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I have had all sorts of algae for the past 6 weeks, I have tried different light and co2 levels and intensity, water changes, co2 distribution and shielding my tank. I picked up my ei fert bottles today and noticed they are both clear, micro should be brown! So I have been dosing 3 times a week...

I'm trying to get to the bottom of my algae outbreak, one of the things that was mentioned to me was this. My tank gets no direct sunlight just daylight. Maybe this would be overboard I might leave it for the moment and sort a few other things first!

I am thinking of making a shield of sorts may be out of a black out blind to keep natural light out of my tank during the day when lights are off in a bid to control algae. Does anyone do the same?

So I went about removing all hardscape and deep cleaning last night. It didn't go well at all. I now understand why people start fresh when cladophora sets in. My carpet was an extremely dense mat of cladophora. Reading that spot treatment and blackouts don't work on cladophora especially when...

I run an oxygen pump at night. Anyone know what the best duration for this?

I think I will up fert and many do 70% wc.

Yes the drop checker is lime green, any more co2 and my fish start to gasp, I'm on the limit.

It has always been planted that way, so I just follow the guide of 10ml per 50litres.

I have a co2 art inline diffuser on the way. I had someone fertilizing whole I was away, I think it has gotten worse since I got a new co2 reg. The old one would never turn completely off, when co2 was off it would still let through a bubble every 7 or 8 seconds. I just got the individual bags...

I have been using ferts for a few months now. I change 50% weekly.

Oh and a clean is on the cards for tomorrow .

Hi I know the tank looks bad and you might not believe me but it was no where near this a week ago, there was zero algae in tge lily pipes and the thermometer. I'm just back from a week away. I am using ei ferts that someone threw in when I bought a few bits second hand so I have no idea how old...

Maybe space it so that slot 10 is 0% and the rest are 100% apart from your start up.

Yes growth has slowed down and some do look paler now that I look back at older photos. You think iron deficiency?

Hi that plant is nesaea gold so that the leaf colour. Although if you look closely the new leafs are deformed, I'm not sure why. My water is not too hard in my area. Yes the ei ferts contains magnesium.

This is my ph profile so far today and I don't think it looks too good. I'm not even getting a 1ph drop with co2 on 3 hrs before lights. Would an inline diffuser help with this or will that only help with distribution? 12pm 6.8 1pm 6.8 co2 on 2pm 6.5 3pm 6.3 3.30pm 6.2 light ramp on...

Ah yes I see!

I could be wrong Andrew but this may only give you full intensity whatever that may be for 1 second?

Some photos now lights are on

I think HANO or HAND whichever it is means manual and AUTO is obviously auto. 1st and last cycle must be at 0% that's why you have the lights coming on at night.

My filter was off for the photo, I have a co2art inline diffuser on the way to help with distribution.

My room isn't particularly bright and the tank is pushed into an alcove with 10cm gap around the tank so the 3 sides are quite shaded.

One thing that has just occurred to me. I replaced my co2 reg 1 week ago because my old one would never shut off completely. When it was off it would still let through 1 bubble every 7 or 8 seconds. Since my new one is installed my algae is much worse. I have read about having co2 on before...

My drop checker is lime green with a ph drop of 1ish. I am going to do a ph profile today and post it up.

I'll put up pics when lights come on.

I have cladophora, green thread, green spot, bba and hair algae. It's 50 litres Twinstar 600S running 65% on 7 hrs plus 30 mins ramp up and down. Filter is oase biomaster thermo 250 with Seachem media and puragen Co2 is on 3hrs before light and off 1 hr before, getting 1ish ph drop Using ei...

I do a 50% water change every Sunday evening during the co2 and lighting period. Is this bad practice? I have some different algae issues that I am trying to get to the root cause of. Some point in the direction of co2 fluctuation, could this water change be counted as a fluctuation? Should I...

I am not at this too long and initially loved fast growing plants but I now find the maintenance annoying. I have some slow growing plants that are now established and love them. Patience is key.

I only have it 2 weeks. I defenitly have it setup correctly. Yeah maybe it's faulty.

I have an S2pro on my twinstar 600s and it seems to be at 36% all of the time no matter what I set it to. I have set up the days and ramp up/down correctly and that works by everyday I look at the display it is flashing between the time and auto. If I press the plus or minus button it's on 36...

This is where my tank is to date. I'd like to hear people's thoughts!

Hi Darrell it is quite strong so that rules out hair algae and there is substance to it, it can be rolled up in a ball it doesn't melt away between your fingers. It almost seems plant like rather than an algae. Blanket weed or something. I will turn down lights and up co2 to see if that helps...

