Tom Raffield
Member
Hello everyone,
I have been in the fish keeping game a while but only last September started a fully planted, CO2 injected, Juwel Vision 260l tank. I took great care setting everything up, using a high nutrient substrate (on one side), lined all substrate with root tabs and squaped everything to my liking. I dose to EI suggestions (75ml macro then micro on alternate days), run a 7/8 hour lighting period with CO2 on an hour before lights and water change 45/50% weekly. I have also invested in a koralia circulation pump for improved water movement. In terms of stocking: 4 corys, 1 small plec, 5 amino shrimp, 1 SAE, 13 neons, 4 harlequin rasboras, 3 cherry barbs, 3 rummy nose tetra and 3 ottos.
Everything seemed to be going well (see first pic) until recently I noticed a number of concerning issues. Now, these issues are not huge but to a keen eye and someone who is quite OCD they are quite irritating. A black outline has started to form on quite a number of the leaves and this is accompanied by black smears on the leaves themselves(see photo). Furthermore some plants are also showing leaves that appear to have been eaten (see photo) but they are only ever the top most leaves in the tank. I also have a small amount of green spot/dust algae on the glass each week but a brief scrub removes this. I have read a lot of information and played around with ideas in my head, so what follows are my random thoughts thrown onto a page:
- Is the black outline a cyanobacteria or BBA? I have spot treated hydrogen peroxide today for the first time (no results as yet).
- Is it a nutrient deficiency of some kind? 75ml a day seems more than enough? Should I just simply dose more and increase the water change each week although some people think 45/50% is too much in any case.
- The tank can't be overstocked with that fish stock? Or can it?
- CO2 runs throughout the photo period with the drop checker always in the green if not yellow.
- I run the Juwel stock filter which I clean (half and half) every month or so in tank water. I managed to get down the side of the filter with a ruler and remove some of the detritus that accumulated there after setup and grew a whole side of algae. A lot remains though, could this be a problem?
- Tank lights are those stocked with the tank; could they be old? Spectrum changed?
- Could water circulation still be poor; do I need a second circulation pump?
I would be really interested to see what people think as I am unsure what to try or what information to go on as there is so much out there.
Thanks in advance folks,
I have been in the fish keeping game a while but only last September started a fully planted, CO2 injected, Juwel Vision 260l tank. I took great care setting everything up, using a high nutrient substrate (on one side), lined all substrate with root tabs and squaped everything to my liking. I dose to EI suggestions (75ml macro then micro on alternate days), run a 7/8 hour lighting period with CO2 on an hour before lights and water change 45/50% weekly. I have also invested in a koralia circulation pump for improved water movement. In terms of stocking: 4 corys, 1 small plec, 5 amino shrimp, 1 SAE, 13 neons, 4 harlequin rasboras, 3 cherry barbs, 3 rummy nose tetra and 3 ottos.
Everything seemed to be going well (see first pic) until recently I noticed a number of concerning issues. Now, these issues are not huge but to a keen eye and someone who is quite OCD they are quite irritating. A black outline has started to form on quite a number of the leaves and this is accompanied by black smears on the leaves themselves(see photo). Furthermore some plants are also showing leaves that appear to have been eaten (see photo) but they are only ever the top most leaves in the tank. I also have a small amount of green spot/dust algae on the glass each week but a brief scrub removes this. I have read a lot of information and played around with ideas in my head, so what follows are my random thoughts thrown onto a page:
- Is the black outline a cyanobacteria or BBA? I have spot treated hydrogen peroxide today for the first time (no results as yet).
- Is it a nutrient deficiency of some kind? 75ml a day seems more than enough? Should I just simply dose more and increase the water change each week although some people think 45/50% is too much in any case.
- The tank can't be overstocked with that fish stock? Or can it?
- CO2 runs throughout the photo period with the drop checker always in the green if not yellow.
- I run the Juwel stock filter which I clean (half and half) every month or so in tank water. I managed to get down the side of the filter with a ruler and remove some of the detritus that accumulated there after setup and grew a whole side of algae. A lot remains though, could this be a problem?
- Tank lights are those stocked with the tank; could they be old? Spectrum changed?
- Could water circulation still be poor; do I need a second circulation pump?
I would be really interested to see what people think as I am unsure what to try or what information to go on as there is so much out there.
Thanks in advance folks,