Help With Plants/ Algae & Discus

[Tricia D]

We are struggling with our 75 gal, open top, freshwater aquarium since moving 6 years ago. We've had discus tanks for 20+ years and had no problems until we moved. We currently have 3 discus, 4 cherry barbs, 4 tetras and a few cory in a planted/substrate tank with a Fluval FX4, LED Halo lights and we RO our water. Plants don't grow and we have constant algae. I'm not a chemist and don't care to be one so this is my last shot before selling the set up. Our water is very hard which is why we were advised to RO our water. This process has really hampered our ability to do water changes as our water can't be run/exchanged through the hose. We have to wait for the RO water and then heat up on stove to put into the tank that we run at about 82. GH is at least 180, KH less than 40, PH 7.0, Nitrite 0.5 and Nitrate 160 (which is probably the algae promoter). Advice??

 

[Sean Smith]

Nitarate is ridiculously high . Like 3-4 times higher than you should have it . No wonder you have algae . A uv filter can help with algae . Your water also doesn’t seem hard enough for most plants to enjoy and you should also make sure your plants are ok with a regular light setting without a special CO2 need

 

[Sean Smith]

I also can’t find your light . All I’m seeing is these round lights used for living rooms . Not sure if that’s suitable for a tank at all .

 

[McC516]

I have been fighting BBA. I have found that it has to do with my water parameters and CO2 fluctuation. As you said your nitrates are extremely high. It's in the unsafe zone as well as your KH being low.

Everything I have read states that an RO system will reduce your nitrates along with water changes. I'm curious if the RO system needs turned up more I'm really not familiar with their process. Algae also likes warmer water.

I really have no advice my has been trial and error.

 

[Tricia D]

I also can’t find your light . All I’m seeing is these round lights used for living rooms . Not sure if that’s suitable for a tank at all .

Ok, nitrate is high because of problem/challenge with water changes. Problem was that when we didn't RO our water we were losing fish and almost stopped then so the RO water has certainly solved that problem. Fish have been stable/fine for a long time. I'd rather go back to not RO ing our water to make changes more manageable. What UV filter do you recommend for our FX4 filter output?

Our lights are Halo delux LED lights by Aquatic Life (I think). We had limited options because of the custom open top tank. They sell for $232 each right now on Amazon. We do use CO2 for our plants.

 

[Tricia D]

Well, we did

I have been fighting BBA. I have found that it has to do with my water parameters and CO2 fluctuation. As you said your nitrates are extremely high. It's in the unsafe zone as well as your KH being low.

Everything I have read states that an RO system will reduce your nitrates along with water changes. I'm curious if the RO system needs turned up more I'm really not familiar with their process. Algae also likes warmer water.

I really have no advice my has been trial and error.

Well, we did just change the filter so maybe that will help. I'm certain water changes are our problem but heating pans of water to do water changes after ROing water is a pain in the ***.

 

[McC516]

Well, we did

Well, we did just change the filter so maybe that will help. I'm certain water changes are our problem but heating pans of water to do water changes after ROing water is a pain in the ***.

I can just imagine what kind of a pain that would be. I have found with most issues number one is water changes. Keep us posted.