Tanks At Work Ticking Me Off!

How on earth can I keep these things algae free? I'm only here 2-3 days a week so a lot of the factors going into them are beyond my control. Black hair algae has been a huge issue. Not the tufts of hair, more like coarse wires on the fringes of leaves. Had to throw away 3 pounds of hornwort that was infested with it. Will have to throw away almost as much anacharis, also infested. Swords are infested, java moss infested, the filter intakes are infested,. I tried a bleach dip on the hardware 2 weeks ago and they're somehow worse than ever.

Substrate is Eco-Complete which I absolutely hate. It's coarse, traps a ton of fish waste and debris, and they didn't even put enough in the tanks so one of the "planted tanks" has only a half inch of substrate.

So plants are doing poorly, and despite my weekly water changes and trying to boost plant mass, everything gets covered in black hair algae and becomes unsalable. I have Excel but there is anacharis and vals in the tanks and it would just kill them... like it matters, they're both algae-ridden.

Tank placement is idiotic. Right in front of the storefront windows with 10 hours of LED lighting a day. I have another tank in a similar placement but it has so much pothos growing out of the back it stays crystal clear, and is stocked with shrimp only so there is almost no impact on bioload. I can't do that with the others.

It's gotten to the point to where I've had to take plants home, treat them myself, let them recover in my tanks, and then bring them back. My home tanks suffer no algae issues, aside from the occasional spot here and there. It's embarrassing as an experienced planted tank keeper to see these tanks looking so bad. I was excited about the prospect of these tanks at first but now I hate them. They're a headache and I'm limited on what I'm allowed to order for them or use, and my hardware is also extremely limited. 8 tanks to do water changes on every weekend with just a bucket, siphon and sink, and no quick way to fill the buckets.

I guess this is more of a rant than anything, but any advice is appreciated.

 

I’ve had luck using seachem excel to get rid of the BBA in my tanks. It’s a natural algeacide and also adds a liquid co2 supplement to help stabilize co2 levels. When I have a BBA outbreak in one of my planted tanks I double the dose for a week and then continue Using the regular dosing. It usually starts to whither in the first week and then dies witching the next 2-3 weeks depending on the amount of plant matter affected. If you can convince them to store use them they will save money in the long run since they are throwing away the infected product.

 

I’ve had luck using seachem excel to get rid of the BBA in my tanks. It’s a natural algeacide and also adds a liquid co2 supplement to help stabilize co2 levels. When I have a BBA outbreak in one of my planted tanks I double the dose for a week and then continue Using the regular dosing. It usually starts to whither in the first week and then dies witching the next 2-3 weeks depending on the amount of plant matter affected. If you can convince them to store use them they will save money in the long run since they are throwing away the infected product.

Can't use Excel due to plants that are sensitive to it.

 

Oh okay

 

Oh okay

I suppose it doesn't matter though. The anacharis is beyond saving so I could toss it out and just double dose Excel.

 

So I ended up trashing all the anacharis, almost all the hornwort, and a stunted Amazon sword. Ordered a bunch of new plants that will be in salable condition. After tomorrow's water changes I will start dosing excel as well.

 

What kind/how many fish in the tank?

 

What kind/how many fish in the tank?

Problem tank number one is a 55g. It was a livebearer tank... boss wanted me to try to breed fish so I picked something easy. Started with 15 platies, ended up removing over 50 fish from the tank last weekend. Extremely overstocked and I couldn't take it anymore. No amount of plants and filtration can handle that. It now only has 5 fish, 4 female bettas and a red-tail shark that a customer dropped off. I am filling it full of potted and bunch aquarium plants and putting almost all of my personal stock of floating plants in that tank as nutrient and light control.

Problem tank number 2 was supposed to be the tank we sold plants out of. It was someone's bright idea to put it by the storefront window getting sunlight all day. Despite having only a few fish, the amount of light it was getting was a huge problem. Everything was riddled with wiry black hair algae. All fish and plants are being replaced. I am setting it up next week as a blue neocaridina tank with mostly floating plants and hornwort.

 

I’m reading this over and over, up and down, trying to figure out how to help. As you said, this partly just your rant.
A few thoughts:
- it seems you know what’s the problems are in each tank. And you’ve taken steps to fix things.
- daily access to the tanks (as opposed to 3x/wk) likely wouldn’t be the thing that would resolve this.
- also from what I gather these are store tanks, where u work. How much control do u have over what’s in them?
- Are they the only plant tanks in the store? The only plants (for sale, at least)?
- finally, is it really on you and just you to fix this? Or are you the only one that sees it as a problem, and/or wants to fix it?

 

I’m reading this over and over, up and down, trying to figure out how to help. As you said, this partly just your rant.
A few thoughts:
- it seems you know what’s the problems are in each tank. And you’ve taken steps to fix things.
- daily access to the tanks (as opposed to 3x/wk) likely wouldn’t be the thing that would resolve this.
- also from what I gather these are store tanks, where u work. How much control do u have over what’s in them?
- Are they the only plant tanks in the store? The only plants (for sale, at least)?
- finally, is it really on you and just you to fix this? Or are you the only one that sees it as a problem, and/or wants to fix it?

-yes, tried several times to resolve repeat issues
-daily access would allow me to monitor feeding, remove problem fish, dose fertilizers, etc
-yes, they are store tanks. I basically decide what goes in but am limited to a fairly strict budget
-there are 4 freshwater tanks, only one has had plants for sale, the others are for breeding/display with only fish for sale
-I am the only employee at this location (two stores) with aquarium experience, the other person who fills in the other 4 days each week is clueless

 

So, are you going to toss the infested plants and start with new ones, or eliminate the algae currently on plants?
You have two issues as I see it:
- if you keep existing plants, you need to kill and remove the algae on them.
- whether you keep existing plants or not, you need to correct the conditions that are causing algae to thrive. So that if you add new plants or disinfect existing ones you don’t end up back in same situation.
Are existing plants potted, or bunched in a way you can remove them, run them through a bleach or peroxide dip, and return to tank? And if so, do you have anything in the existing tanks that will eat the dead algae, after it’s killed off, so that the plants will be in sellable condition? As I’m asking this, I’m putting on my consumer hat, and I don’t think I’d want to buy plants with that history. And from a marketing standpoint, there’s a lot of time and effort to get to that point anyways. So I’d be thinking towards tossing the existing plants and getting new.

 

Maybe put in some ottos?

 

Old infested plants are tossed, mostly brand new plants or plants from my stock. Big water changes, significantly lower bioloads, lots of floating plants, comprehensive fertilizer, and Excel to keep things in order.

 

I believe the only fish that will eat Blackbeard algae is American flag killifish. Otos won’t eat it. Flying fox’s eat it when they are young then stop when they mature.

 

putting almost all of my personal stock of floating plants in that tank as nutrient and light control.

This right here is concerning me... I certainly hope your employer is paying you for these plants.

 

I'm fairly new to the hobby, but wouldn't CO2 help? The BBA is using the available nitrates and needs very little CO2 to photosynthesize. You stated that the tank is getting 10 hours of light, a little CO2 could help boost the plant growth and reduce resources available for the BBA, yes?

 

Yes that’s why I suggested excel it is an algecide and liquid CO2 supplement

 

This right here is concerning me... I certainly hope your employer is paying you for these plants.

Eh, store credit.

Plus they grow so fast I don't really mind.

As for CO2 it's a no-go. I'm not here to monitor and dose as needed anyway, the tanks would be even worse for wear.

Right now they are clean and healthy and I have enough plants ordered to completely fill them.