Trevor Pleco
Member
I would appreciate some guidance please ? I’m no newbie to planted tanks having used C02 for a decade or two with success, but I can’t work out what is happening here with my re-scape ? It’s a relatively big tank (1.8m 780 Lt) so this time I decided to go the low maintenance route. I ditched most the stems and removed the ten year year old ADA and Flourite mix of substrate. I wanted to create a clean river bed sand look below the rocks and hardscape so used river sand. Taken from my previous scape I planted large volumes of various mature bucephalandra types, anubias nana and gold. I used the same filter media from the previous scape so presumed it would all cycle fairly quickly.
The tank has been going for six weeks and I seem to be having issues that I’ve never experienced before, I appreciate it's probably all part of new tank syndrome. I’m dosing the same as I did before using Easy Life Profito and when all was fine.
I’m having serious algae issues on the slower growing plants such as the Bucephalandra and Anubias which I did not have before and I’m now finding BBA as well on the bucephalandra and hardscape. I replanted the crypt parva from the previous scape and this is now full of BBA although a few new shoots are finally appearing. The quicker growing plants such as blyxa, staurogyne repens, fissidens and various mosses including Cameroon are all growing nicely. My other big concern is that for the last two to three weeks literally dozens of leaves are coming off the Bucephalanda and anubias each day. Some of the buceph leaves have small pin size holes while others seem perfect, but have still come off.
To combat the hint of green water I added a UV filter at least a month ago. Can this be causing issues with the ferts or system in general I wonder ? Apart from the river sand which replaced the old ADA the UV filter is the only thing new I have added to the tank from what I had last time and which ran for almost a decade with no real issues and minimal algae. I’m not sure if its relevant to anything, but the UV filter is evidently also causing a small electrical short in the water. If I’m insulated and wearing shoes I don’t notice anything, but I get quite a shock when I’m barefoot and put my hands into the tank.. can this possibly be effecting the plants, surely not ?
Light - 8 hours a day x4 80W T5s on the ATI Unit as I did before and not the full 6 tubes.
Ironically, I thought that this scape without ADA and having slowly growing plants would be an easier ride, but not so it seems. Any thoughts and advice most welcome please ?
First photo of previous scape with little issues and the current scape with issues ...
Last pic showing the floating leaves mainly buceph is a daily occurrence, so hundreds of leaves a week ...
The tank has been going for six weeks and I seem to be having issues that I’ve never experienced before, I appreciate it's probably all part of new tank syndrome. I’m dosing the same as I did before using Easy Life Profito and when all was fine.
I’m having serious algae issues on the slower growing plants such as the Bucephalandra and Anubias which I did not have before and I’m now finding BBA as well on the bucephalandra and hardscape. I replanted the crypt parva from the previous scape and this is now full of BBA although a few new shoots are finally appearing. The quicker growing plants such as blyxa, staurogyne repens, fissidens and various mosses including Cameroon are all growing nicely. My other big concern is that for the last two to three weeks literally dozens of leaves are coming off the Bucephalanda and anubias each day. Some of the buceph leaves have small pin size holes while others seem perfect, but have still come off.
To combat the hint of green water I added a UV filter at least a month ago. Can this be causing issues with the ferts or system in general I wonder ? Apart from the river sand which replaced the old ADA the UV filter is the only thing new I have added to the tank from what I had last time and which ran for almost a decade with no real issues and minimal algae. I’m not sure if its relevant to anything, but the UV filter is evidently also causing a small electrical short in the water. If I’m insulated and wearing shoes I don’t notice anything, but I get quite a shock when I’m barefoot and put my hands into the tank.. can this possibly be effecting the plants, surely not ?
Light - 8 hours a day x4 80W T5s on the ATI Unit as I did before and not the full 6 tubes.
Ironically, I thought that this scape without ADA and having slowly growing plants would be an easier ride, but not so it seems. Any thoughts and advice most welcome please ?
First photo of previous scape with little issues and the current scape with issues ...
Last pic showing the floating leaves mainly buceph is a daily occurrence, so hundreds of leaves a week ...
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