# Low Light Problems



## jenash (Dec 19, 2008)

I have had my 20 gallon tank set up for 5 months now. I'm only getting about a watt a gallon and have some sword plants and anubis in the tank. this is my first planted tank, and i wanted to try and get adjusted to the process to see if i like it. well i love it but i'm having algae problems. I'm not getting enough light so i have algae growing on my leaves. i have a filter rated for a 20gal and a filter rated for a 30 gal both set up on the tank trying to get as much water movement as possible, but i can't stop the algae from settling on the leaves. It makes the aquarium look kinda dirty, and buying stronger lighting is an issue because i have trouble buying food let alone aquarium lighting. any ideas to get the fuzz off my leaves? i rub it off by hand too, but thats only short term


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Welcome to TPT!

Sounds like your algae issues are with brown (diatomacious) algae.

What kind of fixture do you have? Is it incandescent or a flourescent strip? Does the tank get any sunlight?

What species and how many livestock do you have in the tank? Otocinclus catfish are great brown algae eaters, if your tank is appropriate for them.

Have you tried adding any stem plants to the tank (you'd probably have to let them float to keep them alive, but they may help absorb excess nutrients if that's part of the problem...)


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## jenash (Dec 19, 2008)

I have fluorescent lighting, and i have a peacock eal, 5 black skirt tetras, 1 hatchetfish, 3 cherry barbs 1 featherfin catfish and 2 buenos aires tetras. all of the fish are on the small size compared to their friends at the store, and i have two filters running in addition to plants to deal with the bioload. I don't have any algae eaters mainly cause I've never been a fan of plecos and have heard nothing but bad things about SAE. I scrub the glass weekly, rub the leaves by hand when needed, gravel vac more than i want to admit, how do i kill it!

the tank gets only faint sunlight, just whatever makes its way through the curtains early in the morning then it doesn't see the sun the rest of the day


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## planx (Dec 28, 2008)

buy some ottos and plecos, they will clean the leaves


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## maddyfish (Dec 21, 2008)

planx said:


> buy some ottos and plecos, they will clean the leaves


He already has a pretty high bio load in this tank, do you really think more fish is the answer?


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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

I have read that brown (diatomacious) algae is normal in a tank that is cycling. Possibly excess nitrates, which occurs in new tank.

I'd add some floating plants or moss to take up the excess nitrates. The plants are fairly cheap. Also some flourish excel might help. It kill a lot of algae types, thus giving you time to get things balanced.

Also read that changing water daily helps. How about flourish excel? If It gets really bad you could try a black out.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

You've got a _*really*_ high bioload for a tank that size, I think this is part of your issue. 

In your shoes, I do all of the following:

1) Reduce your bioload by half. Especially rehome the peacock eel; they're best for species tanks. If your "featherfin catfish" is a Synodontis species, it also will likely outgrow a 20gal tank. I'd stick with one or 2 species of schooling fish and a school of bottom scavengers such as Cory cats.

2) Eliminate the sunlight from the tank. 

3) Add some fast-growing nutrient-hog plants; stems such as Hygros, Bacopa, or floating plants should all help

4) Change out some of your fishload for algae eaters; Otocinclus catfish, Nerite snails, Amano shrimp, and/or Red cherry shrimp are all good options for algae eaters that are very low bioload


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## jenash (Dec 19, 2008)

i got rid of the eel, two tetras and a gourami, bought a pleco, and scrubbed the tank and so far it hasn't come back nearly at all. I also added another fluorescent strip light and added more plants to the tank. I think i've almost got the upperhand.


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## joy613 (Jun 19, 2007)

If you have a common pleco it will outgrow your tank. Bristlenose and clown pleco stay small enough for a tank your size. Any idea what yours is? I didn't see anything about any co2 listed so you might consider getting some excel by seachem. That has helped with several different algae problems I have had. It sounds like you are on the right track now.


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## jenash (Dec 19, 2008)

i just got a common pleco, i got one small and if he gets to big i'll just give him away or replace him, i've never been a fan of plecos much anyways. how many cory cats should be added, if i have a pleco and catfish on bottom. I couldn't find a tank for the catfish and he is still small now so he needs to stay until i can afford a bigger tank.


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