Hello.
My 32 gal was stabilized for 4 months and I introduced Elodea sp. to it with an standard lamp (1 bulb, 20 W). I added, just for fun, a DIY CO2 system and the Elodea sp. literaly bloomed. Since this success with and easy plant I decided to dump the elodea, and move into a more elaborate planted aquarium. Therefore bought a new lamp, a pressurized CO2 system and added a layer of a new substrate, at episodes. I first bought the lamp, programmed ot a timer for 10 hours of light however, it came with two 10000K bubls and two 12000K bulbs, I left them for a while 15 days and brown algae (I never had it before) literraly covered my aquarium (i was on vacation so it was a catastrophe). I cleaned it, did a water change, and changed the 12000K bulbs for two 3600K. I decided to add the new substrate and CO2 system since i read that CO2 and a little more of acidity might bring down the algae bloom. It did slow it down, however, now I have green algae and green hair algae which pearl and pearl for hours to be, while the brown algae is receding or at least growing slowly.
I am monitoring the aquarium weekly and it has these stable values:
Hardness 80 ppm
Alkalinity 200 ppm
pH 8.0
Nitrites 0 ppm
Nitrates 0 ppm
Even if I increase the CO2 bpm count, the pH doesn´t seem to go down from 8.0. I removed a limestone rock to try to reduce my alkalinity and therefore reduce the pH to fight off the algae bloom. Needles to say, the few plants that are left seem to be getting browner and weaker, instead of growing, only the green algae seems happy and pearling. I take the growth of algae as a signal of the presence of ammonia, phosphate, and such nutrients.
Any tips on what should I do next to save my plants?
Any help/tips?
Tank:
32g Long
84 watts of fluorescent lighting (T5 21WX4: 2x10000K, 2X3600K)
CO2 Pressurized system @ 1.5 bpm
Driftwood
Second nature Cascade filter
Powerhead at 60 gal/hr
1 dose sechem fluorish and iron once a week.
30% weekly water change
Fed once a day
More specs at my profile
Plants:
HYGROPHILA POLYSPERMA
BACOPA SP. 'PANTANAL'
CABOMBA CAROLINIANA VAR. CAROLINIANA
Java moss remnants
Fish:
2 Cychlids
These are pictures of the current state of my aquarium:
My 32 gal was stabilized for 4 months and I introduced Elodea sp. to it with an standard lamp (1 bulb, 20 W). I added, just for fun, a DIY CO2 system and the Elodea sp. literaly bloomed. Since this success with and easy plant I decided to dump the elodea, and move into a more elaborate planted aquarium. Therefore bought a new lamp, a pressurized CO2 system and added a layer of a new substrate, at episodes. I first bought the lamp, programmed ot a timer for 10 hours of light however, it came with two 10000K bubls and two 12000K bulbs, I left them for a while 15 days and brown algae (I never had it before) literraly covered my aquarium (i was on vacation so it was a catastrophe). I cleaned it, did a water change, and changed the 12000K bulbs for two 3600K. I decided to add the new substrate and CO2 system since i read that CO2 and a little more of acidity might bring down the algae bloom. It did slow it down, however, now I have green algae and green hair algae which pearl and pearl for hours to be, while the brown algae is receding or at least growing slowly.
I am monitoring the aquarium weekly and it has these stable values:
Hardness 80 ppm
Alkalinity 200 ppm
pH 8.0
Nitrites 0 ppm
Nitrates 0 ppm
Even if I increase the CO2 bpm count, the pH doesn´t seem to go down from 8.0. I removed a limestone rock to try to reduce my alkalinity and therefore reduce the pH to fight off the algae bloom. Needles to say, the few plants that are left seem to be getting browner and weaker, instead of growing, only the green algae seems happy and pearling. I take the growth of algae as a signal of the presence of ammonia, phosphate, and such nutrients.
Any tips on what should I do next to save my plants?
Any help/tips?
Tank:
32g Long
84 watts of fluorescent lighting (T5 21WX4: 2x10000K, 2X3600K)
CO2 Pressurized system @ 1.5 bpm
Driftwood
Second nature Cascade filter
Powerhead at 60 gal/hr
1 dose sechem fluorish and iron once a week.
30% weekly water change
Fed once a day
More specs at my profile
Plants:
HYGROPHILA POLYSPERMA
BACOPA SP. 'PANTANAL'
CABOMBA CAROLINIANA VAR. CAROLINIANA
Java moss remnants
Fish:
2 Cychlids
These are pictures of the current state of my aquarium:




