Water Changes Cause Algae

BTimms

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55g heavily planted aquarium. Canister filter and internal sponge filter. Temps 78. Fluval stratum. Lights on for 6-8 hr daily. Root tabs every six months. Two angelfish and a few corries. Aquarium has been running for 2 years.
25% weekly water changes. Feeding twice daily. Suddenly have bba and hair algae after increasing water changes to weekly.
My goal is to have a stable environment with little maintenance.

How often should I change water? How often should I feed? Should I be dosing with ferts and excel?
 

BTimms

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I should mention, I wrote a long detailed explaination of the situation but the spam bots would not accept my post.
 

skija

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I would feed fish once per day or maybe once every 2 days and do 25-30 % water changes every 2-3 weeks, but I would buy a canister filter instead of sponge filter , it is known that BBA can start from high organics left from food

A picture with your tank can help
 

BTimms

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I’m running a 55g. Stocked with a betta, two ancistrus, two angelfish and six panda cories. Running a canister and internal sponge filter. Temps at 78*f. My weekly 25% water changes seem to bloom algae, even if I dose excel. I run my lights for about 6-8 hrs per day. I will not deny that I may over feed, two small feedings daily.

I will try cutting back the feedings. And implement bi weekly water changes.
 

Phishless

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Do you ever vacuum the substrate?
Dying plant matter can contribute to algae growth.
Trimming plants may also help.
Large dense plantings can collect a lot of debris.
I only feed phish every two or three days, but a premium food is best.

Use ferts in all my tanks even low tech (just not as much).

If I don't trim and keep plants short enough hair algae gets me when plants get to close to the surface.
 
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BTimms

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Do you ever vacuum the substrate?
Dying plant matter can contribute to algae growth.
Trimming plants may also help.
Large dense plantings can collect a lot of debris.
I only feed phish every two or three days, but a premium food is best.

Use ferts in all my tanks even low tech (just not as much).

If I don't trim and keep plants short enough hair algae gets me when plants get to close to the surface.
Great advice.
I believe I need to trim more. As well I’m over feeding. On top of that I have been substrate vacuuming...which I will cease doing ASAP.
 

Phishless

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I didn't mean to stop vacuuming the substrate? :rolleyes:
When ever I trim and uproot is when I vac.
Don't like to leave roots and leaf remnants behind.

I don't know much about angelphish, Cory's are excellent @ disturbing the substrate and agitating things.
Debris then gets picked up in the filter. How often do you clean your filter? This may also help.

Tank maintenance as much as it sucks is the first form of defense for anything!

Snails IMHO are another good indicator.
If there population is on the rise one's self is not doing a good job.
But if on the decline and empty shells are about there food source is being depleted.(Good Sign)
 

BTimms

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Interesting points.
I clean my canister filter between once or twice a month. And internal sponge gets cleaned once every couple months.
I see a random empty rams horn snail shell here and there. But the population seems level.