5 Gallon Planted Tank

[aqua_chem]

Regarding your algae issue. It looks like a kind of algae I get when I'm overzealous with my lighting. The pain of it is that it persists after reducing the light. In essence, it gets a foothold with high light, and then needs to be physically removed after fixing the root cause. Being as you've struggled with this tank for some time, a 'nuclear option' may be called for.

Here's how I approached it in a plant-only tank.

1) Reduce light significantly. I went from 4xT5HO on a 40B ~24" off substrate (it's hung) to 2xT5HO same height. This was with an ATI fixture.
2) Physically remove all that you can. This is going to take some time, wet arms, and eye strain.
3) Dose 4 mL/gal H2O2 twice per day. I did beginning and end of photoperiod. Spot dose directly on plants. In a tank with a smaller area:volume ratio, you may reduce the dosage if you are worried about it.
4) Dose excel 2-3x recommended amount.


Two caveats. One, there were no shrimp or fish in this tank. Second, make sure you turn off your filter five minutes before applying co2 and leave it off until it stops bubble else you risk nuking the bacteria in it. I'm sure you already know about this, but it should be stated in case someone else reads this and decides to try it. Leaving lights off isn't necessary.

 

[aqua_chem]

It's really not all that complicated. Removing two screws doesn't take a rocket scientist... And it's also much more ascetically pleasing, than an entire fixture wrapped in window screen. On another note, aqua, any ideas why his HC would grow up in high light?

You have underestimated my level of lazy.


Regarding the HC, I can think of two things. One, he has reduced his light to such an extent that the HC is trying to get more, and possibly the algae sitting on top of it is blocking out some of it as well. Two, it's getting uppity and needs to be tamed with scissors. Glosso is a great example of a plant that will either grow up or out depending on how it's groomed. HC less so, but definitely in the same category. It could very likely be a combination of the two.

 

[Billbug68]

You have underestimated my level of lazy.

Hahaha, I guess so!

Max, aqua is right, go for a full tank nuke!

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Try Algaefix before a nuke.

 

[aqua_chem]

Alagae fix is a nuke IMO. If you wanted to try it, I would use it instead of Excel and dose according to directions.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yeah I guess it could be... But I've used it sparingly to great effect. Far from a nuke. I always envisioned a nuke as a total tear down and starting over in a way.

 

[maxwellag]

I think the HC got uprooted a bit , so it isn't really growing up. The filter puts out a lot of flow for this size tank, and it might have gotten messed up when I was cleaning. I should have time this weekend to do a nuke.

 

[Billbug68]

Don't know if you guys remember, but I nuked my 12 with peroxide once and it worked great. I followed a guys instructions from a write up on TPT.

 

[Richardwm]

Nice hc they are going to look amazing all filled out

 

[maxwellag]

Regarding your algae issue. It looks like a kind of algae I get when I'm overzealous with my lighting. The pain of it is that it persists after reducing the light. In essence, it gets a foothold with high light, and then needs to be physically removed after fixing the root cause. Being as you've struggled with this tank for some time, a 'nuclear option' may be called for.

Here's how I approached it in a plant-only tank.

1) Reduce light significantly. I went from 4xT5HO on a 40B ~24" off substrate (it's hung) to 2xT5HO same height. This was with an ATI fixture.
2) Physically remove all that you can. This is going to take some time, wet arms, and eye strain.
3) Dose 4 mL/gal H2O2 twice per day. I did beginning and end of photoperiod. Spot dose directly on plants. In a tank with a smaller area:volume ratio, you may reduce the dosage if you are worried about it.
4) Dose excel 2-3x recommended amount.


Two caveats. One, there were no shrimp or fish in this tank. Second, make sure you turn off your filter five minutes before applying co2 and leave it off until it stops bubble else you risk nuking the bacteria in it. I'm sure you already know about this, but it should be stated in case someone else reads this and decides to try it. Leaving lights off isn't necessary.

I'm planning on doing this today. I might not even remove the bio media in the filter because I don't have any fish in the tank and probably don't have much of a cycle (if at all, very tiny tiny tiny bioload). Oh, and by "applying co2" do you mean h2o2? I made it red in the quote so you an find it easily. Also, do you think I reduced the lighting enough?

 

[maxwellag]

It has begun

 

[Billbug68]

it has begun

Yes!!!

 

[jetajockey]

Good luck.

 

[aqua_chem]

I'm planning on doing this today. I might not even remove the bio media in the filter because I don't have any fish in the tank and probably don't have much of a cycle (if at all, very tiny tiny tiny bioload). Oh, and by "applying co2" do you mean h2o2? I made it red in the quote so you an find it easily. Also, do you think I reduced the lighting enough?

Yes, I had a case of the dumbs when I wrote that.

Good luck with the overhaul.

 

[maxwellag]

I think it's a little too soon to tell how effective nuking the tank was. I ordered algaefix so I can use it if it turns out the nuke wasn't enough. A big chunk of HC got uprooted when bubbles from the h202 pulled it up.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

I had better luck with Algaefix over spot treating with h2o2 on HC (with spiro). When I spot treated directly on HC with h2o2, my HC went downhill shortly after. I hope your HC survives. Don't mean to alarm you, just my experience. I may have been a little too ambitious with h2o2.

 

[NeMox69x]

Good luck

 

[maxwellag]

HC seems to have survived the h202. I did notice a little less algae, but not much of an improvement. I'm planning on dosing algae fix as soon as it arrives.

 

[maxwellag]

~The Algae Retreats~

Raising the lighting seemed to help a lot. The spiro (or whatever it was) is mostly gone and hasn't come back. I did have some green stuff on the glass, but that's ok. It's easy to clean up. I did a 50% WC and re-dosed NPKT+Excel. The HC is looking good and starting to spread. Finally! I am planning on getting some window screen to put in the light later this weekend.

FTS:

Happy HC

 

[maxwellag]

Uh oh. Co2 tank is empty. I don't think I'll be able to get it filled for at least another week. I dosed Excel (2x recommended amount) to hopefully keep the it at least somewhat stable.