or is it going to be a battle to the death? Hoping to sort this without throwing money at it. Anyone with experience in getting rid of it, please share your experience. Thanks