# Switching to Low Tech Advice



## Bio_Chris (1 Aug 2021)

My CO2 cylinder has about a week left and I’m considering switching to a low tech aquarium and letting the CO2 run out due to constant issues with BBA and GSA.
I have spent hours going through posts and online articles but I can’t seems to figure out what the imbalance is in my tank.

Any advice for this change is appreciated. Should I allow it to go cold turkey or a gradual stop? I understand that it might not cure my BBA issues but I suspect low CO2 and stocking (especially large greedy fish) might be a cause…

Roma 240 with 307 external and spray bar. U4 internal.
60-70% water change p/w in evening 
CO2 art dual stage with bazooka diffuser - DC is green. I’m a bit reluctant to increase this more because a a few species of fish req high oxygenated water and worried about gassing them.
Circulation/flow is 6x vol but can’t really increase with power heads to avoid stressing out some of my fish
Light is Fluval plant 3.0 - 6 hour photoperiod max 50% with a ramp up/down (lowering intensity/duration has made BBA worse I think…)
EI dosing using APF(UK) macro/micro alternate days


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## ceg4048 (4 Aug 2021)

Bio_Chris said:


> (lowering intensity/duration has made BBA worse I think…)


This is not possible - not even remotely possible.
Light causes algae and CO2 grows plants, so you have a real problem of having too much light and insufficient CO2.
Reducing the light reduces the demand for CO2. You should probably limit the light to no more than about 25 percent.
Remove all affected leaves and when you lower the water you can spray or paint on any liquid carbon product on the leaves and hardscape. You can also add the liquid to the tank daily in order to supplement the CO2. BBA and GSA are CO2 related algae.

If none of these actions seems feasible and if you intend to convert to low tech then  be prepared for more problems - unless you leave the light OFF for a week or two. That will allow the plants to convert to a life non injected CO2. When you turn the light back on then ensure that you keep it at or around 25%.

Cheers,


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## area66 (4 Aug 2021)

I don't see plants that need high lighting, 30ppm of CO2 and a lot of fertilizer in this photo, reduce the light,  the co2 and the fertilizer, put some root tab under the swords and the crypts, I have grow huge amazon swords with only 4 x 40w tubes in 75 gallons tanks and only root tab


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## castle (4 Aug 2021)

ceg4048 said:


> Light causes algae



I have left food grade water container, clear outside filled with RO in the summer sun for about a month. No algae at all inside, but the same container I use for water changes is green on the inside with algae.

Light definetly does not cause algae alone


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## dw1305 (4 Aug 2021)

Hi all,


castle said:


> Light definitely does not cause algae alone


No, you still need the <"fourteen essential nutrients"> for plant growth, although for some <"plants"> they can be available in vanishingly small amounts.

We used to <"get a really fine fuzz of green algae grow in the aspirators"> when we made distilled water (about 5 microS ~ 3 ppm TDS), but we don't with the <"DI units we have now">, where the water has no measurable electrical conduxtivity .

cheers Darrel


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## MichaelJ (4 Aug 2021)

area66 said:


> I don't see plants that need high lighting, 30ppm of CO2 and a lot of fertilizer in this photo, reduce the light,  the co2 and the fertilizer, put some root tab under the swords and the crypts, I have grow huge amazon swords with only 4 x 40w tubes in 75 gallons tanks and only root tab


Hi @area66  I agree. The plants I can identify from the picture (various Swords, Anubias, Java Ferns, Crypts, Vallis) are all "easy" plants that can easily get by and grow nicely in a low-tech tanks with *low light intensity* and a decent amount of fertilizer. (I have most of them in both my low-light/low-tech tanks),

@Bio_Chris  Injecting CO2 in a tank like this seems over-kill to me as well - I dont know about gradual/cold-turkey for winding down the CO2 - I would go with @ceg4048 recommendations.   And with those big Cichlids (and those other fellas I don't remember with the black stripe?) definitely keep up 70% weekly WC and good filtration!

Welcome to UKAPS to both! 

Cheers,
Michael


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