Algae growing ...... plants dying

[Lauryn]

Hi-de-Hi,
I've been battling with algae for a while now, at first it wasn't so bad but now it's getting worse. I have green spot algae on the glass, hair algae on the plants and ornaments. I wipe away and the next day it's back!
I've reduced the lighting to 6 hours, 2 in the morning and 4 in the evening.
The last 2-weeks I have reduced feeding significantly and only fed the fish twice a week.
40% weekly water changes.

I've tested my water and my parameters are: PH 8, Ammonia 0ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, Nitrate between 0ppm and 5ppm.

While the algae is thriving my plants have holes and are struggling

I have algae eating fish and shrimp in the tank however I'm trying to find the root cause.

How do you find out if you have excess nutrients in the tank?

What else can I do do to reduce the algae?

Thanks in advance

 

[Ckline]

I don’t think plants could really have too much nutrients although I could be wrong. What kind of light do you have, is it full spectrum for plants? Sounds like it could also be too much light for the tank causing the algae
Also do you use any type of fertilizer?

 

[rubysword]

What type of plants do you have? It might actually be too few nutrients. If there is an imbalance of nutrients, e.g. too much nitrogen and not enough phosphate, plants won't thrive, but agea will.

 

[Lauryn]

I don’t think plants could really have too much nutrients although I could be wrong. What kind of light do you have, is it full spectrum for plants? Sounds like it could also be too much light for the tank causing the algae

Thanks for the response, I have no idea what the lighting is, it came with the tetra 54l starter kit. If it's a "bad" light would reducing the light do anything ?

Also do you use any type of fertilizer?

Around a month ago I started using Seachem Flourish Comprehensive

What type of plants do you have? It might actually be too few nutrients. If there is an imbalance of nutrients, e.g. too much nitrogen and not enough phosphate, plants won't thrive, but agea will.

Thanks for the response, I have:
A marimo Moss Ball,
Java fern (the older leaves all died but I do have a few new leaves growing)
Lobelia cardinalis
Cryptocoryne beckettiI 'Petchii
A very small amount of Java Moss
Water wisteria (has been melting since I purchased 2 months ago, I've had no growth at all).
Is there a test kit for nutrients?
My nitrates are pretty low already, should I be upping my water changes and aiming for 0ppm?
I've only been using ferts for a month now, is this enough time to balance the nutrients or am I being impatient?

Sorry for all the questions

 

[Ckline]

Thanks for the response, I have no idea what the lighting is, it came with the tetra 54l starter kit. If it's a "bad" light would reducing the light do anything ?


Around a month ago I started using Seachem Flourish Comprehensive


Thanks for the response, I have:
A marimo Moss Ball,
Java fern (the older leaves all died but I do have a few new leaves growing)
Lobelia cardinalis
Cryptocoryne beckettiI 'Petchii
A very small amount of Java Moss
Water wisteria (has been melting since I purchased 2 months ago, I've had no growth at all).
Is there a test kit for nutrients?
My nitrates are pretty low already, should I be upping my water changes and aiming for 0ppm?
I've only been using ferts for a month now, is this enough time to balance the nutrients or am I being impatient?

Sorry for all the questions

I quickly just looked up the tetra 54l starter kit and it appears that light is just a clear blue led which I think would be the reasoning to why none of your plants are growing and just boosting the algae growth

 

[juniperlea]

All my tanks have 8.2 (ish) pH, 16 hours of lighting and no algae. Plants, struggle to survive. Parameters 0/0/20 to 40. There is no answer. I scrounged hair algae the other day, in the hope that it would grow. It's currently looking very pale. I refuse to give a hoot about aquarium plants. I've killed pothos indoor plants, multiple types of ivy, but have a thriving Walmart orchid and Queen's Tears Plant (aka 'Lady Jane Grey') Look that up!

 

[Rcslade124]

Holes in plants are a potassium deficiency. I would say that the plants are not getting enough nutrients so they are melting and dying and the algae is thriving. I'd look into a fertilizer to use. I'm not sure on seachem but Excel can help. But an all in one will better. Once plants start growing the algae will not thrive.

 

[rubysword]

I've heard really good things about NilocG's Thrive supplement. Unlike flourish, it has more macronutrients. The green spot algae is caused by a phosphate deficiency, so having a fertilizer with macros would be good.

 

[mattgirl]

Holes in plants are a potassium deficiency. I would say that the plants are not getting enough nutrients so they are melting and dying and the algae is thriving. I'd look into a fertilizer to use. I'm not sure on seachem but Excel can help. But an all in one will better. Once plants start growing the algae will not thrive.

I agree with the all in one ferts. Once I switched to Thrive liquid ferts, thrive capsules (root tabs) and started adding Equilibrium to my very soft water my plant growth exploded. If your plants get what they need they should out compete the algae. Check This out. It was about 2 months between the 2 photos.

 

[Lauryn]

I agree with the all in one ferts. Once I switched to Thrive liquid ferts, thrive capsules (root tabs) and started adding Equilibrium to my very soft water my plant growth exploded. If your plants get what they need they should out compete the algae. Check This out. It was about 2 months between the 2 photos.

Wow that's amazing growth I hope my plants looks like that soon

 

[Lauryn]

I quickly just looked up the tetra 54l starter kit and it appears that light is just a clear blue led which I think would be the reasoning to why none of your plants are growing and just boosting the algae growth

Thank you for looking up. I've turned off the lights for now and will look to replace after I do some research and as per some of the comments below so I will change my fertilizer also

 

[Lauryn]

All my tanks have 8.2 (ish) pH, 16 hours of lighting and no algae. Plants, struggle to survive. Parameters 0/0/20 to 40. There is no answer. I scrounged hair algae the other day, in the hope that it would grow. It's currently looking very pale. I refuse to give a hoot about aquarium plants. I've killed pothos indoor plants, multiple types of ivy, but have a thriving Walmart orchid and Queen's Tears Plant (aka 'Lady Jane Grey') Look that up!

I wish I could kill ivy it has taken over my whole garden!