Flourish Excel

[mikeyboy123]

No, you won't need root tabs. My bad.

An amano or two and a nerite or two would help with the algae.

Thought not and yeah I was thinking of shrimps or snails at some point but was told to wait for tank to be well settled for shrimp?

If your cycled then I suppose the only worry would be if there's still the potential for stuff to leach out of the substrate that may harm the shrimp. I don't know much about these sort of substrates so can't really say when it would be safe to add shrimp. Maybe someone more familiar with your substrate can advise.

Cherry shrimp don't really do much for algae but amanos are quite voracious. Not sure about caridinia like crystals.

If you do keep some shrimp beware of where you're getting your plants from. I have had a bad experience with some cheap egeria densa i bought on ebay. Some plants are grown in chemicals that shrimp can't tolerate and my shrimp went crazy the moment I put the plants in.

[fluxtor]

Thanks guys! Love this forum, so much knowledge!

[Pleco Fan]

I'm a firm advocate for Co2, even in small tanks where it is much easier to control, since using Co2 I have not had any algae problems at all, one thing I have found is that the intensity of the lights can cause more algae if they are too bright especially at the top of the tank.
This is what you can achieve with Co2 this was my 55ltr tank, eventually I decided to remove most of the plants to create room for the fish that is the only downside I have seen.
I have now started to experiment with rocks and mosses once it is established I will post images.

[Martinspuddle]

I'm a firm advocate for Co2, even in small tanks where it is much easier to control, since using Co2 I have not had any algae problems at all, one thing I have found is that the intensity of the lights can cause more algae if they are too bright especially at the top of the tank.
This is what you can achieve with Co2 this was my 55ltr tank, eventually I decided to remove most of the plants to create room for the fish that is the only downside I have seen.
I have now started to experiment with rocks and mosses once it is established I will post images.

The one other down side of CO2 and the reason I stopped using it is the amount of cut back foliage you end up binning every month.

[fluxtor]

I'm a firm advocate for Co2, even in small tanks where it is much easier to control, since using Co2 I have not had any algae problems at all, one thing I have found is that the intensity of the lights can cause more algae if they are too bright especially at the top of the tank.
This is what you can achieve with Co2 this was my 55ltr tank, eventually I decided to remove most of the plants to create room for the fish that is the only downside I have seen.
I have now started to experiment with rocks and mosses once it is established I will post images.

Looks mint! I'd love to try C02 and maybe if I can find room for another tank. My problem with the current tank is where it's situated on my breakfast bar in the kitchen I don't have the room! I do have plans for the future to make some room for a bigger tank in the front room but only if I can get this one running peachy!

[Pleco Fan]

I'm a firm advocate for Co2, even in small tanks where it is much easier to control, since using Co2 I have not had any algae problems at all, one thing I have found is that the intensity of the lights can cause more algae if they are too bright especially at the top of the tank.
This is what you can achieve with Co2 this was my 55ltr tank, eventually I decided to remove most of the plants to create room for the fish that is the only downside I have seen.
I have now started to experiment with rocks and mosses once it is established I will post images.

The one other down side of CO2 and the reason I stopped using it is the amount of cut back foliage you end up binning every month.

You don't have to bin it! I gave away many excess plants on this forum.

[Martinspuddle]

I'm a firm advocate for Co2, even in small tanks where it is much easier to control, since using Co2 I have not had any algae problems at all, one thing I have found is that the intensity of the lights can cause more algae if they are too bright especially at the top of the tank.
This is what you can achieve with Co2 this was my 55ltr tank, eventually I decided to remove most of the plants to create room for the fish that is the only downside I have seen.
I have now started to experiment with rocks and mosses once it is established I will post images.

The one other down side of CO2 and the reason I stopped using it is the amount of cut back foliage you end up binning every month.

You don't have to bin it! I gave away many excess plants on this forum.

No one wanted it when I ran a high tech CO2 aquarium ...plus I wasn't on the forum then.

[Martinspuddle]

FYI here is where the tank is situated. Excuse the dog towel on the radiator!

I hadn't seen this picture.

Do bare in mind the amount photoperiod your aquarium is getting from that skylight as well as your aquarium lights.

[fluxtor]

FYI here is where the tank is situated. Excuse the dog towel on the radiator!

I hadn't seen this picture.

Do bare in mind the amount photoperiod your aquarium is getting from that skylight as well as your aquarium lights.

Yeah I did wonder if I might be fighting a loosing battle or maybe it might just take longer. Have given it a good clean and 30% water change tonight and manually removed as much of the string algea as I dare trying not to stress the fish out too much! I'm now dosing Flourish Excel at 1.5ml a day and am going to get some ferts and more plants. I really want something red with broader leaves and denser so need to do my research!