New tank troubleshooting
So just started up a 2.5 gallon planted cube, still fairly new to the hobby. Just having a couple issues that I wanted to run by you guys.
Background is I dry started for about 8 weeks with Monte Carlo and marsilea hirsuta. Substrate is eco complete. Prior to flooding I planted some bacopa carolinas and rotala in the background. Plan is to eventually add maybe a half dozen CRS. Fairly low tech, just lighting a heater and air stone.
2 weeks in, experiencing a green dust algae breakout, browning of the marsilea, and a pond snail infestation. Parameters are as follows:
Temp - 72
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrites and Nitrates - 0-5ppm
TDS - 150
pH - 6.5-7
KH- 4
GH - 3
Haven’t measured phosphates
For troubleshooting the algae and snails, aside from manual removal ive turned down my lighting period from 10 to 8 hours. Also had to take out the bacopa and rotala as the leaves were dying and the dead plant matter I think was contributing to the algae. I also imagine the snail eggs came in on the plants. Aside from getting a single nerite, not sure what else I can do to combat the algae and pond snails. I can’t reduce feeding as I’m not even feeding! Hoping the shrimp will eat some of the plant matter. Any thoughts?
As far as the marsilea, it’s still sending out plenty of runners I’m just assuming it’s taking some time to convert from emersed to submerged form?
Any recommendations greatly appreciated!
So just started up a 2.5 gallon planted cube, still fairly new to the hobby. Just having a couple issues that I wanted to run by you guys.
Background is I dry started for about 8 weeks with Monte Carlo and marsilea hirsuta. Substrate is eco complete. Prior to flooding I planted some bacopa carolinas and rotala in the background. Plan is to eventually add maybe a half dozen CRS. Fairly low tech, just lighting a heater and air stone.
2 weeks in, experiencing a green dust algae breakout, browning of the marsilea, and a pond snail infestation. Parameters are as follows:
Temp - 72
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrites and Nitrates - 0-5ppm
TDS - 150
pH - 6.5-7
KH- 4
GH - 3
Haven’t measured phosphates
For troubleshooting the algae and snails, aside from manual removal ive turned down my lighting period from 10 to 8 hours. Also had to take out the bacopa and rotala as the leaves were dying and the dead plant matter I think was contributing to the algae. I also imagine the snail eggs came in on the plants. Aside from getting a single nerite, not sure what else I can do to combat the algae and pond snails. I can’t reduce feeding as I’m not even feeding! Hoping the shrimp will eat some of the plant matter. Any thoughts?
As far as the marsilea, it’s still sending out plenty of runners I’m just assuming it’s taking some time to convert from emersed to submerged form?
Any recommendations greatly appreciated!