# Long tank neglect - algae everywhere :)



## Aqua Hero (31 Oct 2016)

Yeah, so I got a bit lazy (more like lost interest altogether)  and didn't keep up with my maintenance. And ohhh how I have been punished for my sins.

Because I had my co2 off for months, lights on for 10hrs, zero nutrient dosing and zero water changes, my tank is more of an algae garden than a beautiful one. 

Mind you, surprisingly none of my plants have shown any yellow leaves or death. It's just extreme stuned growth.

Either being out of the hobby for so long I'm kinda lost on what to do again to combat the algae.

I know running my co2 again, doing water changes and managing my lights properly could jump start things again. But what else should I do.

I still have a life time supply of Excel and h202(kinda don't want to use this). 

My plants list right now is:
Dwarf baby tears
Monte Carlo
Flame moss
Dwarf hairgrass 
Some dwarf pennywort species (they look more like mini mushrooms than cloverleaf)

That's pretty much it.

The algae I'm dealing with is the usual.
Green spot (not alot)
Staghorn 
Bba
Green fuzz

So guys, it would be wonderful if you could reteach me the steps I should take to putting my tank back in balance and hopefully reducing the algae in my tank.



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## Greenfinger2 (31 Oct 2016)

Hi Aqua, Start off with a 4 day total black out. And then sort out the algae that's left. Stag horn can be spot treated with Excel. Green fuzz sound like hair algae ?? Just keep pulling it out bit by bit.

Then get your mojo back on the maintenance


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## Aqua Hero (31 Oct 2016)

What about my co2, fertility and lighting

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## tadabis (31 Oct 2016)

First of all do 4 days blackout and do not attempt to open a tank for a sec to have a look... just put something on it to completely cover any light entrance to your tank... after 4 day clean whatever you can and so a WC. than you can turn back on co2 and ferts.


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## Manisha (1 Nov 2016)

Hi Aqua hero, I remember your 'little red' from when I first joined the forum & your lovely sparkling gourami & scarlet badis ☺ Your moss trees looked well  hope you get your algae sorted & look forward to updates! ☺


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## roadmaster (1 Nov 2016)

Might try 6 to 8 hour photo period a day for first few week's and gradually increase if needed after black out and manual removal of what algae I could remove.


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## Aqua Hero (2 Nov 2016)

Manisha said:


> Hi Aqua hero, I remember your 'little red' from when I first joined the forum & your lovely sparkling gourami & scarlet badis  Your moss trees looked well  hope you get your algae sorted & look forward to updates!


Ahhh yes I took that down long time ago and actually made a new setup. It was going well but then I got carried away with another project and neglected the tank. Once I deal with the algae I will show my new forest scape. 

So far it's my favourite since the scape really feels really instead of artificial.



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## Aqua Hero (2 Nov 2016)

roadmaster said:


> Might try 6 to 8 hour photo period a day for first few week's and gradually increase if needed after black out and manual removal of what algae I could remove.


Yeah I will manual remove and spot treat with Excel and h202 for a while 

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## rebel (2 Nov 2016)

Would love to see before-after pics if any....


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## Aqua Hero (5 Nov 2016)

rebel said:


> Would love to see before-after pics if any....


Unfortunately my pictures are on my broken iPhone so can't get them back. I could use my Sony but the quality is pants.
Sunday evening I will do an update on my post or create a new one entirely.



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## Aqua Hero (5 Dec 2016)

Well i can say my tank is literally growing its self now. After i purged the dwarf baby tears and monte carlo carpet. Alot of other plants died and had to be removed. But after a few weeks something really cool happened. 

Out of the flames, a new carpet plants started to tank over. Dwarf hairgrass. I forgot that i planted it long time ago but i never took off and was over taken by the MC and HC. but now that there if no competition the DHG is blooming. The tank has literally transformed itself. Like an evolving forest. 

I really cant explain how awesome it is but it felt like i was watching those david attembrough documentaries. Its really awesome. 

I will be making a new tread on the tank soon

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