# A bit of advice please



## Andrew Butler (3 Aug 2017)

-Tank: 1m x 55 x 55cm or 300L
-Lighting: 2x Kessil a360we
-CO2: from fire extinguisher split 2 ways into both filters through CO2art inline diffusers
-Filtration: 2x Fluval G6 filters
-Fertilisation: Started dosing EI 2 days ago using aquarium plant foods starter kit @ 60ml per day
http://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/dry-chemicals/starter-kits/ei-starter-kit.html

Plants:
-Micranthemum 'monte carlo'
-Staurogyne repens
-Rotala Bonsai
-Alternanthera Reineckii mini
-A cryptocoryne which is a temporary measure

Fish:
-Lamb chop rasbora
-Marbled hatchetfish
-pencilfish
-galaxy rasbora
-sparkling gourami
-Pygmy Cory

Also there are 3 amano shrimp at the moment, I'm looking to put more in if anyone knows a decent source for the right money - also other kinds of shrimp.

Ok, I am having a bit of an algae issue if you look in the photos below you should see. I believe I have good flow, a decent level of CO2 and have started EI dosing even if it was only 2 days ago but I think things may have got worse the past couple of days; whether that is coincidence or not I'm unsure.
What suggestions do people have to help me get this under control? I know there are lots of other threads with the same question but I think I have everything working well just unsure how to combat the algae now!

I have had a look through the link below and think its blanket weed but then again it looks different in other places like fuzz and also think I had some GSA on my glass last week so who knows!
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

Links to my google photos:
https://goo.gl/photos/Tq6W5eG9Dna4kyTY6
https://goo.gl/photos/p3eRf3Vud3PhNurU8
https://goo.gl/photos/LAobQSUNPK6X2io28
https://goo.gl/photos/tECNtG3rewHDwCQRA
https://goo.gl/photos/DB67DGMa9yZyXBd39
https://goo.gl/photos/otpbwM7Uf4Ji5sbW6
https://goo.gl/photos/dmGauJ8DBTazPzuLA
https://goo.gl/photos/c7J3RPVGoTPVinho7

I hope someone with some experience can give me some words of advice but it seems to look different in every different photo!.
best wishes
Andy


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## Andy Thurston (3 Aug 2017)

My guess would be too much light and/or poor flow. I thought I had good flow until I changed my spraybar and all my algae problems disappeared. As for the gsa more phosphates.
The plants that you have will grow in fairly low light so reducing the lighting would be my first step


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## Andrew Butler (3 Aug 2017)

Ah yes I forgot to say..........colour 50, intensity 60 for 7 hours a day. Is this too high? George has his set to 50/50 but his tank is only 45cm I think and mine is 55cm.

I can see the co2 from the filter being spread all around the tank which is why I ruled flow out. I'm not using a spraybar; it is the split nozzle supplied with the g6 but there are 2 filters running.

I guess it will see more phosphates now I've started EI dosing.

Will this disappear with time or do I need to get 'hands on'

How about adding some easy life easy carbo? Maybe some easy life Alf exit or is this frowned upon?

I know these things will have been asked a hundred times before but not finding exactly what I'm looking for.


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## Andy Thurston (3 Aug 2017)

Andrew Butler said:


> Will this disappear with time or do I need to get 'hands on'


The gsa will need cleaning off.  the shrimps should start getting on top of the rest once everything else is sorted

George is very experienced and reducing the light will make things much easier for you to manage

Easy carbo is an option

You can also hoover the detritus out of the carpet which should help too


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## Andrew Butler (3 Aug 2017)

Thanks for your input



Andy Thurston said:


> The gsa will need cleaning off


I know I said I had some on the glass but not spotted it elsewhere, is some of the other algae in the pics gsa?

I had a vac on the bottom but wasn't getting anything - I won't give up though!


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## Silviu Man (3 Aug 2017)

Hi!

You are right!
3 Amano in 300 litters is like a drop of water in ocean! I suggest 1 Amano for 20-30 litters and, for fine tune, 20-30 RCS.
The natural way to fight agains nature is always the best way!

Edit : I solved the problem of GSA with Spiral Horn. 1-2 per 20-30 litters of water.


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## Andrew Butler (3 Aug 2017)

Silviu Man said:


> 3 Amano in 300 litters is like a drop of water in ocean!



I completely agree and am just looking for a decent, affordable source.


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## Silviu Man (3 Aug 2017)

Well, I cannot say what means to you a decent price. I can buy 1 Amano with 2.2 euro.
I have 10 in a 100 litters tank, with another 10 Spiral Horn (1.5 euro each). I didn't clean the wall of the tank from about one year ago!
Same with rocks and Anubias (that is most vulnerable for GSA).


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## Andrew Butler (4 Aug 2017)

Silviu Man said:


> a decent price.


It's more the other, more interesting coloured shrimp I'm looking for a decent price on and was going to get them all at once but think it will just be the amino for now.


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## kadoxu (4 Aug 2017)

Andrew Butler said:


> It's more the other, more interesting coloured shrimp I'm looking for a decent price on and was going to get them all at once but think it will just be the amino for now.


Red Cherry Shrimp are also an option


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## Andrew Butler (4 Aug 2017)

kadoxu said:


> Red Cherry Shrimp are also an option


I like the look of the black/white stripe and the vibrant/dark blues but these seem hard to find a decent quality at a reasonable price


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## alto (5 Aug 2017)

Japanese trapdoor snail
- determining sex

Just get 1 or 2 at most though, as they can eat a lot depending on snail size


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## Silviu Man (5 Aug 2017)

Andrew Butler said:


> I like the look of the black/white stripe and the vibrant/dark blues but these seem hard to find a decent quality at a reasonable price



Also difficult to keep ... RCS are quite rezistant, Amano also. You may look for Bloody Mary, Blue Pearl and Yellow Fire. I have some and looks OK, even they are a little more sensitives than RCS.


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## Andy Thurston (5 Aug 2017)

120cm Fully planted tank
See if Karol will post


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## Andrew Butler (5 Aug 2017)

Andy Thurston said:


> See if Karol will post


I have already sent a message!


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## alto (6 Aug 2017)

Local shop had a display tank that had gotten v.e.r.y overrun with every algae imaginable  
- it looked more like an algae carpet than any specific plant -
1 week & 2 Japanese trapdoor snails later, tank looks amazing 

There are several Amano & couple (juvenile) SAE type fish in the tank that have been in since set up


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## Ryan Thang To (8 Aug 2017)

Hi Andrew

Thanks for giving the kessil and new home 
They are very powerful light you just need to find the right settings. I had mine running at 70% intensity without no problem.

I had a look at you the pictures and i notice if you want to carring on using kessil you will need more plant mass. The more the better. Lots if stems and fast growing. At the moment you have a lots of slow growing plants which doesn't need alot of fertiliser.

In the mean time you should turn up the co2 and cut down half of the fertiliser.

If you can't get hold of more plant turn down the light to 45% and work you way up like i did.

I start with 50% and slowly raise it to 70%. I once got abit carry away and bump it up to 100%. In 2 week i started to see algae lol.
Lights was set at 100% for the photo


If you need help please let me know


Cheers
Ryan


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