Rhizoclonium Problem

[Greenview]

My tank has been planted just 3 weeks, the plants are flourishing, but algae is holding on.

180 litre tank
2x 45w T5 lighting, 8hours photoperiod
Daily dosing with TPN and TPN+ (total 9ml daily)
Eheim 2217 filter with spraybar on left of tank, Hydor Koralia 1600lph on right
Pressurised CO2 at 30ppm checked with drop-checker (new solution) from 2hr before photoperiod and for 9hr

The tank is heavily planted though the plants are still young. I noticed an outbreak of brown diatom algae a week ago that was associated with reducing CO2 far too much on introducing fish. Immediately increasing the CO2, adjusting the flow (with help from people on here, part of the tank had less flow and far more algae), and starting ferts has helped a lot. Diatom algae has gone now, but a slimy stranded brown algae remains, and I have just realised it is Rhizoclonium not diatom.

I am water changing 50% 3x a week since the algae, and manually removing the stuff as much as possible but it holds on. There is not a lot, but my HC has several patches and it is going a bit yellow in places. It is also entangled in my mosses.

I plan to reduce the photoperiod to 5 hours, 50% water change alt days, get another eheim 2217 to improve flow over the HC, and chuck in half a dozen amano shrimp. Is this the right approach? Does not look bad enough to merit a blackout yet (and I am holding it if not winning), but I do not want this stuff to get a greater hold.

Thanks

 

[CeeJay]

Hi Greenview

I plan to reduce the photoperiod to 5 hours,

That's the best thing you can do 😀 .
I start all my tanks off with 5 hours of lighting and build it up by 1 hour per month.
The description of your tank (180l with 2 x 45w T5 lamps) sounds like the Juwel Rio 180. I run one of these myself. When I started out with it I was using reflectors too
Over time, I have removed the reflectors and diffused the light even further. This results in slower growth, but the plants still pearl, so that's plenty of light for me 😀
Makes maintenance so much easier as well, as your not up to your armpits every week trimming plants and not a drop of algae in sight 😀
You may be surprised at just how much light you have 😉

50% water change alt days, get another eheim 2217 to improve flow over the HC, and chuck in half a dozen amano shrimp. Is this the right approach?

The rest of these measures will be a massive help in your battle 😀, although Amano's don't eat all types of algae, but no harm having them in there 😀