questions of varying sorts

[Ghosty]

Hey guys don't mean to post another thread but I do have a good few questions

I currently have a well planted 55g but am having settling in issues

My issues are brown salgae due to either to much or two little light according to the net (2x54w t5)

My rainbow shark seems to be grey all the time witch I assume to not getting fed as my 18 tiger barbs are starving apparently lol food I feed is a variaty of food ( frozen bloodworm. JbL granocolor mini. Jmc high protein fish food. And I do have jmc catfish pellets but asthe tanks only got fully finished a month or two ago I've avoided uusing it)

My stocking are 18 small tiger barbs one 2 inch rainbow shark and 3 neurite snail

I added 6 tiger barbs every 5 days instill I reached 18 and have been doing 50% WC everyday for the last two weeks other then his week when I do it every other day my lights are on from 12pm till 6pm

Questions should I remove one bulb instill I can get a large amount of floating plants. When can I stop the large WC I'm happy to do a water change Tuesdays and Fridays as that's when I do maintence on my ten gal

 

[Ghosty]

Worry for these long posts Lola rambler by nature

Can I add my bn pleco as he is rather cramped in my ten gal and I have two sides with rocks and caves so two terroitores plus the view from each(image your a fish) is broken up by the pygmy chain.

Also if I decided to add plenty of floating plants would if thin dapple the 2x54w t5 just slightly to create that green vibe the bulbs are about 2-3 inches from water surface

Fish wise what could I add in here. I was thinking just a few Odessa barbs and then call it done unless a rainbow shark a ban pleco 18 tigers a few Odessa barbs plus neurite snails is habit crowded then I'll keep the ban pleco in my ten gal for now

And gain sorry for all that reading just need to get these last details dialed in cheers guys

 

[Ghosty]

Does anyone have any answers for me? Need to get things ironed out before I add my 3d backround

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi
I wouldn't add anymore fish....Tiger Barbs can grow too 3 to 4 inches when fully grown!
You could remove one T5 tube till the aquarium is matured!
Get some floating plants as you say ...brown diatom algae is a sure sign your aquarium is not full matured...do 2 water changes per week!
You could be stressing the shark by doing daily water changes! Are you adding water conditioner/ dechlorinator?
Are you dosing fertilzers and Co2?
hoggie

 

[Ghosty]

Hello

Yes I add conditioner. And also I figured out why he is still not showing colours the tiger barbs eat to franticly and he hasn't toughened up yet so I started adding a few sinking pellets at feeding time and he is darkening up as the days go on

I removed one t5 yesterday. Will slowly reduce the WC to two a week like my ten gal
And no co2 and no ferts its a dirt low tech

I've read s fee times that tiger barbs Farley reach 3-4 inches inside an aquarium