Algae is running plant growth

[siniardem]

Hey everyone! Okay I have 4 tanks and they all are working differently of course! I set one up with plants and get it running, move to set another up, and the first one wants to fail. I will lay out my specs then tell my issues.

Tank 1 (oldest planted): 45 gallon with aquenon kit light. Finally removed the green spot algae under the hood light but now blue green algae won't stop growing on decor that is closest to light. I know I could kill the algae with taking and cleaning the decor, but I need the solve the problem. My plants will not grow unless its so slow I can't see it and the old leaves are dying off but the banana plants which float at the surface are doing great. I do not know why this is except that the algae is taking over. When I use easy green fertilizer the algae takes it. Lights on 12 hours.

Tank 2: (easiest to grow in): 2.6 gallon tank with bright light but has come with a bad case of green hair algae that I can not remove. Grows plants very well and I was trying to propagate English Ivy. I was using easy green and I believe this was the cause for the algae because I was also feeding molly babies. Mix of eco-complete and gravel in here. Medium flow. Bulbs are slowly growing due to algae taking nutrients. Lights on 8 hours.

Tank 3: 10 gallon with river gravel substrate and medium flow. Brighter white light that can't be changed. Bulbs do well in here. No algae is present. Diatoms have been cleared. I bought plants from Co-OP and put them in here still in the pots to acclimate for setting up a new tank. At the time my tanks were doing well. At this time the plants are doing well and older Top Fin brand bulbs are growing that sprouted. Only a few seem to be duds no matter which tank they have been moved to. The plants also seem to be pearling. Lights on 12 hours.

Tank 4: 10 gallon with river gravel substrate and light flow for betta. Darker white light that can't be changed. Bulbs do well in here. No algae is present. Diatoms have been cleared. Lights on 12 hours. 

Before I posted on my plant growth and before the algae issues and was asked about the plant nutrients. I received a calcium, phosphate, and potassium test kit and completed it. I do not know where to go from here. I am so in over my head but with a little guidance I think I can pull this one out. If I can do a garden surely I can do this one..not sure why it is so hard lol

Plant Nutrient levels:

Tank 1: K-25ppm, Phos-10+ppm (off the charts), Ca-960ppm

Tank 2:  K-35ppm, Phos-10+ppm (off the charts), Ca-940ppm

Tank 3:  K-0-5ppm, Phos-10+ppm (off the charts), Ca-980ppm

Tank 4:  K-25ppm, Phos-10+ppm (off the charts), Ca-960ppm

 

Help appreciated please!!

[Sleepy]

First thing I would change the light schedule down to 8-10 hours max also can you test your nitrate levels? What is your water change schedule? How often are you dosing?

[siniardem]

I dose easy green by the bottle directions 1x weekly. My nitrates are 40-80ppm in each tank right now because I was trying to give them to the plants. I change 30-50% water once every 2-3 weeks but top off once a week. I was going on fish and snail behavior for water changes. I stopped testing once my tanks were balanced. However, once I added plants, that went downhill.

My current goals are:

1. Get these tanks back in shape and back in balance with plants.

2. I would like to start changing water weekly IF that will benefit the plant nutrient levels, if not then create a schedule that the plants will do the heavier work. (I have been watching a lot of the Co-Op videos and wanted my plants to take out a lot of the nitrates for their growth but they aren't.)

3. Add more plants if needed. I would honestly like a jungle, but all I can do are banana plants right now. 

 

My water chemistry is well water that is hard with high iron naturally. We do have a filter in our water system but that doesn't catch everything. My tap does not register ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates. All aquariums also are cycled. My natural PH balances at 7.6ish from the tap into my tanks. I do have crushed coral in the 45 and 2.6 gallon to hold off on water changes. I was trying to create a more natural system with the plants. 

[Sleepy]

1 hour ago, siniardem said:

I dose easy green by the bottle directions 1x weekly. My nitrates are 40-80ppm in each tank right now because I was trying to give them to the plants. I change 30-50% water once every 2-3 weeks but top off once a week. I was going on fish and snail behavior for water changes. I stopped testing once my tanks were balanced. However, once I added plants, that went downhill.

My current goals are:

1. Get these tanks back in shape and back in balance with plants.

2. I would like to start changing water weekly IF that will benefit the plant nutrient levels, if not then create a schedule that the plants will do the heavier work. (I have been watching a lot of the Co-Op videos and wanted my plants to take out a lot of the nitrates for their growth but they aren't.)

3. Add more plants if needed. I would honestly like a jungle, but all I can do are banana plants right now. 

 

My water chemistry is well water that is hard with high iron naturally. We do have a filter in our water system but that doesn't catch everything. My tap does not register ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates. All aquariums also are cycled. My natural PH balances at 7.6ish from the tap into my tanks. I do have crushed coral in the 45 and 2.6 gallon to hold off on water changes. I was trying to create a more natural system with the plants. 

Ok so a couple of things:

40-80 ppm is too high the kind of rule of thumb is anytime you get over 40 ppm its time to do a water change ASAP for plants to thrive you want to be in the 10-20 ppm range because even high levels of Nitrates are bad for plants and fish. That being said you may want to revisit your water change schedule around these numbers especially very small tanks water parameters can go south much faster than larger tanks keeping in mind Easy Green will add nitrates to your water. Lastly I love banana plants but they aren't a plant alone that will soak up a bunch of nitrates and wouldn't rely on balancing a tank around for that purpose.

Hopefully that helps and makes sense. 

 

[siniardem]

That’s what I mean that I love those plants too but they are all that’s flourishing. I am starting water changes weekly, daily if needed to get down nitrates starting today. I’ll see if we can get things under control! Thanks!