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Advice Required - 180 litre planted not doing so well...

Right I've now done the following changes:

  • Reflectors off
  • Added a little fluval 1 internal filter to the other end of the tank to the current filter to increase flow
  • Upped the Easycarbo to 5ml/ day
  • I will make sure I change 50% of water per week
Feeding wise I feed a pinch or two of flake food once daily and they scoff it down, very rarely any left over afterwards.

Does anything think that it could be my fish are nibbling at the plants?

I will have a look at the ferts options, do people recommend EI dry ferts then?

Dan
 
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They may be nibbling but thats not why everything is brown, so I'd worry about that later. EI is great for your plants, don't think anyone will tell you otherwise here 🙂

For the other internal filter, the fluval 1 seems to be for tanks up to 18 inches long.... Not sure its quite got the guts to do anything in your tank. And either way, you want your filters pointing in the same direction, not opposite!
 
stu_ said:
@Jose
my original comment about not gassing off, wasn't a personal dig,and i admit i haven't read the Tom Barr link ( who's work i respect).
I've read a lot about bba caused by co2 fluctuations at water change time.In my setups,i just don't see it,i've tried it before lights, after lights,and during lights.Maybe i've been lucky.
These days i just hose pipe it straight in from the mixer tap,right temp + dechlor.None of my numerous Crypts melt because of it.
Back on topic,if the OP wants an opinion,FWIW.
Reflectors off, consider upping the liquid carbon (currently 3ml in a 180L ?)
More flow.
Water change more often and larger amounts.Say 50% a week.
Keep the tank clean.Get those organics out.If i let maintenance slide, that's when i start to see problems
How much/ often do you feed the fish?
That's what i'd do.
Click to expand...

No worries stu, I didnt take it personally or anything. Tom Barr doesnt pay me for anything😀 so...
I agree with all your recommendations Stu. Nothing I wouldnt do myself.
 
dfinn said:
Does anything think that it could be my fish are nibbling at the plants?
Click to expand...
I doubt it dfinn.

By the way, EI are generic ferts, its not a brand or anything like that, unlike Tropica...ADA and what not. I dont like any of that because that is more like a religion where you dont know what you are throwing into your tank (nothing personal once again). So yes this can definately be done with EI powders at around 1/10th the dose of "normal EI" for a high tech. No matter what kind of tank you have, if you buy dry salts for ferts they will always be useful, apart from being the cheapest as well.
 
Hi,

Well already the algae is reducing, whether that is the change in things from my end or the sucking loach I had donated having a field day with the algae, we shall see....

Dan
 
Is even 5ml easy carbo enough?! I dose 3.2ml in an 80l tank. Which is the max amount for my tank. I'm sure you can add more!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hi,

Ok, on the bottle I think it's max 2ml per 50 litres so that's max 7ml ish for a 180 litre right? I'll keep it at 5 for now as that's double the previous amount and then up it again in a week or so just to give things time to adapt a bit?

Thanks,

Dan
 
UPDATE:

Well the algae has definitely cleared up and I have new plant growth!

I was thinking of replacing the plants at the back (I think they are Echinodorus) on the left side as they don't seem tall enough to fill the space. Any suggestions as to good plants? Also the Fluvial 1 seems to be providing a good bit of surface agitation.

IMG_1661_zpsrllru6qw.jpg

IMG_1660_zpswdpycyuw.jpg

IMG_1659_zpssds7mor8.jpg

IMG_1658_zps3rm56he2.jpg

Dan
 
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EI Fert starter kit ordered, not sure it is much different to the APF complete stuff except for the dosing rates.

I am going to give the crypt things a few weeks to see if they perk up on the right side, if not I'll change them for something like Vallis or more swords, although heard mixed reports on them being ok with easycarbo?

Dan
 
That algae grows from too much light from what I have seen.. I only get that red algae in my 30g tank and I have a Fluval ECCO light strip over it.. It has a few blue lights on it and I think either those blue lights are doing it.. (but probly not since I use the blue and purple Power compact actinic and a regular 6700 on my 44g pentagon and my 27g tank and I don't have that algae.

But the 30g tank is much much shorter and the light is on longer and I have that red crap that is impossible to scrap off my plants.. The same exact algae you have.. Its very frustrating and I wish I knew why exactly.. but as I said I think its because of the 6 blue leds the strip has and my tank is shorter then my taller tanks so the light is more intense and causes algae but I could be wrong..

So how did you manage to get the algae to go away... because my 30g as I said has the SAME algae you have... I hate it.. the same red algae.. And I really think its from way to strong of a light. I think this fluval ECCO LED strip I got is causing this red algae... I never had it when I was using a Duel T5 NO light
 
Hi
Glad things are picking up.Don't start slacking off now 😀
If it were me,I'd prune the affected leaves on the sword that's dead centre.
Easycarbo is ok with vallis IME as long as you don't dose >x2.
 
I shall get pruning

Regarding the algae, it was either:
  • Reduced light
  • Increased CO2/ ferts
  • The sucking loach that was added incidentally who continually hoovers the tank!
Dan
 
EI kit arrived:

IMG_1663_zpsr7ocywql.jpg

Water change and pruning time!

Dan
 
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