I'm not sure if this is cladophora algae! It's not hair algae although there is some in the photo. It's very strong and it's not staghorn because it's branch forming. It's really growing fast and I need to get this sorted! I have googled and the closest I can find is cladophora but then some...

That's sounds like I have it right so. I forgot to mention mechanical filtration has taken place before the water reaches the bottom of the filter to make its way up the trays to the filter wool then returned to tank.

How do people stack their sponges and media in their filters. I watched greenaquas video on throwing away the blue tray sponges so that's what I have done, I am running this on my 60 litre tank so I didn't fill 2 trays with Seachem matrix because i want the plants help too. I have set mine up...

Garnelenhaus have a sale on twinstar. I got a 600SA for £179 delivered. That's almost as cheap as a chihiros WRGB

I got it in Garnelenhaus

If you haven't gotten your filter yet I would up it to the biomaster thermo 250. The filtosmart 100 is rated 600lph but realistically it's not. I started with a 500lph on my 55l 3 months ago and it defenitly wasn't up to the job also there was no room in the canister for puragen or anything else...

I have ordered a reactor and an inline diffuser I will experiment and see what works best. Does anyone use a diffuser on the inlet to the filter? I'm aware what the co2 will do to seals etc but I think it may be an option as I use very little c02 an 800g bottle lasts about 10 weeks and that's 8...

I'll check that out now thanks alot!

I might be ok on the turnover as it's rated at 800lpg and my tank is 55l I think (I had it made to fit a space). If a reactor even reduced them I would be happy. Have you any experience with any of them? Cheers

So I bought a Oase biomaster thermo 250 yesterday and since installing it I already don't like the fact the entire tank is a haze or c02 bubbles. On one hand it's great that I'm getting proper coverage and flow now. The water is crystal clear now with the new filter but I can't appreciate it...

I'm trying to decide that too, I would like to have it out of the tank but I have read alot of people swap back to in tank.

Are you using a c02 reactor?

I have not seen them. Yours do look amazing! Glad I went for the S now, got an S2 pro controller also. Cheers

Some good points there Zeus thanks! Im actually looking at the biomaster thermo 250 now, the ease of cleaning the pre filter sponge is very appealing and it's got a 150w heater too!

Thanks for that! What made you choose 100% after that chat? Cheers

I am going to buy a new filter for my 55l heavily planted tank. I want an oase so the filtosmart suits the space I have for my filter perfectly. The 100 is 600lph The 200 is 800lph The 300 is 1000lph They are all adjustable, I like the idea 9f having a large filter volume but is there such...

I have a Oase filtosmart 60 and it's completely silent and the build quality is excellent. The flow rate is also fine for a nano I even had it on a 20l.

I went for the 600 SA and I managed to get it new for £179 incl delivery! What a deal!

Do you use a controller jay? What % is your S at do you know? Any pics? Cheers

I am thinking I'll go twinstar instead of chihiros but I'm torn between the S and the E...Is the S worth the extra money? I would like to grow red plants, does anyone have any experience with growing red plants under the E? Thanks

Hi I'm after a light at the moment to replace my A plus model and I want to replace it with an RGB Chihiros. Are all Chihiros lights listed on Aliexpress going to be real? I have no experience with the auction site. Any help would be great thanks!

So I had a thread on a fluval spec 19 which I didn't like so this is my new tank. It's my 1st planted tank apart from the spec for 6 weeks. Some plants were taken from it. I will transfer the fish in a couple of weeks. Tank 55l custom opti white Light chihiros A451 plus with commander 1...

So the spec is a hard tank to keep as a planted tank and is very small. So this is take 2..... 50l optiwhite tank custom made with black backround. Oase filtro 60 Chihiros 451a plus light Ada Glass in and out flow I have a nicer co2 diffuser just not fitted yet Its still quite cloudy in this...

I am running a Oase FiltoSmart 60 for 2 weeks now on my spec 19l and I am very happy with it!

I ordered a Chihiros A301 Plus today. I'll post some pics when I receive it!

I have had this light on the tank for a few days now and the plants are going so well prob 5mm per day. I wasn't sure what it would be like but I think I will stick with it for now!

You know what that's a good find. Sunsun make some good lights. I might give one a shot. Do you think 1 would be enough on a 30mm 19l tank?

Thanks for that! Have you found anything that won't grow under the Chihiros that will with the twinstar?

I am going to but a good light for my 30cm nano that I want to grow demanding plants. I am running c02. I have narrowed it down to Twinstar 300e Chihiros c301 or c361 Blau mini 40 The Blau would need brackets made up as it's 40cm it's the smallest they do. The twinstar is expensive. The...

Slight rescape and a different light. We'll see how it does! Any suggestions on cleaning shrimp?

