text: marineland LED & planted tank - Tropical Fish Keeping - Aquarium fish care and resources
  Tropical Fish Keeping - Aquarium fish care and resources > Freshwater Fish and Aquariums > Beginner Freshwater Aquarium > Beginner Planted Aquarium > marineland LED & planted tank
  post #1 of 5 Old 02-15-2015, 11:24 AM Thread Starter
  marineland LED & planted tank
  hey guys im still new to the whole planted tank thing. I have anbuis(sp), pennywort, red root floaters in my tank.
  I have a fluval edge 6 gallon (took the top off for better access to tank and made another top & I also have a 5 gallon glass tank with same plants in both. Lights on timer for 6 hrs.
  I still battling brown alage and recetly got 2/3 octos and I have nerite in each tank.
  im using the marineland LED hidden light I have a 17 and a 24in http://www.amazon.com/Marineland-Accent-Hidden-System-17-Inch/dp/B00850B2IQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1424017148&sr=8-2&keywords=marineland+hidden+led
  is this sufficient for low light plants? Im not having any issues with plants dying, have neen getting holes in the leaves but got potissaum to go in weekly for now with the flourish for the plants.
  post #2 of 5 Old 02-15-2015, 08:28 PM
  Yeah, sufficient for low light plants and smaller tanks, no good for taller tanks and higher light plants.
  As for the plants, I assume it's the Anubias getting holes? Potassium is good, you need to give it time though. It's going to take a few weeks.
  As for your Otto's (Ottocinclus, not Octos lol), they'll help with the Diatoms but make sure you have sufficient algae for when they run out! I like to have river rocks in a cup or tank on a window sill or under a fluorescent light. That will grow green algae on the rocks and you can routinely switch them out so the Ottos can eat them, they may eat veggies and wafers too. But Diatoms are short lived, they usually only happen at the first part of the tanks life, usually only a few months (3-5 is the usual) and once all the silica is gone, they disappear. Most tanks won't get them again after that as long as it's left running, if you happen to have a mini-cycle for whatever reason or its taken down, that's when you may get another brown algae bloom :)
  post #3 of 5 Old 02-15-2015, 08:59 PM Thread Starter
  constantly fighting the brown alage -- lights on for 6 hrs a day one tank has it one doesnt and b4 the edge tank both were in the same tank in front of the tv. thats why i got the ottos (hahaha octos LOL)
  post #4 of 5 Old 02-16-2015, 06:18 AM
  Brown algae seems normal to me, all 3 of the tanks I have set up currently have it. Usally for me it grows on the glass so I just wipe it off there when I do a water change. Could try a 24 hour black out..... Not sure how bad it is, if is pretty bad seachem excel works wonders... You have to dose everyday for it to work right.
  post #5 of 5 Old 02-16-2015, 09:30 AM
  Yes, it's normal, as I said, for newly (new-ish, at least 6 months old or younger) set up tanks to have the Diatom bloom. It lasts usually 3-5 months though sometimes longer if your water contains a lot of silicates. After that period, usually you won't see another diatom bloom in that specific tank as long as it's up and running.
  Excel is fine for an algalcide but if you have algae eaters, let them do the work so they can eat.
  Also, Aeon, be ware that Otos are very sensitive creatures as well. Most, if not all, are wild caught so you may lose one or all of them depending on your water quality and what they have for food.