I Need A Plan

[Kombat]

My tank is a 29 USG with a 55 W, 6700k bulb, DIY CO2, Seachem Flourite substrate. 2 pieces of driftwood. Plants and fish. Eheim Ecco 2232 filter.

I am so tired of fighting algae I am this close to ripping everything out and going with fake ornaments. I need to know if I am doing something wrong.

Here's my fish:
5 Glofish
4 Rummy Noses
2 Paradise fish
1 Pearl Gourami
5 Lemon Tetras
1 Turquoise Rainbow
1 Golden Wonder Killi
1 Clown Pleco
2 CAE
half dozen or so Ottos
4 corys.

Probably over stocked, I know. Maybe part of my problem?

Plants:
A dozen or so dwarf Sag.
1 amazon sword
2 crypto wendtii
Bunch of moneywort
2 bunches of 2 other stem plants I can't recall what they are

Probably not enough plants. Maybe another part of my problem?

I use the EI method, though some weeks I am not diligent about it. Amazing what slacking off for just one week will do. I use 1/4 tsp of nitrate and 1/16 tsp of phosphate three times a week, and Flourish and Excel three times a week.

Now that I've layed it out I can kind of tell what my problems are: overstocked, under planted, and not diligent enough on the CO2 and ferts. What about lighting? Is 55 enough?



Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,
Karl

 

[MermaidMel]

Here's my fish:
5 Glofish
4 Rummy Noses
2 Paradise fish
1 Pearl Gourami
5 Lemon Tetras
1 Turquoise Rainbow
1 Golden Wonder Killi
1 Clown Pleco
2 CAE
half dozen or so Ottos
4 corys.

Goodness you are so badly overstocked you need to remove the clown loach, the paradise fish, gourami, rainbowfish. Then you may be ok. But adding plants is never a bad thing, I have no idea what to add though, I just had to comment on the overstocking really.

 

[sjdriscoll]

It's good to talk through your problems! No wonder psychotherapists make so much money - they just let you talk and sort out your own difficulties!

As you have pinpointed - massively overstocked and very under planted, especially to be using El. Maybe get some fish back to the LFS and swap out for some fast growing stem plants like hydrophilla and elodea.

55W is ok I think.

Basically you need much more flora and a lot less fauna!!

 

[aaronnorth]

You are dosing to many ferts for too little plants so algae is using rest up, it may also be down to low/ fluctuating co2 what are your levels?

 

[Kombat]

Just a quick update. I ditched the hi-tech approach and went lo-tech. I removed all of my substrate, which was the hardest part of this 3 hour task, and put in a regular plain, but realistic looking (no blue or purple rocks for me), substrate, and put the original lighting back on my hood (20W). I took out all of the plants, cleaned them, and put back in the ones that I could save. The fish look better too. The tank before was so bright that the fish looked washed out.

It's only been a week but so far I am loving it and my wife thinks it looks better too. My wife really likes the live plant look so she's glad I kept them.

Karl