49 replies to this topic

[powerguy85]

You might be right. I just went off of pictures, but honestly they appear very similar when they are juveniles. The descriptions of both vary widely from brown to green to gray bodies, solid color or mottled.

[powerguy85]

First of all, thanks everyone for the kind words.

I've been struggling with algae of all kinds in this tank, hair, diatoms, bga, and a strange red looking algae I've never seen before. Also, the white mold that grows on new DW is still alive on the piece sticking out of the top. I want to put some moss on there, but not until the mold is gone.

To combat the algae, I turned the white LEDs down to 60% for 9 hours. It has reduced the algae, at least the bga anyway. I was using excel for a while, but that gets costly with a tank this size. I do 50% water changes weekly. I might up that by adding a 25% change mid-week. I don't know if that will help or not. I would really like to get a pair of American flag fish to help with the hair algae and diatoms. I just can't get them locally and balk at spending close to $50 shipped online for two native fish.

On another note, I want more plants in this tank, so I'm actually debating putting anubias on the driftwood to the right. Someone talk me out of it. I need more native plants!

[NotCousteau]

Some people have good experience with mollies eating algae if you want to keep it native and something that is more be readily available than flag fish. I've never tried them myself.

You could probably get away with a lower percentage on your white LED output and fewer hours, too. I think my white LED is 45% and I only turn my lights on when I'm home until bedtime (typically 7pm-10:30pm). I grow val, java moss, anacharis and dwarf lettuce just fine with those short hours.

Good luck.

[littlen]

Sounds like your tank and driftwood is still nutrient cycling. I wouldn't worry about the DW at all. It will eventually run its course and stop producing little patches of mold. The algae should settle down as well --- and will certainly be reduced by the addition of plants that will compete for the nutrients. Java miss is a quick growing moss that could soak up a lot of those nutrients quickly to help knock back the amount of algae. I also agree with reducing the number of hours your lights are on---especially if you aren't even there. If there is ambient light most of the day by means of an exterior window then leave the lights off shy of evening/night hours you want to view the tank. I have a digital timer that has my LEDs come on a few hours here and there, when someone is home and likely around to look at the fish. Haven't seen any algae yet. Although there are no live plants.

I'm not questioning your husbandry skills but wanted to suggest the following if you're not already doing so. Try feeding a little less. The nutrients have to be coming from somewhere. Uneaten food is usually a good suspect. Also, are you gravel vacuuming when you do your water changes? If not, you're not really removing the source of your problem despite the frequent and large water changes. Good luck.

[powerguy85]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I do feed once per day, but only enough that it's gone within a few minutes. Anything that hits the bottom gets picked up by the catfish pretty quickly.

Vaccuming the substrate isn't possible in about 2/3 of the tank because of the vals and the dw on the right side. It's a pain to try and move it to get under it without uprooting plants. Also, that's where the plants get their nutrients because I don't add any ferts. I was using flourish comprehensive, but decided to see how they grow without it.

I think reducing the light output and duration will have to be my course of action. I'll set that today, give it a week or two, and report back.

Edited by powerguy85, 24 December 2014 - 09:20 AM.

[powerguy85]

Current picture

1/05/15


Propagating moss at the surface. If you look closely at the moss on the left you can see spore stalks. The moss on the left was just placed there in hopes that it will follow suit.


The green sunfish died. He got an absess on his left side that was huge and he didn't recover. No other fish show signs of that, so I'm not sure what happened.

I gave my largest p-seed to a guy with an Oscar in a 55 due to aggression. He was planning to take the Oscar back to the LFS and get something else. I offered the p-seed and he liked it.

[Josh Blaylock]

That is a nice tank. Beautifully aquascaped.

Sent from my Nexus 5

[powerguy85]

That is a nice tank. Beautifully aquascaped.

Thank you.

[Aquastudent]

This tank is looking fantastic. This is exactly what I'm looking to put together. I'm trying to decide if I want to go with local fish or fish from another region (ones that prefer warmer water since my apartment doesn't have AC). This is a lovely tank and the fish colored up immensely!

 

I grew up on Burke and did as much grocery shoping at the Belvoir commisary as I could. I'll be heading down there this summer. Perhaps we can put a microfishing trip together. I was planning on doing some hikes in the Shennendoah too.

[Chasmodes]

Beautiful tank powerguy!