# Algae in newly planted tank



## Baelenn (Apr 22, 2017)

I have my first planted tank and would like some help with how to deal with this algae problem.

The tank has been set up 3 weeks now (using TTS) and the brown algae has started which is normal for new tanks so that doesnt worry me as much. What does is the other algae that have formed.

Hair/thread algae seems to have been mostly taken care of by the amano shrimp and I did recently get a pleco. 

Its the other algae that has me at a loss. The hard algae on the glass that I have to scrape off with a card and the wispy stuff in the images. I am hoping now the pleco will keep up on it after i scraped a load of?

The tank is meant to be low tech so no additional Co2 or ferts. The lights are on for roughly 6-7 hours with a 3-4 hour break mid afternoon.

I have read about lights and Co2 issues but the plan was to not have a high tec tank ie have to buy/add ferts or co2.

Any suggestions or is this a phase as the tank matures and settles?

Also the long leaved plant in the first image, is that dying, should I take it out or is it just the algae making it look that way ?

Thanks.


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

It must be green spotted algae. You can use a razor to scrape it off. The light must be too strong. I've read some people cover the light fixture with a piece of window screen seat to cover in order to reduce the light. Bigger water changes can help to reduce algae.


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

I would leave the Vals (the long leaved plant). It's known to melt leaves when it's moved. As long as you don't move or pull, it might settle in the tank and grow healthy new leaves.


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## Baelenn (Apr 22, 2017)

Oh that good to here about the plant, yet it may have been due to the delivery then putting in this tank. It does have 'offshoots' that seem to be doing well.

The tank has 2 x 18watt light tubes in. its on for about 7 hours


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

Never ever move or pull the Val. I have Italian Vals in my tank. They grew very well first when they were planted. They shoot offshoots and grew babies. Then due to diatom bloom and adding new plants, I moved them. Most of them died. If I hadn't, my tank would be full of Vals.


I'm not familiar with lightening things. I have a Finnex Planted+ which is way too strong for my low tech tank. I got a pair of 6" raisers. I usually leave the light on for 6 hours a day.


You can always get floaters. Frogbit, Red Root Floaters, Salvinia Minima and Duckweed. They will help reducing algae by blocking some light and sucking Nitrate. I have Saalvinia Minima in my tank. I recently introduced an aeration in my tank. To my surprise, it makes the plants grow much better. The java moss is much fuller now.


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## Baelenn (Apr 22, 2017)

Thanks for the suggestions! A floating plant sounds a good idea i will look into it and take some time off the lighting timer.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

The brown whispy stuff looks like what I have in my tank. It grows incredibly fast and will form what looks like ugly, brown, clouds. It adheres very well to the plants in my tank and to clean it off I have to take the plants out of the tank and rinse them, or remove as much of it as possible then just try and stay on top of keeping it off. Another thing I've found that helps is limiting the time I have my lights on, it was growing very slow, if at all, when I was breaking up the photo period in my tank and having the lights on no more then 8 hours per day. I had it under control but then spent around 4 days not feeling well, and simply turning the tank lights on in the morning and turning them on whenever I remembered to at night. Now I seem to be back to square one. I can tell you that so far my nerites do not touch it, nor do my MTS. I'm fixing to put some in the container I have the ramshorns in and see if they will eat it. If they do one of the ramshorns will be rehomed to my aquarium.


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## Baelenn (Apr 22, 2017)

Well I turned my lights down to around 6 hours and they are on a timer so hopefully it will help!


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## Baelenn (Apr 22, 2017)

Well I seem to have a new algae growing of that Val plant  Looks like that black brush stuff?

The lights are down to 7 hours a day now, they are 2x 18watt bulbs with a foil backing. This is meant to be a low tech tank, I dont want to start having to add ferts or co2.

Should I lower the lightning time even more, or start to trim back some of the plants with the heaviest growth?

I have noticed the guppy fry having a nibble at it.

ADD: ok i found out why the val is so.. dead.. it wasn't into the substrate at all! I put it in though not to deep.

THanks.


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## Baelenn (Apr 22, 2017)

Well, I figured then just sitting and watching em die and that algae spreading, I did a google search and decided to separate the new off shoot and cut back the dead and algae ridden tops and remove full dead leaves. So we shall see now.

Fingers Crossed.


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## Baelenn (Apr 22, 2017)

Seems good so far though I have bubbles forming on the surface. They dont seem foaming, just collections of clear bubbles.

I am hoping this is a good thing! I am guessing that those leaves maybe what is contributing to the algae. I did a water change less then 5 days ago and took a bit of water out yesterday so the water line wasnt right under the filter output.


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