# Low tech tank has taken a turn



## The Don (16 Jul 2015)

Hi guys, having some issues with my tank and wanted some advice on what my next step should be..

I have a 240l low tech with 2 x T5s (one marine white the other Grow pink) which I have the timer on 15:30pm-23:00pm. I use lush ferts once a week, have quiet a large stock of plants and fish. Went on holiday a couple of months ago for two weeks and asked my parents to pop around to feed the fish while I was away. When I arrived home I found they hadn't followed instructions and had seriously over fed the tank and bad oil slick on the surface as well as unhappy sluggish bottom feeders. After allot of water changes, new filter wool added and a clean up of excess food and poo I have experienced problems. I've pretty much lost a fair few of my neons, Otis, panda city and a couple of pencil fish to what looked like a bacteria infection, growths on mouth and fins etc. After doing frequent water changes to tackle the ammonia spike I added an air line stone to help the bottom fellas that looked Sluggish (this was also on a timer during the night  and not during the photo window)  Now the oil slick on the surface and ammonia is under control BUT the plants have slowed to pretty much non existent and allot of browning on the tips. Help guys would be really appreciated


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## Alexander Belchenko (17 Jul 2015)

From your photo it's hard to tell that your plants are suffering any problem. Everything is clean and healthy. Do you have close-up photos?
Can you tell whether you're dosing any ferts or not?


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## The Don (17 Jul 2015)

I use lush max fertiliser, guessing with all the water changes I did trying to treat the ammonia spike has resulted in an irregular amount of co2 in the water? 

Here's an example of Bba and green spot algae on the slow growing plants, you can also see the Xmas tree moss really struggling.

 


Here's an example of the half leaves that have grown on the Amazon and the old black looking Java leaves

 

And lastly the browning on the tips


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## Henry (17 Jul 2015)

Take one of the bulbs off if you can. Continue with frequent water changes, replacing lost ferts as you go. 

Light plays a huge part in the stability of low tech tanks.


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## The Don (19 Jul 2015)

So taking off one of them rather than reducing the light period on my timer?


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## Henry (19 Jul 2015)

The Don said:


> So taking off one of them rather than reducing the light period on my timer?



Yes. Light intensity has more effect than duration. It might not seem like you have enough light at first, but stick with it.


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## The Don (19 Jul 2015)

I can turn off the marine white bulb and have just the grow light which makes the tank look a bit green, will I be able to have both on again in the future or is that gonna create an algae soup tank again?


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## foxfish (19 Jul 2015)

It looks like you have to much light for the amount of C02 available to the plants. It may be possible to increase light once the plants become more established but things dont normally go very fast in a low tech......


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## The Don (19 Jul 2015)

Visually with only the one light it looks very green and a bit dull , I wonder if there is a happy medium, it doesn't help that I'm currently re charging my two purigen bags too and the tank isn't looking it's usual crystal clear standards I prefer.


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