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Growing Lilaeopsis NZ (HELP needed)

Last question, do you think i should increase the lightning period gradually? I'm running 5,5hrs atm plannig to raise that early next week then another half hr by next weekend and so on.
Any hint on this?


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Frak, i'm now seeing small filaments of what looks like stag horn algae on leaves more or less everywhere and from my experience those don't get eaten by amano shrimps nor otocinclus....
I've been dosing full ferts and full light cycle and increased co2(to the point where the perma test is lime green) for three days now...
What the heck am i doing wrong? i've also changed 50% water today to ensure water quality....
Looks like this hobby is become a nightmare and it's hilarious that in a 20 liters tank with cheap lightining, no ferts of any kind tap water and very minimum maintenance never had any kind of algae...
Any hint?
 
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Hello. I run a RIO 180 with T5 lighting and am growing Lileaopsis NZ. I am low tech (no co2), I cover one bulb entirely with an upturned reflector so effectively only use one bulb, 5.5 hour photo-period. You can rule out 'lack of light' as a factor!

I have good flow which I think really helps, you can see more details at my journal http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/180l-jungle-thingymajig-first-attempt.28238/ the L. NZ is at the bottom left of the tank, underneath both floating plants and a lot of shadow from java fern.
 
Yeah but it doesnt explain why algae are growing on LNP leaves, water is not pollutted, i dose food to fishes with extreme care and the fishes are very few compared to the tank size, the filter is 4 months old so i don't really get it.
The strange thing is that i have planted some fast growing plants also and they present no sign of algae infestation.
The filaments are very tiny but they will grow fast...i'll post a picture when the situation evolves.
 
algae is opportunistic, as the LNZ is in poor shape it discharges lots of organics, algae will always proliferate on weak plants. As fast growing stem plants they can likely deal with the amount of light far better, they are higher in the water column and have better access to co2 and nutrients in the flow. Getting co2 low down in the tank is a common issue! Therefore they are in better health so algae wont settle there and feed on the organic waste produced as they die. If your stem plant health deteriorates expect algae there too.
PS - your water is always polluted as are all our tanks because they are closed systems. The only solution to pollution is dilution!!!
Do more water changes when algae is around.
 
elettrone said:
Looks like this hobby is become a nightmare and it's hilarious that in a 20 liters tank with cheap lightining, no ferts of any kind tap water and very minimum maintenance never had any kind of algae...
Any hint?
Click to expand...
its the reality of high tech tanks. Your trying to push plants to perform at their peak. Think of high tech as an olympic sprinter, they perform at extreme levels but if they dont look after themselves by stretching (ferts), warming up/down (good flow), daily training (water changes) they will become injured very easily... by comparison a couch potato that walks to the chip shop (your low tech tank) is unlikely to suffer any serious injury....then couch potato see's an ice cream van (adding extra light to your low tech).... couch potato man chases it and of course he will fall on his fat ass and damage himself 🙂

moral of the story - always get on your bike (twinstar) to chase an ice cream van lols


also... staghorn algae is generally a pretty good sign the filter and pipes need a clean.
 
I'll check the filter whool and change 50% water for the next week or so.
Should i intervene cutting all the infected leaves or what?


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Change 50% a day if you can and it's a good idea to change filter wool every week. If you cant then a fine sponge is far better as it can be washed weekly.
Depends which algae you mean? Stag horn can be treated quite easily with double dosing liquid carbon, carefully, it will turn pink then amanos will eat it.
Brown algae is more tricky, if the problems are solved, trimming is easiest on carpet plants.


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I'm dosing 6,5 ml of liquid carbon every 2 days as the seachem protocol indicates so should i dose double by adding 6,5 ml every day or a single dose every two days of about 13ml?
Does it even makes a difference?
For the fishes i mean, trying not to harm them.
Anyway with the ferts and increased co2 it looks like new sprouts are healthy green now and hopefully will stay that way so thankyou.


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You should dose liquid carbon everyday before lights on, 1ml per 40ltrs. 5ml a day for your tank, 10ml when double dosing. Fish will be fine with this.
Good to here things are improving, just don't get complacent. Keep up water changes, monitor co2 and flow daily.


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It looks like i've been cheering up way too early.
I've been dosing 10ml of liquid carbon every day, increased co2 and added full ferts following the advanced Seachem protocol including Nitrogen and Phosphorus, changed 50% of water every other day but Staghorn is still growing on LNP (and LNP only) without any sign of being affected by the liquid carbon and some black thing has started appearing on leaves too(even on the fast growing plants on the very edge of few leaves even tho they are growing very fast).
LNP has finally started growing at a fast pace but contrary to what it looked initially, sprouts aren't that healthy and some leaves even grow "twisted" or deformed somehow.
I'll add some high res image to show everything i've described by the end of the day.
Filter was cleaned too, the only things i've left behind are pipes which need some work to be removed, cleaned, and put back in place.
If this fails i might give up on this but with all the money i've invested i'd really like to get a hang of it even if i have to plant all over again.
Please help ;.(


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