Coping with high bioload

[winston77]

Hi,

My 3ft tank houses 2 emperors, 49 cardinals, 19 rummynose, 2 otos, 11 yamatos and 4 boraras. Running on high CO2 and fert programme.

Was clearing up my spiky mosses yesterday, and realises that the there is alot of "dirt" particles flying around, and even found BGA in some of those deep areas within the mosses.

Could it have been that the current mech and bio filtration not functioning well, or simply too high a bioload for the tank to handle?

Equipment is 2026->Reactor->Tank.

[Sleepy_lancs]

Most likely for BGA would be low in NO3 or the water circulation is affected.

[winston77]

Most likely for BGA would be low in NO3 or the water circulation is affected.

Latest readings taken:
NO3 = 20~40ppm
NH2/NH3 = 0.1/0.3ppm
KH = 4
PH = 7.5

From the above, I doubt that NO3 is low.

As for water circulation, I can see current flowing thru the entire tank, at every corner. However, the mosses does not seems to be "moving" by the current, so is this poor circulation?

Never realised that my PH went up so high? Could this be the root cause for the algae I m having?

[PeterGwee]

How much plant mass do you have in the tank? Just moss alone?

Detectable NH3/NH4 means bad...real bad. Your bacteria population is low to deal with that likely and you have poor plant growth (lack of CO2 is clear.).

Simple fact to do with algae of all types is clean the tank well followed by a large water change and correct conditions to improve plant growth(you need it with the NH3/NH4 present). If you are sure of the BGA ID, do a search on how to deal with it.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[winston77]

I am trying to get a DC to take a picture of my tank.

Rotala Indica, MU, Hygrophila Balsamica, Echii Red Diamonds, spiky mosses are all my plants. Since you mentioned poor plant growth, I do noted that its indeed true. Have not seen much growth, despite dosing regularly:

Alternate days: KNO3+K2SO4
Sunday: TMG + S7 + KH2PO4

WC is a nightmare, as only 30% can cause my yamatos to perform 10km run around the tank. Aged water(1day) used for WC, wif Nutrafin Aquaplus conditioner. Have stopped adding bacteria into tank since it was used up though.

I taken the ammonia reading using Sera test kit. The readings are the lowest it can go, as stated as NH2/NH3 <=0.1/0.3. Therefore I am not sure if ammonia really exist, but I never doubt its presence due to its high bioload.

[PeterGwee]

Use the "help form" in this section of the forum so as to let us know much more about your tank conditions and parameters. As for now, you are not dosing much PO4 which you should along together with the KNO3. CO2, that is your biggest issue. Target 30ppm throughout the entire day via pH/KH measurements except for the lull the first hour into the light period.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[winston77]

As best as I can fill up the help form, below are the details:

Tank Dimensions (LxWxH, specify units): 3" x 1.5" x 1.5"

Lighting Intensity(No of Watts) : 39W
Number and type of Lighting (FL/PL/MH) : 2 x T5HO
Age of light bulbs : 1 mth
No. of hours your lights are on : 8hrs

CO2 Injection Rate (bps) : 3~4bps
Type of CO2 (DIY/Cylinder) : Cylinder
Method of Injection (e.g. Diffusor/Reactor) : NA External Reactor

Liquid fertilisers Used (Product name. E.g. Seachem Flourish) : TMG, KNO3, KH2PO4, K2SO4, S7
Fertilization regime (Frequency and amount per dose) :
Alternate days: KNO3(25ppm)+K2SO4(6.5ppm)
Sunday: TMG(7.5ml) + S7(2.5ml) + KH2PO4(a pinch)

Type of Filter (overhead/internal/canister, Product name/model if possible) : Eheim 2026
When was the filter last washed : 3 months
Filter media used : Eheim mech/bio
When was the media last changed : 3 months
What was changed : 3 months

Age of setup (i.e. since initial setup or last major re-do ) : 3 month

Water change frequency : Every Fortnight Sunday
Amount changed : 30%

Water surface movement (None/gentle/turbulent) : gentle
Circulation (None/gentle/turbulent) : gentle

Tank Temperature : between 27 to 29

Chemical Properties (Fill what you can)
-------------------------------------
KH (dKH): 4
GH (dGH): ???
pH : 7.5
NH4 (ppm): 0ppm
NO2 (ppm): < 0.3ppm
NO3 (ppm): < 40ppm
PO4 (ppm): < 5ppm
Fe (ppm): ???

