Fish Loads In Planted Tanks

[piper]

Just wondering what short of fish load every one has. I’m sure my algae problems are basically cased by my high fish stocks. And the reality is to have a really nice Planted tank you need to have a low bio load.



I’ve got over 100 inches of fish in a 55Gal tank and get algae no matter what I do.

 

[SuperColey1]

It all goes along with the 'ammonia triggers algae' theory which is the current belief. While this may be proven wrong one day just like others like the 'excess nutrients cause algae' and then 'phosphates cause algae' is yet to be seen but this theory is looking more and more like fact as it has been very well tested where the others where speculations.

Therefore the higher the fish load the more ammonia is present hence more algae. In a low stocked tank there is less ammonia.

However in a modern planted tank where we are using over filtration and therefore higher circulation whether it be all from the filter lph or additional powerheads means the filter should be able to handle the extra ammonia and that the circulation should keep it moving and therefore get it to the filter.

We then dose inorganic sources of N in the form of KNO3 which replaces the organic N in ammonia and this does not trigger algae.

The ideal scenario would be for the filter to remove all the ammonia and the plants to use what we add.

You also have to look at the plants though because they also release ammonia if they run defficient. This is why if plants are doing well then algae is less.

Most pure planted aquascapers tend to add fish to compliment their scape and therefore stock lightly with fish that 'add' to the scape whereas people like me who have planted tanks but the fish are the main priority overstock.

In general most planted tanks are overstocked and this is fine. As much as 2" per gallon won't do too much harm.

Tom Barr has pushed the limits on this one and there is a thread somewhere on the barrreport that shows his test where he added more and more fishload into a tank and eventually it got algae no matter what he did. I think he went pretty high though but you would have to find that thread as it was a long time ago I read it and can't remember what it was called. lol

I tend to stock between 1½ and 2" per gallon. At the minute I am at about 1" per gallon due to rebuilding my stock after my son killed my tank but I will probably go to 1½"/G when fully stocked. Maybe a little more but not past 2"/G

I feel pretty safe to do this because I have 5.6x filtering and not the 2 to 3x that most purely fish owners have. Add to that another 12 x of circulation via powerhead and my circulation and filter keep the water continually moving and therefore more in suspension to get to my filter.

AC

 

[aaronnorth]

it depends on how densley the tank is planted aswell, if you have fast growing stems that cover almost the entire substrate then they will use up the ammonia pretty quickly, limiting the possibility of algae growth.

Currently i have 15 Black neons, loads of RCS, loads of MTS and 3 ottos in a 60l tank.

What algae are you getting?

 

[piper]

Its mostley BBA with some thread algae on my moss. Although I'm now using a tooth brush to remove the thread algae that seems to be an easy method.

 

[aaronnorth]

I doubt it is down to your fish load then, poor CO2 and/ or poor circulation is the cause of BBA. Can you list your setup?

 

[piper]

I dose full EI, C02 is 4BPS (30ppm), 150W Metal Halide and Black Fluorite Sand Substrate in a 240L tank. The main light is on from 1pm-8pm with two 18w T8s on from 8pm-11pm.

EI dosing as below:

1/2 tsp KNO3 3x a week
1/4 tsp KH2PO4 3x a week
1/4 tsp K2SO4 3x a week
1/4 tsp MgS04 3x a week

1/4 tsp traces 3x a week

Ammonia (NH3) = 0
Nitrite (N02) = 0
Nitrate (NO3) = 20
PH = 7.0

Filtartion is by a Eheim 2078 and internal fluval 4 in the tank so getting about 2400lph circulation (x10 tank size).

 

[SuperColey1]

Its the MH - 3WPG+ thats making you struggle with the CO2. Is it 30ppm all the way round the tank?

AC

 

[piper]

Yeah I think it is. I have the drop checker at the end of my tank that gets the least flow. Although I might change it around a bit.