Can't Seem To Shift This!

[Lee Murray]

I've had this Rena 340L running since the end of July but seem to be constantly battling this algae, (BBA?), I'm injecting co2 via a fire extinguisher and add EI salts daily, the algae only seems to be on my Crinum calamistratum, the Schismatoglottis prietoi and some of the wood and as I've said in a post about my diffuser the co2 goes straight up through the Crinum so it's leaves are getting a good dose of it, (could this be a problem?). Before I set the tank up I had the same algae in 2 other tanks but soaked ever plant, rock and pieces of wood in a bucket containing a diluted mixture of Seachem Flourish Excel for 2 days and every trace of it seemed to have disappeared, the plants in those other tanks are fine it's just this one I'm having problems with, I've been squirting Excel onto the affected areas every other day and while at 1st it seemed to work it doesn't appear to be doing anything now. What should I do?

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[Lee Murray]

Apologies I haven't quite got the hang of posting pics yet.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I've had this Rena 340L running since the end of July

Congratulations, plant growth looks pretty good in your tank, I'd be really pleased with that.

but seem to be constantly battling this algae, (BBA?)

It looks like it is probably Staghorn Algae <"(Compsopogon)">, so another <"Red Algae, like BBA">. Have a look through the <"linked thread"> for some suggestions.

We don't know what triggers their growth, but some suggestions are that high levels of dissolved organic matter might be that trigger.

This may seem a bit of a strange question, but what is the media set-up in your filter? and your filter maintenance regime?

cheers Darrel

 

[Lee Murray]

Hi Darrel thank you for your reply, I am running a Fluval FX6 which I've had for a good year or so now, it was on the tank for most of that time and everything was fine, we moved house back in June and I started re-scaping the tank, it was finally finished near the end of July and I added the co2 system. As I said I had the algae, (and yes now I've looked at some info it does look like Staghorn), in 2 other tanks that were holding my fish, wood and some plants until this one was ready but thought I'd eliminated it, the plants I treated are certainly showing no sign of it only the Crinum calamistratum and Schismatoglottis prietoi which were both bought when I was setting this tank up and haven't been near any of the others, this leaves the wood which, again, was sprayed with a good dose of hydro peroxide and had further treatment with excel flourish befor going into the tank, (it was also out of the tank for a good 4 weeks or so and dried out). The media set up in the filter is set up as it came, (see pic), and I clean it once a month. The only other plants I'm having trouble with are my Hygrophila corymbosa which again were bought specifically for this tank and put straight in there, they are growing rapidly but the leaves on the lower half have developed pin holes.

 

[Lee Murray]

I should have mentioned, I'm running a Fluval Plant 3.0 6500k/46 watt light and the settings are as in the pic below

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[dw1305]

Hi all,

I am running a Fluval FX6.... The media set up in the filter is set up as it came, (see pic), and I clean it once a month

That is useful, you probably have a lot more biological filtration than you need for a planted tank, and there might also be a possibility that the mechanical filtration media is becoming clogged with organic debris. I'll copy in @Zeus. because I think he has a FX6 and should be able to <"comment on his media set-up">.

I like all of the mechanical media to be <"very easy to access">, so that I can<"regularly clean it">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Zeus.]

I just use the course and medium sponge mechanical filtration and a couple of hand fulls ceramic media, plus I normally clean the mechanical sponges every water change, which IMO keeps filter output high and better oxygen levels in the canister.
Once you get use to cleaning the FX6 it doesn't take long, plus do get lots of Red Cherry Shrimp in there as well.
The valves on the hoses do tend to drip a little after being closed and the open but they soon stop.

 

[Lee Murray]

Zeus I use to clean the FX6 every water change which I do every week but to be honest it got tiring, especially as I have 3 other tanks to do plus all the information I read told me that there is no need to do it weekly, I must add that I have ocd/adhd/autism and some things I have to do regimentally like Sunday water changes, (although I have just recently started doing the 340L on a Monday so as to split them up and make it a bit easier, I can spend a few hours on one tank quite easily), because of my 'condition' I do feel uneasy about not cleaning it weekly, would you recommend I start doing it again?

 

[Zeus.]

would you recommend I start doing it again?

'
Yes and you will be able to see how dirty it is, if it isn't dirty then rethink what may be causing the 'Staghorn' - plants other wise look pretty healthy to me