What is this on my plants?

[Katie Dawn]

Hi all! Any idea what this is that accumulates on some of my plants each week?

Is it just some type of detritus? I've tried looking up different types of algae and haven't seen anything that really matched. I have had anubias and Java ferns for a couple of years now and moved up to these pogostemon stellatus octopus maybe 3-4 months ago. This stuff is on the octopus way more than the other plants, but I'm not sure if it's because it has different needs than the lower light plants, or is more a result of the shape of the leaves/plant, or what.

I do a 50% water change weekly and will do my best to brush this stuff off the plants before the WC (which has resulted in losing some of the leaves) but it comes back every week.

I'm using this light (hygger 24/7 full spectrum) https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B077YWKZ1D/ref=ppx_yo_mob_b_track_package_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1 . I have it at 20% brightness for about 12 hours a day. (I still haven't figured out how to program it so it's not the exact same every day.)

Tank details: 20 gallon long, sponge filter. Inhabitants are 7 panda corydoras and 1 nerite. I use Aquarium Co-op Easy Green and have put root tabs in the sand twice since getting the octopus plants.

I do my best to get the food to drop down onto the sand near the front of the tank and away from the plants.

Is this food landing on the leaves? Too much/too little light? Too much/not enough nutrients? Algae? Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Freshfishguy]

Hi all! Any idea what this is that accumulates on some of my plants each week?

Is it just some type of detritus? I've tried looking up different types of algae and haven't seen anything that really matched. I have had anubias and Java ferns for a couple of years now and moved up to these pogostemon stellatus octopus maybe 3-4 months ago. This stuff is on the octopus way more than the other plants, but I'm not sure if it's because it has different needs than the lower light plants, or is more a result of the shape of the leaves/plant, or what.

I do a 50% water change weekly and will do my best to brush this stuff off the plants before the WC (which has resulted in losing some of the leaves) but it comes back every week.

I'm using this light (hygger 24/7 full spectrum) Amazon.com . I have it at 20% brightness for about 12 hours a day. (I still haven't figured out how to program it so it's not the exact same every day.)

Tank details: 20 gallon long, sponge filter. Inhabitants are 7 panda corydoras and 1 nerite. I use Aquarium Co-op Easy Green and have put root tabs in the sand twice since getting the octopus plants.

I do my best to get the food to drop down onto the sand near the front of the tank and away from the plants.

Is this food landing on the leaves? Too much/too little light? Too much/not enough nutrients? Algae? Any help would be appreciated!

Yeah that’s algae. I would definitely not have the lighting for more than 6 hours if you’re getting nuisance algae. Most established tanks’ lighting periods are 7-10 hours, as more than 10 hours you start to see significant diminishing returns on plant growth and are pretty much just promoting algae growth. If you want to have the lights on for more than 6 hours for viewing pleasure, I’d lower the lighting beyond the 6 hours to as low as possible. On my tank, my lights come on at 7am at 5%. Then I have them at 100% for 7 hours from 1-8pm, and then they turn off. Also, at 20%, you’re definitely at low light, so make sure to follow the easy green instructions for low light and be consistent with your dosing schedule (helps a lot with plant growth).

 

[Katie Dawn]

Yeah that’s algae. I would definitely not have the lighting for more than 6 hours if you’re getting nuisance algae. Most established tanks’ lighting periods are 7-10 hours, as more than 10 hours you start to see significant diminishing returns on plant growth and are pretty much just promoting algae growth. If you want to have the lights on for more than 6 hours for viewing pleasure, I’d lower the lighting beyond the 6 hours to as low as possible. On my tank, my lights come on at 7am at 5%. Then I have them at 100% for 7 hours from 1-8pm, and then they turn off. Also, at 20%, you’re definitely at low light, so make sure to follow the easy green instructions for low light and be consistent with your dosing schedule (helps a lot with plant growth).

Thanks!