New tank, BBA algae after 2 days, everything dying fast. What am I doing wrong?

[aquamann]

I set up a new planted tank a couple days ago. Here are parts/parameters


Size: 22"x20"x18"


Dosing: EI


Lighting: Currently have 3 LED lights atop the cube - 3x Finnex Planted+ 24/7 LEDs...Figured with the 18" depth I would need something stronger to grow HC


CO2 - GLA dual regulator...started at 1bps but CO2 wasn't droppinng by more than .2. I heard to aim for a 1ph drops or so before lights on, so today I increased CO2 and it is dropping appropriately


KH: Something keeps making it plummet. KH is 3-4 out of the tap, but has been less than 1 in my tank. I have dosed baking soda to keep it above 1.


PH: 6.0 lights out, 6.8 morning.


Pump: Vortex MP10


5 gallon sump


Atomic diffuser


Within the first 24 hours the plants on my 'treetops' turned completely white, maybe from too much light near the surface? 6" down par is around 120. Everything else is turning brown and is in its final stages. I have no idea what I did wrong. Lots of CO2, Lots of O2 and flow, High lighting, EI dosing as recommended. I also have BBA algae after 2 days...


http://i.imgur.com/tae9IKg.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/UFYmKmT.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/B0VpznO.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/41PmnQ9.jpg


Thanks!

 

[Dennis Singh]

co2 is not ample enough, water changes are needed every 3 days, lower lighting and let the tank stabilize. atomic diffuser may or may not be sufficient enough depending on how you use it.

 

[lazylewis]

I have a Finnex planted+ which I'm pretty sure is basically the same as the 24/7. Isn't 3 of those a lot of light? I've been fighting off quite a lot of algae with just one planted+ at 18 inches. Although I find one light not enough, my HC is a bit leggy.

 

[aquamann]

co2 is not ample enough, water changes are needed every 3 days, lower lighting and let the tank stabilize. atomic diffuser may or may not be sufficient enough depending on how you use it.

Thanks, I've upped CO2...starts about 1hr before lights on and stops 1hr before lights off. My KH is around 2. I am getting about a .8ph drop now. Things in the tank still looking messy. Almost looks like a sort of fine dust on top of plant leaves. My java moss is still brown (will that recover or do I need to reapply?) Couple of my other plants died. My HC is pearling at the subsrate but everything else is looking crappy.


I've also lowered my lighting. My atomic diffuser sits underneath my MP10 pump. The bubbles cloud the tank like crazy. Any other thoughts...?

 

[Dennis Singh]

Is possible your plants are being taken out by organics?


Is this a new tank setup?


I would ditch the baking soda, not necessary


***Water change away, especially if your using tap, it'll help****


java moss no matter how crudy it gets can always recover


I would fluff your plants and let your sump take care of the debris


How long is your photoperiod? seems too long.

 

[aquamann]

Is possible your plants are being taken out by organics?
Is this a new tank setup?


I would ditch the baking soda, not necessary


***Water change away, especially if your using tap, it'll help****


java moss no matter how crudy it gets can always recover


I would fluff your plants and let your sump take care of the debris


How long is your photoperiod? seems too long.

Hi, thanks for your reply. What do you mean by organics?


I have been following standard EI dosing, maybe I'll cut values in half since it's lightly planted with small plants currently. For whatever reason, my KH is dropping like crazy. Within 12 hours or so it will go from 2dkh to 0. I add a little baking soda to get the value back into the 1-2 range. I could stop this but I thought it's bad to have kh at 0. My starting PH after degassing is around 6.3 and by midday tank is at 5.4 or so. My photo period is 8 hours.


Thank you for your help.

 

[Pikez]

All sounds somewhat typical for a new high tech tank with aquasoil type substrate. Wait it out. I


n the mean time, change a lot of water. Every 2 or 3 days.


Reduce light. Reduce light a lot.


You don't need to pile on EI nutrients this early if you have aquasoil substrate. There is plenty to keep the plants fed, with the exception of K and some iron. Just get thru the first 5 or 6 weeks. Grin and bear it. Start with EI after a month, when the plants stop melting.


Use this time to dial in CO2, filtration, flow, etc. use cheap plants. Get the plants you really want in a month or so.


Don't worry about KH. Just do water changes.

 

[Dennis Singh]

Are you using pure RO?


Here is organics explained by niko

 


"It's the substances that are released by plants and animals


They are broken down by the biofilter


but if they are not processed well they accumulate


And because they are organic molecules (that's why we call them "organics") they are active. They don't just sit there. They take part of different reactions. Which you do not want in the tank


They can suck nutrients or release them.


so what is happening is that the plants are releasing juices. Meaning organics


Thing is that plants can pollute the tank worse than anything else.


An unhappy plant "bleeds".


The very same food that algae loves


Look at how Frank Wazeter described the first month of an ADA tank


It is huge water changes every 2 days!


like 75-90%!


All that is not because of the Ammonia


It is because of the organics





Once the plants stabilize they do not "bleed""

 

[aquamann]

All sounds somewhat typical for a new high tech tank with aquasoil type substrate. Wait it out. I

n the mean time, change a lot of water. Every 2 or 3 days.


Reduce light. Reduce light a lot.


You don't need to pile on EI nutrients this early if you have aquasoil substrate. There is plenty to keep the plants fed, with the exception of K and some iron. Just get thru the first 5 or 6 weeks. Grin and bear it. Start with EI after a month, when the plants stop melting.


Use this time to dial in CO2, filtration, flow, etc. use cheap plants. Get the plants you really want in a month or so.


Don't worry about KH. Just do water changes.

Okay will follow your advice. I can avoid nutrients even though I have plants attached to driftwood? Also, my ph drops to around 5.6 range since my kh values in my tap are around 1. Will this range be okay for fish/shrimp? Lastly, my tank is around 20" deep. If I reduce lighting further, my substrate won't have par in some places above 20. I have HC at the bottom. Will this be okay?


Thanks Pikez and strungout, this forum is a lifesaver in terms of this hobby. I originally lost my previous tanks to diatom breakout which covered my plants and strangled them within 3 days. Moved incredibly fast. I'm determined to get it right this time.

 

[Pikez]

Okay will follow your advice. I can avoid nutrients even though I have plants attached to driftwood? Also, my ph drops to around 5.6 range since my kh values in my tap are around 1. Will this range be okay for fish/shrimp? Lastly, my tank is around 20" deep. If I reduce lighting further, my substrate won't have par in some places above 20. I have HC at the bottom. Will this be okay?


Thanks Pikez and strungout, this forum is a lifesaver in terms of this hobby. I originally lost my previous tanks to diatom breakout which covered my plants and strangled them within 3 days. Moved incredibly fast. I'm determined to get it right this time.

Plants on driftwood will be fine for the first few weeks without EI. There is PLENTY of nitrogen in the water during the first month. Just add a little K.


5.6 is fine.


20 PAR is fine for now. Increase after a month or two. You'd be surprised what you can grow at 20 PAR if your CO2 is good. Reduce light. Things are always more stable and relaxed with less light. As you gain experience and the tank stabilizes, you can think about increasing light.


Expect all kinds of algae during the first month. It's normal.