Stunted growth and hair algae with reading being okay

[Nikxan]

Hello and thanks in advance for your help. I have a low maintenance aquascape for nearly 2 years now. It has aquasoil capped with sand and easy epiphytes and fast growing stem plants. For lighting I am using a 25 watt and a 10 watt fluval aquasky. The lights run on 60percent intensity for 7 hours. I am currently dosing tropica specialised 2ml per day and liquid co2 5 ml per day. and make 50 percent weekly water changes. I have 9 emperor tetras 6 pygmy Cory's and 7 red neon rainbowfish. The tank is fluval roma 120.
Here are my latest meter readings
Ph: 6
Kh: 3
Gh: 8
Phosphate 1
No3 : 10-20
Ammonia :0
Nitrites: 0


My main struggle at the moment is very slow growth even on floating plants, mosses and stem plants. Overall the plants seem to be struggling.This has come with the appearance of green hair algae. I have tried reducing the light intensity even further, reducing the liquid fertiliser and reducing the frequency of my water changes however all these had limited success. I have also added nutrition capsules to the soil but can't tell that it makes much of a difference.
I am aware that adding a co2 would help but these are all easy plants that were thriving for 18 months without co2. It seems as if I am lacking nutrients but my API liquid tests come with the results above.

Any help / suggestion would be extremely valuable.

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi @Nikxan
Welcome to the UKaps, please provide more information per the request below!

Thread 'Please read the guidelines for plant help!'

27 Apr 2020

Dear Member

Please give as many details as possible regarding your aquarium set-up, when requiring advice/help!

The above will be posted at the start of each help request.
Why do we ask these questions?
It will reduce the member posting multiple times, plus adviser's don't need to scroll through a whole thread to find them.

Copy and Paste the list below...and add your answers to each number on the list!
Please upload photographs/images if possible.

1. Size of tank.
2. Age of the system approximately.
3. Tap water parameters.
4. Filtration and Media.
5. Lighting and...

• G H Nelson
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Plant Help

• 

Cheers hoggie

 

[Nikxan]

1.Size of tank. : 120 litles fluval roma
2. Age of the system approximately since Nov 2022
3. Tap water parameters. Ph6, kh 3, gh 3 , nitrates 20 , phosphate 1, nitrite 0 , ammonia 0
4. Filtration and Media: internal u3 fluval filter
5. Lighting and duration: 35 watt led 7 hours
6. Substrate: aquasoil tapped with sand
7. Co2 dosing or Non-dosing: liquid co2
8. Drop Checker: no
9. Fertilizers used + Ratios.: tropical specialised nutrition 2ml daily
10. Water change regime and composition: 50 percent weekly
11. Plant list + Invitro/Emersed: anubias different species, buce, hetera zestelepholia, limnophila sessliflora, ludwigia palustrris, java ferns
12. Inhabitants 2 macmasteri apisto, 9 emperor tetra, 7 red neon rainbowfish, 6 pygmy cory
13. Full tank shot and surface image.

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi @Nikxan sorry for the late response!
@4. Fluval U3 Filter 600lph.
The rule of thumb in a planted aquarium is 10X the turnover of the volume of the aquarium.
Therefore you are below the desired approximate turnover, some say this is for C02 aquariums but I dont agree with that.

There seems to be a lot of crude/mulm around the plants.
Clean the filter sponges regularly, give the plants a shake, and use a dog toothbrush to remove algae where possible, siphon detritus from the substrate before you do a water change.
Can the lighting intensity be reduced? If so I would reduce it by 50%, Green filamentous algae just loves rearing its head when the water column isn't at its best!

The floating plant Pistia stratiotes looks pale this could be one of the various deficiencies "Nitrate/Iron/Magnesium" or just the photo image of the plant.
The Java Fern has new good growth, displayed by the green leaf tips.
The other plants look healthy "other than fuzz algae".
Rotala which can be a difficult plant to grow in non-Co2 injected aquariums!

Use Limnophila sessliflora and Ludwigia palustrus as a filtering aid and a net curtain as Darrel/dw1305 would say.
If these dont put out new growth within a couple of weeks I would increase the fertilization by double to 4ml per day.

Thread 'Using stem plants as a filtering aid at Start Up!'

19 Nov 2020

The subject of using fast-growing stem plants as part of a filtering aid has cropped up a few times recently.
This idea has been around for a long time so not new, it has benefits especially for a new set - up.
I try and cover at least 50% of the water surface minimum.

1. Improves water quality.
2. Reduces excess light.
3. Reduces diatoms.
4. Reduces Nitrite.
5. Reduces Nitrate.
6. Helps reduce algae out-breaks.
7. Indicator of a Nitrate shortage.
8. Oxygenates the water column.
9. Increases beneficial bacteria.
10. Plant cover.

Using fast-growing stem plants as a floating plant...

• G H Nelson
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Articles / Tutorials

• 

hoggie

 

[Nikxan]

Hi @G.h. nelson

First and foremost thank you so much for your response.
I wish I could change the filter to an external one with bigger capacity but the problem I have is that I made the mistake of buying a tank with a rim which makes attaching the hoses of an external filter more challenging.
I can reduce the light intensity and will do so promptly they are currently sitting at 60 percent.
I would agree that the water lettuce looks pale and does not grow. This plant in the same tank uses to grow loads so definitely a lack of nutrients is going on here as it is exposed to air and gets the co2 from there.
I will keep cleaning the sponges as I must admit that I have not been the best with that.
I am hoping that this will make my pants happy again.

Once again massive thanks for your detailed reply
Nikos

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I would agree that the water lettuce looks pale and does not grow. This plant in the same tank uses to grow loads so definitely a lack of nutrients is going on here as it is exposed to air and gets the co2 from there.

It could be <"iron (Fe) deficiency">. Have a look at <"What is the “Duckweed Index” all about?">

You can't as easily tell with <"Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)"> (because of the leaf hairs), but are the new leaves on the submerged plants pale and yellow?

cheers Darrel

 

[Nikxan]

Hi all,

It could be <"iron (Fe) deficiency">. Have a look at <"What is the “Duckweed Index” all about?">

You can't as easily tell with <"Water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes)"> (because of the leaf hairs), but are the new leaves on the submerged plants pale and yellow?

cheers Darrel

Hi Darrel

Thanks a lot for the reply and sorry for the delay. I have attached some pics of the pistia. The old Leaves become yellow and then gradually die off as I hope you can see in the pics attached. My nitrogen readings are now in the 30ppm. No sure what is the micro or macro missing that is causing this .