Bioload (Number and type of fish and plants)
------------------------------------------
49 x Cardinal
19 x RummyNose
2 x Emperor
2 x Coral Red
5 x boraras
2 x Oto
11 x Yamato

2 x Echinodorus Red Diamonds (full grown)
2 x Echinodorus parviflorus 'Tropica'
42 x Rotala Indica
20 x Micranthemum umbrosum
4 x Hygrophila Balsamico
Spiky moss

Reason for dosing KH2PO4 once a week is that PO4 level always maintain at 1~2ppm, despite not adding any KH2PO4 for 5 weeks. I estimate that the PO4 should be less than 5ppm now since I start dosing weekly.

[PeterGwee]

Your light is 2x39w T5? If that is the case, you only need to dose once a week.

Remove all traces of algae (remove plants and clean them well if needed before returning them back into the tank.).
50% water change
On water change day- 10ppm of KNO3 and 1-2ppm of KH2PO4 (1/2 teaspoon of Seachem Equilibrium if you wish to cover your bases on GH)
Next day - 10ml of TMG

Main thing is still the CO2. For your KH of 4, target a pH of 6.6 for the entire day except for the first hour into the light period for CO2 to buildup.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[winston77]

Your light is 2x39w T5? If that is the case, you only need to dose once a week.

Remove all traces of algae (remove plants and clean them well if needed before returning them back into the tank.).
50% water change
Day after water change - 10ppm of KNO3 and 1-2ppm of KH2PO4 (1/2 teaspoon of Seachem Equilibrium if you wish to cover your bases on GH)
Next day - 10ml of TMG

Main thing is still the CO2. For your KH of 4, target a pH of 6.6 for the entire day except for the first hour into the light period for CO2 to buildup.

Regards
Peter Gwee

Thanks for the advice.

Yup, I am using 2x39w T5HO.

Will try to remove all traces of fuzz algae, as it mostly grow on my Red Diamonds. But its gonna be a difficult job as the root system is well established.

Algae on mosses are already removed.

Just to clarify, do you mean dosing KNO3, KH2PO4 once a week? How about K2SO4?

[PeterGwee]

Thanks for the advice.

Yup, I am using 2x39w T5HO.

Will try to remove all traces of fuzz algae, as it mostly grow on my Red Diamonds. But its gonna be a difficult job as the root system is well established.

Algae on mosses are already removed.

Just to clarify, do you mean dosing KNO3, KH2PO4 once a week? How about K2SO4?

Yes, once a week. You don't need the K from K2SO4 since the K in KNO3 is more than enough. Just focus on the CO2 and dose the nutrients. Nothing will work if the CO2 is not well taken care of.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[winston77]

Yes, once a week. You don't need the K from K2SO4 since the K in KNO3 is more than enough. Just focus on the CO2 and dose the nutrients. Nothing will work if the CO2 is not well taken care of.

Regards
Peter Gwee

Noted with thanks. PH went down to 6.6 within 3hrs.

[PeterGwee]

Noted with thanks. PH went down to 6.6 within 3hrs.

3hrs is too long, target 1 hr instead. Add more flow and circulation to the tank or reactor. (You are losing flow/circulation by piping the filter inline with the reactor.)

Regards
Peter Gwee

[winston77]

I noted that the piping from 2026 to NA ext reactor is 1metre, and reactor to tank is another 1metre. Is this the cause for my loss of flowrate?

2026 ball reading shows optimal flowrate, and I can see particles swirling at every corner of the tank. However, the mosses under the rainbar area are not "moving" though..

[Plantbrain]

Clean the tank more often, do larger water changes, lightly vacuum the gravel, clean the tubes and filter media more often.

Sort of basic stuff many seem to forget with plants and think it's their nutrients........

Regards,
Tom Barr

[vincentlii]

Reset tank is the final option. But don't ever reuse the gravel.

[winston77]

Reset tank is the final option. But don't ever reuse the gravel.

This will be the last last thing I ever do. Anyway I dun think its that serious to do a reset.

Perhaps over the weekend I will clean up all my piping and filter, that should help.