Algae and water wisteria problems

[dan12boy]

Hey everyone. I’ve had my 20 gallon tank for about a year now and I’m having some algae issues. My first one is the hair like algae growing on my intake sponge. So far it’s been harmless and actually looks cool but it worries me. Here’s a pic: Next algae problem is some fuzz I see on some pearlweed, anacharis and this red green plant that I can’t remember the name of. On my Anubias there’s some green on it that’s definitely algaeTheres also some algae on this ACO cave I got but it’s been there for months now and I actually kind of like it. Lastly my water wisteria leaves always end up like this elven after growing really well initially. Anyone know how to fix this? 

[Baphijmm]

What fertilizers are you using? Your water wisteria looks like it's showing signs of potassium deficiency. This could be explained in context with your post if, for example, you haven't varied the amount of fertilizer you've put in the tank as the plants have grown; bigger plants need more nutrients. The lack of nutrients could also explain the algae, because the plants aren't growing fast enough to use the nutrients available in the water column before the algae does.

[dan12boy]

On 5/14/2022 at 8:41 PM, Baphijmm said:

What fertilizers are you using? Your water wisteria looks like it's showing signs of potassium deficiency. This could be explained in context with your post if, for example, you haven't varied the amount of fertilizer you've put in the tank as the plants have grown; bigger plants need more nutrients. The lack of nutrients could also explain the algae, because the plants aren't growing fast enough to use the nutrients available in the water column before the algae does.

I didn’t use any fertilizer for a long time. I only once in a while added some ACO root tabs but not liquid fetus. Started using liquid about a month ago. I was using seachem flourish but a week ago as a birthday gift I got ACO liquid fertilizer so I just started using it. What do you recommend I do with the algae and wisteria? Would adding extra potassium help it get better? Do I need to replant it by cutting off the parts with the holed leaves? 

Here’s a picture of the whole tank 

[Baphijmm]

On 5/14/2022 at 6:45 PM, dan12boy said:

Started using liquid about a month ago. I was using seachem flourish but a week ago as a birthday gift I got ACO liquid fertilizer so I just started using it.

Hmm... If that's the case, the algae is almost certainly due to the sudden influx of nutrients, and you might be witnessing melt on the wisteria. (Some plants melt when nutrient availability changes, even if that change is positive. I actually don't know if that's the case for the wisteria.) I *might* back off on the ferts for a bit, not dropping them entirely but perhaps reducing the amount you feed by half or something, some easily-measurable amount. Then, keep up that regimen for a bit, a couple weeks or so, see if things improve. Your plants may not be used to having nutrients available, and thus are struggling to use them. They'll appreciate them in time for sure, but might need to be eased into it.

In terms of what to do with the algae right now, I'd clean it off the surfaces where you don't want it, mostly as just a preemptive measure. I might clean it off the filter intake sponge just because it's probably reducing flow into your filter. On the wisteria, having never kept them, I can't make much of a recommendation; I don't know if that species can be propagated by cutting the stem and planting it, like some other aquatic species.

Edited May 15, 2022 by Baphijmm

[dan12boy]

On 5/14/2022 at 8:54 PM, Baphijmm said:

Hmm... If that's the case, the algae is almost certainly due to the sudden influx of nutrients, and you might be witnessing melt on the wisteria. (Some plants melt when nutrient availability changes, even if that change is positive. I actually don't know if that's the case for the wisteria.) I *might* back off on the ferts for a bit, not dropping them entirely but perhaps reducing the amount you feed by half or something, some easily-measurable amount. Then, keep up that regimen for a bit, a couple weeks or so, see if things improve. Your plants may not be used to having nutrients available, and thus are struggling to use them. They'll appreciate them in time for sure, but might need to be eased into it.

In terms of what to do with the algae right now, I'd clean it off the surfaces where you don't want it, mostly as just a preemptive measure. I might clean it off the filter intake sponge just because it's probably reducing flow into your filter. On the wisteria, having never kept them, I can't make much of a recommendation; I don't know if that species can be propagated by cutting the stem and planting it, like some other aquatic species.

Okay thank you so much. I’ll dial it down on the ferts for a while, how do I clean off algae from plants without damaging them? And with the intake sponge I plucked some off but not intensively. I’ll take it off and try to intensively pick them off. Wisteria does propagate by cutting the stem by the way. I just wanted to know if the leaves could get fixed or if they were done for. 

[Baphijmm]

On 5/14/2022 at 7:03 PM, dan12boy said:

Okay thank you so much. I’ll dial it down on the ferts for a while, how do I clean off algae from plants without damaging them? And with the intake sponge I plucked some off but not intensively. I’ll take it off and try to intensively pick them off. Wisteria does propagate by cutting the stem by the way. I just wanted to know if the leaves could get fixed or if they were done for. 

On the intake sponge, you can rinse it off the same way the ACO folks show they do on their sponge filters, just take it out and wring it in a container of tank water. On the plants, I use a little el cheapo toothbrush, but then I'm also cleaning it off things like Java fern, where the leaves aren't exactly delicate. I'd give it a try at least? If things look like they're getting damaged, then stop.

Most plants won't fix damaged leaves; actually, I'll go one step further and say I don't believe any plant will fix damaged leaves. I'd leave them until new leaves start to develop, then start cutting them off; this should encourage it to grow more leaves to make up for the loss.

[dan12boy]

On 5/14/2022 at 9:20 PM, Baphijmm said:

On the intake sponge, you can rinse it off the same way the ACO folks show they do on their sponge filters, just take it out and wring it in a container of tank water. On the plants, I use a little el cheapo toothbrush, but then I'm also cleaning it off things like Java fern, where the leaves aren't exactly delicate. I'd give it a try at least? If things look like they're getting damaged, then stop.

Most plants won't fix damaged leaves; actually, I'll go one step further and say I don't believe any plant will fix damaged leaves. I'd leave them until new leaves start to develop, then start cutting them off; this should encourage it to grow more leaves to make up for the loss.

I did that before but it didn’t get any of the algae off, I’ll try again on my next water change day. And okay thank you I’ll try using a brush. I’ll start cutting off the leaves from the stem or do I cut the stem completely and replant? I could also cut the stem of the healthy part while leaving the unhealthy and cutting some leaves to see if that’ll grow any. Should I get any potassium specific fertilizer?