Hi,
If you want to re-skape, go for it but will not solve the issues. I saved some of my tanks from different types of algae/plant melt like this:
1) Switch off the filter, lights and CO2. Physically remove algae or dead plant mass to reduce ammonia spike later.
2) , 3% H2O2 treatment on the most infested zones/hardskape using syringe or eyedropper( do this when tank is still full of old water, and leave for 5-10 min hydrogen peroxide to work) will fuzz like champagne🙂 careful with the moss is the most sensitive to H2O2 so the fauna of the tank, you can use power-head to circulate the water during the treatment, dont use your filter as will bleach the beneficial bacteria in it.
3) 50% water change try to siphon as much as possible dead algae and plant mass
4) Top up your tank with fresh water that will stop H2O2 treatment as will dilute the peroxide.
5) Power the filter but not thy CO2 as can suffocate the fauna
6) Fully cover the tank with carton box or black bin bags or dark paper, should be fully BLACKOUT for the next 3-5 days. Dont peek to see whats up the fish/shrimp will be OK.
7) Open a can of your favourite beer, you deserve it.
8) After the certain time 3-5 days uncover the tank. Switch OFF the filter.
9) Your plants will be clean and a little bit overgrown as they was searching for the light for 5 days(Phototropism)- they will look pale but healthy.
10) Hit the remaining algae( if any) with another dose of H2O2 just to make sure you damage all algae cells.
11) 80-100% water change if you dont have sensitive fish/shrimp, I lost couple of shrimp because they can not handle rapid change of the water chemistry...if so do 50%. Try to syphon any dead algae/plant mass
12) Most of all you fixed the Problem now not the reason, so try to revisit your dosing regime, do extra WC as dead algae can provoke ammonia spike, clean your filter media as there is dead algae trapped there
13) Revisit your Lighting schedule as the plants need a week or so to recover from the Blackout period and start to uptake Nutritients. I go always lean on dosing for week or so after the treatment and do extra WC
14) Pump up your CO2 gradually as your dosing regime.
NB. Dont use any stronger than 3% H2O2 as it will burn your moss and some sensitive plants like HC, Bucephalandras. Dont over do peroxide as over 5 - 10 min can damage any plant cells or fish gills. Circulate the water during the H2O2 treatment. Expect some dead plants as they been damaged prior the treatment, the same for the shrimp and fish they may be sick prior the treatment without any signs for that.
Hopefully will be no victims in the war with the algae, but the algae itself! Wish you luck!
