eylk

Hello, this is my tank. 40 Gallon, 5 Platy, 1 Sword Tail and 2 X-ray Tetra. Ammonia : 0, Nitrite : 0 , Nitrate : 0 , Ph : 6.0. Eh... no kH and gK testkit ... yet.

Lighting is on for 10 hours. I have 4 bulbs at 36w, 6400k. Fert is API Leaf Zone. (Soluble Potash 3.00% , Iron 0.10% , to dose 5ml per 38L per week) I dose 20ml per week, since my tank is about 180L. I also have some kind of Ball Fert which I put in my Eheim Pickup Internal Filter. The Active Ingredients were not stated. All it says are to 'put in place of high ventilation'.

(Note : I am very new to plants, of all the plants in the aquarium, I only know the java fern, anubias, windelov , java moss and asian ambulia. I bought the rest as I thought the were easy to keep. I know I shouldnt have done that. but oh well...)







----------------

Now, the Algae problem. There seems to be 2 types. The 1st one (I COULD NOT get pictures) is developed on the glass, it looks like a mist. (Like dew on the car window in the mornings.)

The 2nd one (Pics below, brown and mostly in spots.) is also growing on my glass but also on my Java Fern, Windelov and Anubias, and even on or inside of my Eheim Picku Filter !! Im pretty sure it is that kind of algae on the plants as there was once I was able to 'rub it off' them.


(Brown spots on the plant leafs and covers some of the edges as well.)


(Note the filter closer to the background, the lower part.)

Can anyone tell me what kind of Algae those are? And what is the remedy?

Thanks!

-----
side topic : am planning to get a bottom dweller for eating algae. Something that will maintain the algae and eat alage on plants without damaging them... Any small (<15 cm) sucker fishes to recommend? and it is really necessary to keep cories and ottos in groups of 6? how bout 3?