# Why did my algae disappear?



## Wantsome99 (Nov 27, 2016)

I started a low tech planted tank 6 weeks ago. I made sure to heavily plant it. I was lightly dosing npk and traces once a week and doing a water change once a week. The tank became infested with algae and all of my crypts started melting.

I started to neglect the tank. I stopped dosing ferts and stopped doing water changes. I also forgot to turn the light on for 2 days. It was on a timer for 8 hours but I forgot to switch it on. 

After 2 days I turned the lights on and all of the algae except for some green spot on the glass was gone. All of my crypts had new growth. I couldn't believe the difference. All of my Anubias were covered in brown slime. It was all gone. 

What did I do? I don't understand. The tank looks 100% better now that I'm not doing anything to it.


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## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

Wantsome99 said:


> I started to neglect the tank. I stopped dosing ferts and stopped doing water changes. I also forgot to turn the light on for 2 days. It was on a timer for 8 hours but I forgot to switch it on.
> 
> After 2 days I turned the lights on and all of the algae except for some green spot on the glass was gone. All of my crypts had new growth. I couldn't believe the difference. All of my Anubias were covered in brown slime. It was all gone.
> 
> What did I do? I don't understand. The tank looks 100% better now that I'm not doing anything to it.



Ahh benevolent neglect. Never forget the power of that when it comes to nature.  if I had to apply a theory to your situation, I would guess that you inadvertently restored your harmonizing balance of light, CO2, and fertilizers. You have no CO2 so you had too much light and fertilizers when you paid attention to it. Mostly too much light. It compels the plants to grow faster and demand more fertilizers and in that situation, more importantly, CO2. Since you had none, they were essentially "fizzing out". Sad plants beget algae, algae makes for sadder plants, downward spiral to doom, etc. Let your accidental discovery save you from that path. Reduce light! 

Best of luck!


Also, I leave u in more capable hands than mine:

https://www.advancedplantedtank.com/101-lowtech.html


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## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

Wantsome99 said:


> I started a low tech planted tank 6 weeks ago. I made sure to heavily plant it. I was lightly dosing npk and traces once a week and doing a water change once a week. The tank became infested with algae and all of my crypts started melting.
> 
> I started to neglect the tank. I stopped dosing ferts and stopped doing water changes. I also forgot to turn the light on for 2 days. It was on a timer for 8 hours but I forgot to switch it on.
> 
> ...


turning off the lights and lean dosing killed off the algae.


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## Kubla (Jan 5, 2014)

Sounds like normal new tank startup with diatoms and crypt melt. They're both very common in new tanks and they usually clear up on their own.


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