Foreground / carpeting plants issues

[Shivjindal]

Hi All

I've been running a 125l fairly heavily planted tank for nearly 5 months now (see photo below). Tank is a Fluval Roma 125 dimensions are 80 x 35 x 50 and the lights are on for 8 hours / day. No CO2 injection, just been using root tabs in the substrate and dosing liquid fertiliser daily (both Tropica) according to my tank volume and changing 50% of the water each week. The back and midground plants have been doing great but some of the foreground plants, mainly monte carlo and liliopsis brasiliensis have always struggled but with they are growing and carpeting slowly but have a covering of algae whereas the rest of the plants don't (you may be able to see in the attached). Touch wood i've not yet had any algae issues elsewhere just on the foreground plants. Ive got 3 Otocinclus as algae eaters and a few cherry shrimp.

I was wondering if there is anything I can do to get these plants algae free, looking healthy and growing vigourously? I did choose the monte carlo especially as read it grows easily without CO2? Maybe I've been scrimping a bit on the root tabs as been putting 3 across the foreground (3 every 25cm or so every 2-3 months) as didnt want to overdue the fertiliser in the tank as was doing liquid ferts daily too. Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you, Ade

[Martinspuddle]

Nice setup ...the main issue looks to me is water flow or the lack of it, certainly in the in the foreground.

In your picture I can see the algae growing across the front substrate, some actually looks to me to be Cyanobacteria by it's colour, I maybe wrong without seeing a closer image of your foreground.

Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis and your Monte Carlo Micranthemum will grow without Co2 but both very slowly. It's been hindered by the flow issue and the algae growth, both species need good circulation to thrive.

You need to be aiming for around 10 times your aquarium water volume per hour, what is your aquarium water turn over per hour?

[Shivjindal]

I’ve got a Fluval U3 and Fluval 2 plus internal filters in there, 600l p/h and 400l p/h respectively so plenty of turnover although both outlets are in upper layers as if I direct the U3 through the lower layers it blasts the plants everywhere (you can’t adjust the flow on this filter). Therefore, there is some water movement in lower front layer but it is minimal. I’ve posted a close up of algae below, it looks more like that brown dust algae stuff?

[Drifty]

few things come to mind here

From look of the picture it looks like there may be a iron deficiency...
Second are you using any Liquid carbon as this helps to with algae issue as well as getting your plants greener...
Lastly how much measurement of liquid fertilizer are you doing daily?

[Martinspuddle]

Algae doesn't look to bad and there no Cyanobacteria I can see after all, just looked like some in the image you first posted. I agree with @Drifty there is a iron deficiency, not only that I can definitely see green spot algae on some of the leaves. You've got some growth but I would say your flow is still an issue. What filter manufacturers say and what flow rate actually get are always quite different. I'd be tempted to add a small circulation pump to the set up to help the flow rate.

[Shivjindal]

Hi both, thanks for your answers - very helpful. In response...

I use 6-7 pumps over a week of tropica 'premium nutrition' for 125l (recommendations is 6 pumps / week).

I'll happily get a pump to increase flow - would a small powerhead be best?

Also, can get some liquid carbon - I thought all that would be in the ferts I'm dosing though? Is it because its fairly heavily planted theres an iron deficiency?

Thanks, Ade

[Martinspuddle]

You'll only need a small circulation pump for your setup like the one below...

Fluval Sea CP1 Circulation Pump

Although it says for a 60 litre aquarium it has a turn over of 1000 litre per hour and is only 3.5 watts.

[Shivjindal]

Ace many thanks