How can I fix algae/ improve my planted aquarium?

Recently I took quite alot of plants out after a year. They just weren't doing so well. I have problems with brown algae/sludge and hair algae. This algae grows on the leaves and surfaces of my aquarium. I usually just manually scrub it off each week but I can't do that on the plants leaves. My plants currently are not growing well either. I have pink baby tears (that are losing their colour), wisteria, pearl grass, anubias nana, vallesnaria. I don't have any CO2 running and I currently dont have any fertilisers (apart from the ADA soil). I would like to add some new plants so if someone can help me pick some new ones that would be great. I also need help with picking some liquid ferts or products I can add to help grow the plants and decrease the algae.

Tank parameters:
ammonia and nitrite 0ppm
nitrate (currently ran out of the test kit) ~20ppm
lights are on for 8 hrs a day.

 

Looks like to me you are dealing with diatoms. Very common with tanks set up that are 1 day-6 months old. If it is an older set up it may be due to high silicates in your water.

Most aquarium plants that are sold are grown above water. Judging by the photos it looks like your plants are converting to growing underwater.

I would wait it out because you have new growth happening on your stem plant. I very well could be wrong, just going off what you posted.

 

Looks like to me you are dealing with diatoms. Very common with tanks set up that are 1 day-6 months old. If it is an older set up it may be due to high silicates in your water.

Most aquarium plants that are sold are grown above water. Judging by the photos it looks like your plants are converting to growing underwater.

I would wait it out because you have new growth happening on your stem plant. I very well could be wrong, just going off what you posted.

My aquarium is over a year old, and it’s never really gone away. I’ve waited and nothing has really changed unfortunately.

 

What type of lights do you have?

 

What type of lights do you have?

I have regular LED lights that came with the tank, the tank model is Aqua One Lifestyle 76

 

Hi hope I can help you.

I've got this tank in which I grow plants:

Aqua One Aquiescence Cube 550s and cabinet - 200 litres/45 UK gallons/55 US gallons

When the tank arrived I soon realised that the supplied T8 lights were woefully inadequate.

I added some more powerful High Output T5 lights.

Then, my plants grew well.

I think this might be your basic problem.

I don't use any fertilisers or CO2 to get my plants to grow. I have a little hair algae so I pull this out at water change time.

BTW my aquarium has been running since 2008 and has never been stripped down so its a long-term stable system.

 

It’s a complicated question and the answer is also very complicated.

I always tell people the secret behind a well planted tank is light and nutrient balance.

if your plants aren’t growing, then they are not taking up nutrients. They are not competing or out competing the algae for nutrients. The only nitrogen and phosphorus in the tank comes from water changes and fish waste.

If you are using activated carbon as a Chemical filter, it can leach phosphates which can also cause algae.

algae also does just as well in low light as intense light. If you are not supplying adequate lighting for photosynthesis in the plants, then yet again the algae will prosper.

A starting point if you really want a vibrant planted tank would be a fertilizer like Seachem Comprehensive liquid, or an all in one off your choice. Researching your own lighting to see if it’s adequate for your tank, and replace as needed. Some Seachem excel to combat algae and assist in carbon uptake to your plants. A deep clean of your substrate bed, if you can. And some purigen to deal with excess nutrients in the water, which could make algae worse when you start feeding plants, as it will take some time for them to adjust to proper lighting and plant food and to get growing again and absorbing adequate nutrients.

you will have to find the balance between nutrients and lighting and plant consumption, but that is trial and error. Different in everyone’s aquarium.

Just some thoughts to help you.