I think you're right, the spreading out of tanks, plants, even books throughout the house. It makes it more inviting and intriguing to walk through each room/ space and encourages movement. You make your home a sort of secret garden. Each door or opening bringing new treasures to encounter and explore.
I know plenty of the "dark side" of the hobby. 😂 Sometimes, a tank just works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes, you can fix things, sometimes you can't and have to start anew. Or a working tank just stops working for some reason, ad infinitum. No two tanks are ever the same, however hard you try. All that matters, is that we learn. I enjoy your "Zen"-like appraoch to all of this. 👍
Perfect timing. With the scape you made in my tank after 2 weeks I had algae growing fast. I reduced the lighting from 100 to 50 percent and that dramatically reduced the growth I'd say after a week now barely any growth. With water changes I'd scrape it off the walls and used a toothbrush to brush it off the bogwood first before siphoning out the water. The anubias i removed the bits from the rysome that have black beard algae on it Have also reduced my liquid fertiliser input to every other day mainly as I've introduced some more bloody mary shrimp and want to leave them to settle in the tank for a week before doing a water change.
I look forward to seeing the new layout of your home George! I just recently moved and it’s exciting making the living space enjoyable to look at, and add some scapes 😉 ramble on mate!
I had a brown algae outbreak in my aquarium that I set up with sand...it was taking over everything and very discouraging. The algae was eradicated when the system established and I switched to aqua soil. Then I had green algae problems which were taken care of with dosing hydrogen peroxide, more water changes and propagating plants to establish a denser plant mass. I appreciate my current scape much more since I've overcome those difficulties and sort of "earned it"
I have to say aqua soil especially ada soil seems to just supply the plants with sufficient nutrients for them to outcompete the algae !! When I had a sand substrate I had nothing but problems !!!
Hi there im disabled and in chronic pain and lost my balance backwards hitting my 2ft fish tank stand with the back of my head splitting my head from my crown down to near my neck , the tank came crashing down hitting my left side of my chest dowsing me in tank water . I had just matured the tank , aqua soil and sand al over the carpet , two mountain minnows flapping on the floor , my son saved them there in my little tank , now . 200 quid down the drain , skint and no lovely tank now . Still im alive , pissed off but alive.
The challenge for me is getting the algae where I want it. I like it on the wood, rock, and the back wall of my tanks. I don’t like it choking out my plants or blocking my view. Finding a balance is tricky.
Interesting about the hard water and high C02 level comment I’m new to the hobby and have 180 tds out of the tap, what level of C02 would be recommended greater than 30ppm?
I used to spend more time vacuuming and removing algae but now I leave the malm except in the front and leave maybe 75% of the algae. The tank seems more natural and stable. I look at reference video of natural settings like on Tai's Biotopia channel, and tanks on LRB aquatics or Fishtory for example as inspiration.
Hi George, I have programmable dimmers on my lights, with 15mg/L CO2 on a solenoid, on my new tank. Just wondering how you think the light should vary through the day. Would love to be able to find a video on that. --Michael
Hi George… to me nowadays I believe algae is always a bio-indicator and its always related to imbalance of nutrients (including non mineral nutrients) or excess of light (energy in the system) that push demand for nutrients at higher levels. :)
I think you're right, the spreading out of tanks, plants, even books throughout the house. It makes it more inviting and intriguing to walk through each room/ space and encourages movement. You make your home a sort of secret garden. Each door or opening bringing new treasures to encounter and explore.
I know plenty of the "dark side" of the hobby. 😂
Sometimes, a tank just works, sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes, you can fix things, sometimes you can't and have to start anew. Or a working tank just stops working for some reason, ad infinitum. No two tanks are ever the same, however hard you try. All that matters, is that we learn.
I enjoy your "Zen"-like appraoch to all of this. 👍
7:55 I've heard that explained a thousand ways but the way you said it made me really finally understand it.
Perfect timing. With the scape you made in my tank after 2 weeks I had algae growing fast. I reduced the lighting from 100 to 50 percent and that dramatically reduced the growth I'd say after a week now barely any growth.
With water changes I'd scrape it off the walls and used a toothbrush to brush it off the bogwood first before siphoning out the water.
The anubias i removed the bits from the rysome that have black beard algae on it
Have also reduced my liquid fertiliser input to every other day mainly as I've introduced some more bloody mary shrimp and want to leave them to settle in the tank for a week before doing a water change.
I look forward to seeing the new layout of your home George! I just recently moved and it’s exciting making the living space enjoyable to look at, and add some scapes 😉 ramble on mate!
I like this philosophical speech about algae. We seen you were smiling in few moments.
Keep good work!
And wish you algae free tanks!
Thank you so much, love all your videos. I learned long ago not to treat the symptom without treating the cause, best advice ever .
I had a brown algae outbreak in my aquarium that I set up with sand...it was taking over everything and very discouraging. The algae was eradicated when the system established and I switched to aqua soil. Then I had green algae problems which were taken care of with dosing hydrogen peroxide, more water changes and propagating plants to establish a denser plant mass. I appreciate my current scape much more since I've overcome those difficulties and sort of "earned it"
I have to say aqua soil especially ada soil seems to just supply the plants with sufficient nutrients for them to outcompete the algae !! When I had a sand substrate I had nothing but problems !!!
Good problem analysis, especially getting from symptom level to root cause. Works on people and fish!! We are but larger organisms in a larger "tank".
Hi there im disabled and in chronic pain and lost my balance backwards hitting my 2ft fish tank stand with the back of my head splitting my head from my crown down to near my neck , the tank came crashing down hitting my left side of my chest dowsing me in tank water . I had just matured the tank , aqua soil and sand al over the carpet , two mountain minnows flapping on the floor , my son saved them there in my little tank , now . 200 quid down the drain , skint and no lovely tank now . Still im alive , pissed off but alive.
I hope you’re well mate
The challenge for me is getting the algae where I want it. I like it on the wood, rock, and the back wall of my tanks. I don’t like it choking out my plants or blocking my view. Finding a balance is tricky.
Interesting about the hard water and high C02 level comment I’m new to the hobby and have 180 tds out of the tap, what level of C02 would be recommended greater than 30ppm?
I used to spend more time vacuuming and removing algae but now I leave the malm except in the front and leave maybe 75% of the algae. The tank seems more natural and stable. I look at reference video of natural settings like on Tai's Biotopia channel, and tanks on LRB aquatics or Fishtory for example as inspiration.
Brilliant to see a video from you George I always look forward to your content I’ve learnt so much from you 👏👏👏👏
Cyanobacteria is what killed it off for me twice!! My aquarium still remains empty till eventually I'll set it up again..
Hi George, I have programmable dimmers on my lights, with 15mg/L CO2 on a solenoid, on my new tank. Just wondering how you think the light should vary through the day. Would love to be able to find a video on that. --Michael
I think that’s more important for the fish than the plants man, I’ve had the thought myself tbh !!
Very interested to see what info I can use, being low/ no tech🙂.
Hi George… to me nowadays I believe algae is always a bio-indicator and its always related to imbalance of nutrients (including non mineral nutrients) or excess of light (energy in the system) that push demand for nutrients at higher levels. :)
Most issues i notice are the first 6 months, until the tank and plants find balance.
Could be an imbalance between NPK
Are you sure you're talking about the aquarium. You okay, bud?
Don’t fear the GEE!
What happened to your Instagram account?
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