A little advice would be great!

[lordheavyc]

Ill start with info onbthe tank in question. It's a 14Gal tall running a basic hang on filter with a seeded sponge. A cobalt heater set at 82 degrees. And a basic 20 inch LED strip set for 12 hour on time. No dosing and no Co2. Sand substrate with a piece of Malaysian drift wood. Flora in the tank is one fully grown Amazon sword with three juvenile swords still pretty small as well as some dwarf sag and a little java moss. Fauna includes 5 neons, 3 kuhli loaches, and one male betta.

Now to my issue. Algae! Ive doing 30 percent changes every week religiously since I started the tank in February, with one or two bigger change mixed in. All my levels come back solid except for the occasional spike in phosphate. Which I've attacked with phosguard. I've cut back in feedings to every other day and yet the algae persists. The glass gets nice and green after a week and the small leaves on the sag are covered in brown algae which is almost impossible to remove. I would love to get my plants growing better but im afraid of letting the algae take over. What should I do?

Also I've noticed snails. I have just one red spiral shell looking snail which I actually kind of like. However I also think I'm having a MTS outbreak and would like it to not get out of hand. Thoughts on controlling this? BTW my loaches don't even go near the snails lol. Thanks in advance

 

[Bert2oo1]

Photo period is too long, I'd cut it back to 8 hours. 10 being max. To get rid of the algae u can dose excel for a few weeks and bring your lighting back to 6 hours. Once the algae fades bring it up to 8 for a few weeks and then to 10. If algae comes back at 10 then bring it back to 8.

Can't help you with snails sorry [emoji106]

 

[Fresh2o]

As mentioned above, the lighting (duration) is the issue.
As for the levels, you said they are solid...can you elaborate? Also, phosphate is not the culprit.
Kuhlis won't eat MTS (too big). MTS are somewhat self limiting; just like with most snails, excess food can lead to a population explosion. I have had them by the hundreds in my tank. They are actually good for a sand substrate as they like to burrow.

 

[TMaier]

A few snails are an excellent clean up crew. They will move to sand and keep it from getting nasty.

Some Diatoms are normal in a newish tank. That's the brown crud.

My outbreaks have gone away on their own after a few weeks.

Cutting back on light and excess phosphate and nitrates will manage the green stuff. Perhaps 50% PWC for awhile?

FYI
Betta's are not big fans of really bright lights, perhaps adding some floating plants?

Also the kuhli's need somewhere to call home. They like to live under things and scurry when the mood strikes. They can get stressed if they cannot hide.

 

[fishenthusiast]

Cut back the lighting to 5 hours a day for now, and then adjust when algae subsides. Scrub algae off the glass and driftwood, and trim any leaves with algae on them.

 

[rabidbaby]

Assassin snails might help with the snail problem...

On an unrelated note: is there a waiting period before you can post your first thread? Or, is there some sort of moderator approval that happens before it goes live? I am new, and I am having a big problem in my tank. I tried to post about it to get advice so that I can start fixing it, but my post seems to have disappeared into the ether. I don't want to be obnoxious and rewrite it if this is normal, though...

 

[lordheavyc]

Thanks for all the tips everyone. I'm going to immediately cut back on the light. I was under the wrong assumption that more light would help my plants grow then out compete the algae for food. I also thought excel would feed the algae so that's why I avoided it.

As to the water parameters I'll post a picture of the last tests below.

As for the fish and their health, I haven't noticed any odd behavior. The kuhlis are usually out and about digging In the sand but will hide in the sword or under the log occasionally. The betta has very bright colors and swims around constantly. He'll sometimes "lay" with the loaches and chill for a little bit. In fact they get along great. In fact the betta loves when they did out the black worms I feed with from time to time. The only real time I see they are stressed is during the water changes which is understandable, but they recover quickly.

I don't really have an issue with the snails. I just don't want it to get out of control.

I would be interested in some floating plants. Any recommendations? I like the look of ones with roots hanging down. Also will that have a negative effect on the other plants from light blockage?

 

[lordheavyc]

Forget to add these

 

[Bert2oo1]

You want those nitrates at about 10-15 consistently if u can. Plants need nitrogen or they will die and bring on algae [emoji106]

 

[lordheavyc]

You want those nitrates at about 10-15 consistently if u can. Plants need nitrogen or they will die and bring on algae [emoji106]

What's the best way to increase nitrates while keeping the other numbers consistent?

 

[fishenthusiast]

What's the best way to increase nitrates while keeping the other numbers consistent?

Individually dose nitrate separately and dose to a specified amount to get the amount that you want. Usually people use dry potassium nitrate, or they mix it with distilled/RO water to dose it in a solution form.

 

[joem6376]

When this happened to me I changed me lighting and set it on a timer (4 hours I the morning, 4 in the evening) I also increased the flow of my tank and bought some algea eaters, mine all cleared up and this was over a month ago now

Sent from my E6853 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[lordheavyc]

When this happened to me I changed me lighting and set it on a timer (4 hours I the morning, 4 in the evening) I also increased the flow of my tank and bought some algea eaters, mine all cleared up and this was over a month ago now

Sent from my E6853 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

unfortunately I have no more room in my tank for additional fish. I am however going to reduce the light as suggested. Thanks

 

[Arleanna]

Honestly i would just get an amano shrimp. Theyll eat almost any kind of soft algae, have totally wiped out the algae in even some crazily neglected tanks. Couple extra water changes might help, watch the feeding, but those shrimp are honestly incredible little cleaners

 

[joem6376]

Honestly i would just get an amano shrimp. Theyll eat almost any kind of soft algae, have totally wiped out the algae in even some crazily neglected tanks. Couple extra water changes might help, watch the feeding, but those shrimp are honestly incredible little cleaners

I agree, even though they are quite a dull addition to a tank they should definitely be added, the saviour in any tank!

 

[lordheavyc]

I agree, even though they are quite a dull addition to a tank they should definitely be added, the saviour in any tank!

So I have question. We'll two actually. First would I have to worry that the betta would make a snack out of him? And also would the shrimp feel comfortable not having a lot of cover. My plants aren't to dense so hiding places are few and far between.

 

[Arleanna]

Amanos are actually quite large, mine is almost 2" long now, definitely more than a mouthful, and though i do have a decent amount of cover he spends half the time cleaning off the surface of the glass so cover isnt a huge issue. Also with the tank size youd probably only need one, considering it isnt too densely planted

 

[lordheavyc]

Oh and I forgot to mention. I live in Maine and invertebrates are illegal in this state. I could probably find a place online that would ship unknowingly but do I want to chance it. Locally sourced won't be an option.

 

[Arleanna]

Amano shrimp only breed in brackish water, less likely to be a pest in fresh water systems. So they live in fresh water fine but they arent technically freshwater invertebrates?

 

[lordheavyc]

Maine doesn't specify. It's all inverts to my knowledge. My LFS is working on legislation right now to eliminate this law.