[rdek]

Hi there,

In general there are two routes to take; create unfavourable conditions for plants and algae (because they prefer the same conditions, except that algae perform better in low CO2 environments).... and then....the funny part.... get plants. You won't be getting an Amano tank via this route, but then again, you won't find Amano tanks anywhere in nature.

So what makes tanks unfavourable? For instance, you mentioned light intensity. Try 5 lumens for a change. Doesn't matter if you keep the lights on for 14 hours. Just stick to 5 lumens. This should be enough to not surpass the compensation point. Nutrients? Water changes and organic waste should do in basis. I can go on, but just wanted to point out this route.

The second route is adopted by most, and probably boils down to biochemical warfare performed by plants. This means, regardless if you follow low energy or high high approaches, have abundant plants in your tank and make sure these plants are healthy. Healthy plants invest in defensive mechanisms, making algae hesitant to reproduce.

Cheers

 

[rdek]

hey Cpt. Parker.

Most plants in our hobby are bog plants that are grown emersed. When you place them in your tank, you are drowning them. Long story short; it takes 4 to 6 weeks before they adapt. The adaptation might go hand in hand with auto fragmentation and melting. This decay is more food for algae. I always recommend to place them in a vase and place these on a windowsill (without direct sunlight).

Only place healthy, aquatic adapted plants in your tank!

The exception is a tank that is already heavily planted and that are healthy. In which case you can simply add the new plant. A healthy heavily planted tank is resilient enough to deal with a few plants that are struggling.

Plants that struggle no longer invest in defensive mechanisms and leach metabolites. Hence you often see algae on leaves.

Anyways, in your shoes I would dim the lights heavily without hesitation. Get the plants out, put them in vases and place these on a windowsill (without direct sunlight); give them time to recover and rid themselves of the algae. Just conduct water changes in those vases. That's it.

Once you have gained control again of your tank (no nutrients, except those occurring naturally, and heavily dimmed light), you can place the plants back without really changing anything. Follow route 1 I described. Or jump to 2 and plant heavily from day 1, as long as those plants are adapted to aquatic life.

I think this is the main cause why newcomers have a hard time.