Help with aquarium.

[LukasFralich]

Hi, this is my dads tank that is not under my care. I’m trying to help them get it going good but they keep having trouble. These are the parameters when I tested this morning. The water they use. Any help would be great as I have never had these issues this bad.

(First time posting or using this forum so sorry if I did something wrong🙂)

[Fish Folk]

Welcome to the CARE Forum! Hope we can help.

The parameters do not appear to be too terrible. It does seem like Nitrates are a bit high.

What are the issues they’ve been dealing with?

Edited June 19, 2021 by Fish Folk

[LukasFralich]

@Fish Folk yes it is a little high. They struggle with the algae stuff that is sitting on the sand and high nitrates. No matter what they do it comes back. I’m thinking it would be best to change substrate and get more plants but seeing what others say. I forgot to mention it is a 20 gallon high.

[Fish Folk]

Add lots of live plants, and moderate the light photoperiod and intensity. Use a general plant fertilizer as directed. 

[Fish Folk]

I think it’s a combination of poor substrate for plants to root through and draw nutrients from plus algae has secured the extra nitrate plus light to thrive. You might float stem plants and use rhizome plants. Here’s a sand bottomed tank I do this with...