29 is cycled

[Rudles]

My 29 finally cycled and now has inhabitants. My Bronze Corydora and two Siamese algae eaters. I'm having a bit of trouble with brown dust algae, some sort of string algae and overall my plants are struggling. I put a UV sterilizer online and I run it about eight hours a day. I have my light on about eight hours a day but I dropped it down to the low setting. I also brought my diy co2 system online and I run it about eight hours a day at about two bubbles per second. My Bacopa Caroliniana is the first so far to show any new growth. 

Should I discontinue Easy Green for a couple of weeks?

[tonyjuliano]

“Brown dust algae” isn’t algae at all, but diatoms.  It’s very normal in newly set up tanks.

Want to get rid of it fast?

Nerite Snails and / or a few Ottos.

Edited June 8, 2021 by tonyjuliano

[Rudles]

Thank you  :) I may have to order a couple. I don't have a LFS and have to order everything online. I have been considering Nerite snails so I think I'll go ahead and make an order. 

[tonyjuliano]

4 minutes ago, Rudles said:

I think I'll go ahead and make an order. 

4-5 for a 29 gallon, and give them 2 weeks.  You will be amazed.

[Patrick_G]

I’ll second the recommendation for Otocinclus and I’ll add Amano Shrimp to the list. Two or three of each will really help. 

[laritheloud]

Just now, Patrick_G said:

I’ll second the recommendation for Otocinclus and I’ll add Amano Shrimp to the list. Two or three of each will really help. 

I love my Amanos, but they're definitely not the workers I was expecting -- not yet anyway. I think mine are still too young. 🤣 Currently they're the tank sneaky jerks, always hatching evil plots under a specific clump of java moss and stealing the corydora tablets for their very own.

[Patrick_G]

Just now, laritheloud said:

I love my Amanos, but they're definitely not the workers I was expecting -- not yet anyway. I think mine are still too young. 🤣 Currently they're the tank sneaky jerks, always hatching evil plots under a specific clump of java moss and stealing the corydora tablets for their very own.

I know! They’re sinking pellet bandits! I’ve been lucky enough to get some full grown ones from a LFS. They’re huge! 

[Guppysnail]

Bladder snail will clean the individual leaves of even the most delicate plants. 

[laritheloud]

Just now, Patrick_G said:

I know! They’re sinking pellet bandits! I’ve been lucky enough to get some full grown ones from a LFS. They’re huge! 

All this time I was thinking the cories were eating them all... until I saw a big tan-colored mass beneath that moss. Dang shrimp!

I ordered mine, but even the amanos at the LFS were very small. They've got a ways to go with their growing, but they've been through at least 2 or 3 molts since I got them a couple months ago.

[laritheloud]

1 minute ago, Guppysnail said:

Bladder snail will clean the individual leaves of even the most delicate plants. 

oh 100%. I watched a teensy baby bladder snail clean off an enormous Anubias Barteri leaf in one day. Not a speck of brown left on it, and it systematically moved to another leaf the next day.

[Guppysnail]

I love to watch them twist down my anacharis

[Rudles]

Wanted to order some Nerite snails 🐌 but Aqua Huna is sold out. I have 10 Cardinal Tetras and 14 Neon Tetras on the way. I want to be careful not to overstock. I have 3 of my 7 SAEs in my 29 leaving 4 in my 20. Everybody's going to be in my 29 soon and I'll tear down the 20 and get it going again. Once it's cycled I want to get a Betta and start a community around it. I have a spare 20 high that I'm going to keep just for a hospital tank.