Help with Planted tank?

[teebone110]

I have a 30G tall tank with stand and 2-24inch bulbs that I would like to get fixed up.

Anyone with planted tank experience want to provide some direction?


I have had it going for a number of years, but the algea, seems to take over and truthfully, it doesnt excite me like my reef.

Just thinking that if I do things right this time, I might get into this one before I eventually convert it to a nano

I have a cansiter filter and some algea covered flourite? as substrate. Also I have about 6 tetras that seem to love the conditions and their weekly feedings :

I also have a glass top that I would like to use, to lower the ecvaporation, since I dont have it connected to an ATO and I want to minimize the amount of maintenance. I thought FW tanks were suppose to be easy!

Here is a sweet pic of it at the moment....

 

[jones02]

I have had a planted tannk for yours and have never had algea like that lol. My 1st planted tnak had brown gravel. But my planted discus tank I have now is silica sand. Its a 55 with a marineland canister filter on it for a 125.i have a single bulb light fixture on it. I dose onnce a week with florish. I don't evenn remember the last time I did a water change was? Maybe a monnth and a half ago? 2 months? Lol just top it up. Everything does great. I'm thinking its your lights, try channging the bulbs and throw a couple plecos in there. Bushynnose do great! I have some fry and jonsey156 does also.

 

[jones02]

Also if I can remember right,, jerry_doucette onn here had. 125 plated discus tannk as well on oac annd las forum. He would be a great guy to talk to if its the same one lol. Was a nice set up.

 

[unibob]

Haha it is it is. No longer have the tank running, but I do have a 20 gallon freshwater planted tank right now. Hope to eventually convert it to high tech, but salt has my wallet before fresh at the moment. I have some crypts that you can pop in there to eat up some of them nutrients making algae. A bristle nose is always an excellent idea. Remember too that freshwater tanks are best ran when lights are only on for 4 hours at a time, total of 8-10 a day.

 

[Gietz]

Ive done FW for years and algae = high nitrates.  black algae is the worse!!  i personally think saltwater is easier than freshwater.  all that time spent cleaning the gravel was a waste of time i should have gone salt from the start  :?

 

[teebone110]

Haha it is it is. No longer have the tank running, but I do have a 20 gallon freshwater planted tank right now. Hope to eventually convert it to high tech, but salt has my wallet before fresh at the moment. I have some crypts that you can pop in there to eat up some of them nutrients making algae. A bristle nose is always an excellent idea. Remember too that freshwater tanks are best ran when lights are only on for 4 hours at a time, total of 8-10 a day.

Thanks guys for your comments. I seriously want to get this tank turned around. My thoughts are to just drain it and start from scratch. It has been running for about 5 years, so it might need to be torn down.

I have usually kept the lights on for 8 hours, but thought that the reasons for my algae could be to the T5s producing too much light?

I was adding RODI for top off, but is this critical for fw tanks? I would bet most use tapwater with a lfs conditioner?

 

[jones02]

I just use plain tap water lol.

 

[Gietz]

I use tap water and never had a problem, I would always distill it first!  Try getting a pleco?

 

[katie_]

I add Flourish Excel to help with the control of algae.
It's an organic carbon and it has always kept my tank clear of unwanted algae.

 

[chablonski]

When i had mine set up i always ran a UV sterilizer and make sure to have water movement to get rid of dead spots in the tank and things were good, also i used plain old tap water and had T5 lights

 

[unibob]

How's the tank Tyler? Any updates or pics?

 

[teebone110]

It is doing great! Was actually doing better then my reef tank for a couple weeks :?
Everything is thriving, thanks for stopping by with the goods and your tips. Much appreciated!

I will post some pics soon.

 

[teebone110]

 

[unibob]

Looks pristine Tyler.