Tank has odd problem with plant decay and bba but sister tank does not

[anewbie]

I have two 29 side by side and one (both low tech); both have the same hardware with the primary difference in fish population and substrate. One can grow plants quite successfully and has little problem with decay or adverse algae such as bba (the black one); the other has frequently problem with decay esp in floating plants and areas of bba. I've been assuming this is due to the substrate in some fashion as the white one does get some compression and some sulfur gas build-up and have been contemplating as an experiment tearing it down and replacing the substrate with the same stuff in the 'good' tank. The black substrate is slightly coarser and 'waste' tends to settle on top my only tiny reluctant in replacement (other than work) is that the apisto and kuhli likes digging in the white stuff (the white stuff is caribsea moonlight which from their website is quite powdery fine - the black substrate is estes stoney river and they email me the grain size and it is a bit coarser but not huge but in working with both tanks over the past 18 months it has a different behavior in how stuff like waste mixes in it (it mostly settles on the surface for example).

Examples of some of the difference is that in the black tank hornworth grows very cleaning and quite nicely while in the white tank it becomes a brown smudge over time and eventually has to be removed and toss. The frogbit in the white tank develops a brown smudge in the roots and has a bit of a foul smell while in the black tank they stay crystal clean and without issue.

I'm presuming the issue is with the substrate but perhaps it is some other issue I simply do not understand hence this post:

(I do 50% water change on this two tanks twice a week over the past 18 months)

 

[ceg4048]

the other has frequently problem with decay esp in floating plants and areas of bba. I've been assuming this is due to the substrate in some fashion

Hello,
As far as the submersed plants go, decay and BBA are signs of poor CO2. Since these are non-injected tanks the differences could be related to temperature and/or lighting intensity which affect CO2 availability and demand respectively.

Cheers,

 

[anewbie]

Well both tanks have the same lights (fluval 3.0) and the temp of the black tank is approx 79 and 76 for the white during the winter - during the summer when the room gets to 80 they are both 80.

 

[PARAGUAY]

Seasonal changes are unavoidabe but 72 to 74 is considered best temperature for plants unless you have fish that require temperatures at 80ish then worthwhile looking at plants which are best suited. Maybe a hot climate country member might add something?

 

[anewbie]

The thing i want to focus on is that these two tanks sit next to each other and one consistently has problem with 'bad' algae (i.e, bba and brown decaying smudge as you can see in the picture) and the other does not - they have had identical plants over the year; identical lights and for at least 6 months identical temp. The primary differences are the fish population, driftwood pieces and substrate. I'm really trying to identify why one has a balance problem that causes decay and rot as well as bba and the other can pretty much grow any green plant i put in it free of decay or algae.

 

[sparkyweasel]

Light reaching the substrate will be reflected back up into the tank, to a much greater extent in the white substrate tank than in the dark substrate tank. So, with the same light entering the tank at the top, there could be very different light levels nearer the bottom.

 

[anewbie]

Would that cause bba and things to generally fall apart ? From the picture you can see a large amount of rot in the floating plants.
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I want to make clear this is not a new problem - it has been on going for about 14 months - where the black tank has never had any problem and the white tank always has issues with viability of plants and bba or some type of brown algae.

Light reaching the substrate will be reflected back up into the tank, to a much greater extent in the white substrate tank than in the dark substrate tank. So, with the same light entering the tank at the top, there could be very different light levels nearer the bottom.

 

[rebel]

I suggest swapping the livestock between the two tanks and comparing and contrasting over 2 months.

This is an interesting issue and I very much doubt there are easy answers.

 

[anewbie]

I suggest swapping the livestock between the two tanks and comparing and contrasting over 2 months.

This is an interesting issue and I very much doubt there are easy answers.

Sadly that won't happen. I would have to spend hours trying to catch those kuhli - though in truth there are kuhli in both tanks and i could leave those but hte sword tails are also pretty awful to catch (I have to snag a few every few months to take to the lfs - population control) - i had considered that at least the guppies help keep the black tank clean because they eat anything and everything they can get their mouth around. This is an experiment i can run in a year after i move because then i will have more tank space and options (i'll actually be in a house with an entire basement that I can load up in tanks) but right now i'm in a condo.
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Hum. THe primary fishes to move would be the swordtails and guppies but i'd also have to swap the apisto in the two tanks - I'll think about it but I honestly think it would be easier to tear the tank down than trying to catch everyone.
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Guppies dont' eat bba but they would eat the brown smudge before it gets awful and probably prevent certain buildup that might be feeding the bba. yes ?

 

[anewbie]

oops