Plants Looking Dirty

The plants have been in this tank for about a month but they aren't as green as before looks like they getting covered in algae or fish waste I have a 20 watt wide spectrum light with one air stone and a 30 or 40 gallon hang on the back filter. The substrate consent of a clay pebble ground with fox farm dirt on top caped with Eco complete I have 6 guppies and 3 kuhlie loachs. So all I'm wondering is if there an easy way to stop the plants getting covered in this I was thinking maybe a wave maker to keep the plants moving any ideas?

 

Do you know the color temperature of the light? And what ferts are you dosing?

 

No certs not sure of lights it says on the bulb f20t12 - PL / AQ - Echo

 

No certs not sure of lights it says on the bulb f20t12 - PL / AQ - Echo

Could be deficiency then. If it's debris more circulation will help, if it's algae then the tank is unbalanced.

 

How so is it unbalanced any tips?

 

How so is it unbalanced any tips?

Could be the wrong kind of light, not enough nutrients, not enough CO2.
I do know that plants don't really need wide spectrum lighting, they need mostly blue and red lights, around a color temperature of 6500K.
Do you have a link to the light if it's listed online? If not, where did you buy it?

 

this is the same light

If you know of any decent lights on the cheaper side I could look at

 

Pretty sure the plant in the last picture is not fully aquatic

A link to the light would be helpful.

How big is the tank? A wave maker will help with current if you don't have any, but it will also blow your guppies around... I have one in a large tank, but not one with any of my guppies... which brand filter are you using? It may help more to add a second filter and some filter floss on top to catch any debris that may be entering back in...

Also, root tabs can help with your crypt/vals (sorry, outside and hard to see with the reflection on my iPad which it is right now), and an all in one weekly fert will help the anacharis and bacopa.

Your balance in the tank is the correct amount of lighting and nutrients (ferts, co2, water parameters) to support your plants growth. Too much/too little of either will lead to algae building up as the algae will outcompete the plants.

 

It's a a 20 gallon long with a whisper filter also how much do you think it would help with the aglae if the tank had trumpet snails and red cherry shimp

 

this is the same light

Ah, yeah the color temperature is rather low, it's only 3100 K. Beamswork has relatively cheap lights for larger tanks such as yours, but I've heard that they are pretty low quality.

It's a a 20 gallon long with a whisper filter also how much do you think it would help with the aglae if the tank had trumpet snails and red cherry shimp

Nerite snails are the best algae eaters. Cherry shrimp don't really eat much algae.

 

Thanks guys so the wattage isn't as important for say a 6500k 0.50watt led would be better

 

Thanks guys so the wattage isn't as important for say a 6500k 0.50watt led would be better

Generally with LEDs not as much, PAR is much more important. Do you have a specific light in mind?

 

Well I was looking at the beamworks also on amazon nicrew and coodia

 

Well I was looking at the beamworks also on amazon nicrew and coodia

Those will probably work well, but then again I've heard of them being not so great quality.
Finnex makes better lights if you're willing to pay.

 

I have a beamswork 30" and it's growing my floating plants well. I haven't had the other plants planted long, but the reviews had people with good luck growing plants.

I also have 2 5gal betta tanks with the 13" amzdeal lights from amazon. They have been on there for about 2 months and I have good growth out of floating plants, java ferns, crypts and swords, also using weekly-ish flourish and root tabs(those not weekly). Those were about the same price as the comparable nicrew lights($20 ea). These are the reason I gave the beamswork a try.

 

I have the .5w watt plant beamswork, replaced it with a finnex stingray. Also have a nicrew for a ten gallon qt, it maintained my plants for about a month, but once I move the algae crew I had in the qt algae went nuts. Also, note I said maintained, it kept my plants alive, but they barely grew and eventually algae took over.
For a lower budget the finnex stingray (Amazon) is great. Also the chihiros a series, (eBay) but that's a whole lot of light, you would need to keep it dimmed down.
I also have the finnex 24/7 planted plus, love it, but honestly find the stingray a better bang for the buck, esp for a 20long.