That plant is pogostemon erectus. I think a different light will do it better!

I am using pressured c02 an hour before lighting and it goes off an hour before the light go off. The lights are on 6 hours a day. I'll give the light a go because I'm not convinced the eBay one will be any good!

I have one of these lights that I am not using would it be ok for a planted tank? I know 75w would be too much for a 19l nano but it can be used with only 1 on and it is dimmable also. http://www.relassy.com/product/75W-Grow-Light-for-Indoor-Plants.html

So I got my tank planed. I am happy with it and 2 days in it's doing well compared to when I planted it.

This is my plant list I really just picked stuff I like the look of I like bushy plants and I'm not a big fan of broad leafed plants. Any advice is welcome!

Maybe Eleocharis acicularis Mini?

Thanks! Yeah the wood is small but u do like it! What do people reccomend for a low maintenance carpet plant. It must be very small leafed or grass. I'd like it to fill out quickly but also be low maintenance...is that even possible?

Yours too :thumbup: Thanks!

Hi this is my first tank so all advise is welcome! The tank I got for free but the light was broken so I ordered a 10w led from eBay and modified both lights so I am still using the original fluval fitting. I'm using the original filter but blocked the bottom hole in the dividing wall. I am...

Any more info on your light?

Hi is that a small white wave maker in your tank?

I got my light in the post today, so I managed to use the broken fluval led light fitting and remove the board and wiring. I stripped the eBay led, mounted and wired it into that. It is quite bright so I will see how it goes. If it doesn't work out I have another idea with different leds that...

Yes it is. There is a RO unit under the kitchen sink attached to the cold feed to remove sodium for drinking and cooking.

I have been thinking about this and I could have a solution. All plumbing for my house is in my garage and the garage is parallel next to my kitchen. I could quite easily plumb my cold water feed to my kitchen into pre water softener pipework. So I would have mains non softened water at my...

I'm just not sure I could bring myself to spend 80 on a set. I might try a cheapo set and see how it goes!

Thanks!

Not periodically like cheap units, it measures what water is used in a 24hr period and then it's set to treat at 3am every day. My water is not very hard I got it more to look after appliances and a combi boiler. The RO unit is there for drinking and cooking as it should be taking out all...

Hi I bought a cheap auction site 25w heater that is no good. The thermostat switch is not accurate and it's getting damp inside. Without spending a fortune can anyo e reccomend a good heater for a 19l tank?

I got the tank for free but it did not come with a light. I did see a fluval one and it's 6w so I thought going high tech the 10w would be better. I do understand what you mean about the size I'll have to play it by ear and see how it goes. If it's not doing the job I'll have to swap it out!

I remember getting the figures before I ordered it but that was a couple of years ago. Yes you are right the cartridges can be swapped out but it's not an easy job where the unit is. I do remember it is suppose to remove all chlorine, fluoride and sodium they are the main reasons I went for it...

Option 2? My RO water is 30ppm

I see that now thanks!

Thanks for that! Regarding the mixes do you mean I need to get the ei dosing starter kit https://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/ei-starter-kit.html And the chelated trace elements kit https://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/chelated-trace.html Thanks

Thanks for that!

I'll test out some budget ones and post the results!

Maybe that's the way to go! I have found alot of helpful threads on this so I'm getting through them!

We're they cheap as in 3-4 pounds auction site cheap or budget from a shop 15 pounds or thereabouts?

Hi do you use your remineralised RO water in any planted tanks? I'm trying to find out if mine will be ok yo use? I have an aquaphor unit with a separate 90psi pump and I find it very good!

I'm just starting out with one of these 2nd hand, maybe I'll fill it for a few days first to be sure!

I was thinking that alright just want to make sure there is no massive benefit with dry over ready to use! Thanks

Hi I am trying to choose between 2 ferts 1. Tnc complete 2. Aquarium plant food uk starter kit https://www.aquariumplantfood.co.uk/fertilisers/ei-starter-kit.html 19l nano with c02, undecided on plants yet. Any help would be great thanks!

Thanks for that Darrel I can attach another water butt to my existing one. If the water is sitting for say a month or so does it not become stagnant? I thought parasites and the likes might be an issue. My rainwater is about 25ppm and my RO water is about the same. I thought the RO unit would...

Than Thanks for that Edvet, I understand the softened water is a no go for tanks but what about when it's run through an RO to remove sodium etc. afterwards? My RO unit has the remineralisation built in so unfortunately I can't bypass it. Will the calcium and magnesium be harmful?

Hi can anyone explain to my why these are so expensive compared to auction site? Is it down to them lasting longer or easier not to squash plants? Thanks

Easy cleaning is a plus!

Hopefully!