Iwagumi Setup - Only 6 Days to Submission and algae !

[Kshitij]

Dear,
This is kshitij Gupta from India.
I have been following you forum, and today i am happy to join it

I Recently started my New iwagumi layout with dry start method, formed a HC carpet and filled it with water. Its been around 15-20 days since the tank has been flooded. The tank was emersed for around 2 months.
The tank was doing well until last week i started seeing some signs of algae which i was able to control it, but problem arised when i Co2 cylinder exausted and there was fluction in Co2 for a day. The tank is not filled with hair algae and i have to submit this tank for ADA india competetion whose last date is 31st march - a week only !
Am very worried since i don't how how to solve this problem urgently and ready the tank for a good shot for the competetion.
Following are the tank photos to help you get the view :

Tank Specifications :
Tank size - 36 in x 15 in x 17 in
Substrate - ADA New Amazonia + Powersand Special
Light - 2.3 Watt/Gallon
Ferka dosing - Balanced k and Aquatilizer
Co2 - 3 bps Pressurized.

I am worried regarding the tank submission, need your idea and help to solve this problem.

 

[Tom Barr]

Daily water changes, 60-70%, and add lots of Amano shrimp, clean your diffuser, add a little more CO2, this is a CO2 issue, algae like this does not bloom on it's own suddenly like this unless neglect is done on some level.

The HC does not form a nice tight carpet, that's one clue it's CO2.

 

[Kshitij]

Dear,
I am facing very bad issues, amano shrimps are not available now therefore i have put in some low grade RCS yesterday. I have increased co2 to 4bps like you said. I am facing water shortage to my area from past 15 days therefore WC can be done 30% max everyday only.

Can i inject h2o2 directly on hair algae ? because i have to take a photo after 4 days only ?

Heave trimming is done just a hour back, trimmed completely vivipara, and trimmed HC and manully removed hair algae with toothbrush as much i could, but still it is completely entangled with HC at many places.

Need some serious advice on this as i am getting confused completely

 

[Tom Barr]

Well, if you cannot get shrimp or do decent water changes, there's not a lot of hope frankly.
Stick 30% as long as you can.
But daily, do them maybe 30-60min after the lights come on.

 

[Matt F.]

I'm not the Tom-man, but I agree with his advice. I've been through this, too.

I know from personal experience that what Tom says is sound advice. Make sure to soak you diffuser in bleach at least once a week. I sometimes soak my diffuser 2x per week to keep the CO2 flowing freely.

Increase that CO2! Crank it!

You might also want to do a 3-4 day black/brown out. Do not turn your lights on for 3 days (72 hours). This coupled with a large >50% water change, a clean diffuser with an increase in CO2, and some patience should get you back to where you want to be.

Also reduce your photoperiod to 5-6 hours per (after the 3 days brownout). Then increase your photoperiod 1 hour per week till you reach 8-10 hours. If algae starts again, go back down to a 6 hour photoperiod.

Red Cherry Shrimp should be fine for algae. Just add as many as you can. It will take quite a few to make a dent in the algae.

Also, do you have access to glutaraldehyde or Seachem Excel? This might help, too. Just make sure the glutaraldehyde is the right concentration.

 

[Matt F.]

Some inspiriation for you...
This is how much I inject in my 60P (68 Ltrs.?)
I keep my diffuser bright white.

 

[Kshitij]

@ Tom Barr :
Thanks for the information.
I was out for some time to the tank was even more neglected, i did whatever i could do till i was here but its full of algae now.
I have removed algae with the help of toothbrush as much as i could but its taking over very fast, now there is BBA also. I have called in amano and will arrive in 2 days time. I will start water changer from tomorrow morning itself @50% everyday just like you mentioned after the light has been turned on for half to one hour.
The diffuser is cleaned

@Matt F. :
Thanks a lot for the motivation yeah looking at the pictures i have decided to make it a routine. - once a week. I will post some pictures soon.

Now here is what i have decided for the tank :
1. Water change from tomorrow 50% for a week.
2. Co2 cranked - 4 BPS.
3. Will introduce amano shrimps and SAE in 2 days.
4. Manual cleaning.


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Following is further information about the tank :
1. The light is switched on for about 8-10 hours a day - Time- 9 am to 5pm/7pm.
2. Co2 is always on @4 bps.
3. One of the lights in that tank is flickering - is going on and off atleast 15 times a day. so will change it.
3. Another issue is that i have this tank in my room now, the morning temperature is 26-28 but at night after 10 till morning that AC is on and the temperature goes down, does this become an issue ? because Co2 is also always on and colder water has more dissolved co2.
4. Dosing is Ferka Aquatilizer (Micro) and Balanced K. I am not dosing any N, i feel there is enough in ADA the new amazonia.

I am planning the following, kindly guide me if i am wrong :
1. Plug in two timers - one for the co2 to turn on an hour before lights are on and other for the lights to switch off within the time frame of 5 hours for 1st week then increasing by an hour every week till it reached 8 hours per day.
2. I need suggestion on plants, do i need any competing plants ? like HC cuba or should i remove vivipara and put ricca behind to balance the plants ?
3. Or last thing do a blackout for 3 days and then follow the above routine ?