Infested With 3 Types of Algae

[OrangeCones]

I do have one sword plant in there, so the black-out wouldn't work unless I moved it to my 5 gallon, which I'd really hate to do since I just moved it back to the 29 gallon and it is still adjusting.

The peroxide treatment will probably be a no go since it is impossible to catch my bleeding heart tetras.

Since you do have one plant in there, you could try Excel.

There is no need to remove fish when using the peroxide treatment.

 

[littletankbigworld]

"The buildup of nutrients is either overstocking or overfeeding or lack of water changes."

Everyone always says this. My tank is only 45% stocked, I do not overfeed, and my water changes are 30% per week, occasionally twice a week, which is way more than I need since my tank is overstocked.

My tap water is heavily chlorinated to begin with. Is it possible that there are phosphates in the water before I even add it to the tank?

 

[littletankbigworld]

Good. I wasn't sure if it would affect the fish adversely. Which type of Excel should I purchase? My sword plant has deteriorating leaves that turn a faint brown at the tip and the color works it's way to the roots. The leaf becomes shredded and dies. What type of deficiency is this so I know how to dose?

 

[blue_ram]

Both of my little-water-change tanks get 3 hours of sunlight per day from a southern facing window directly behind them. Granted, its not much light this time of year (I'm in the MidWest USA), but no problems so far.



pH has been steady at 7.3 in one, 7.1 in the other (the 2nd one has some driftwood in it).

I am in South Florida, the sun is always intense here. You can actually see where the light comes in and the algae growing in it's path.

I never really understood why my tap water starting out close to 8 PH drops so quickly.

 

[OrangeCones]

My tap water is heavily chlorinated to begin with. Is it possible that there are phosphates in the water before I even add it to the tank?

Yes, there could be. I get jumps in phosphate readings at different times of the year since there is a lot of farmland upriver to my water source.

What dechlor do you use? If you water treatment includes chloramine, you could be adding more ammonia to the tank just with dechlorinating. Make sure the dechlor also detoxifies ammonia if chloramines are used.

Which type of Excel should I purchase?

Seachem's Flourish Excel

My sword plant has deteriorating leaves that turn a faint brown at the tip and the color works it's way to the roots. The leaf becomes shredded and dies. What type of deficiency is this so I know how to dose?

Is this on the new leaves or old leaves on the plant? What type of sword is it?

 

[Doomhed]

I never really understood why my tap water starting out close to 8 PH drops so quickly.

because its GKH, or general hardness, is likely quite low, so it has no buffer to hold its PH.

my water here is 6.5 PH with moderately high hardness. I pretty much no matter what else is going on my PH will stay around 6.5.

 

[littletankbigworld]

It's on the old leaves. The new ones look alright. I bought it awhile ago. It just said "sword plant." I can try to post pictures soon. I switch between Prime and this regular sort of dechlorinator that doesn't remove ammonia.
I came home from school to find one of my ottos dead. He was looking a little slim, but I don't know if that's what killed him.

 

[littletankbigworld]

Another otto died today.

 

[Newman]

...odd 0_o
How long have you had them for?

 

[littletankbigworld]

I've had them for 2 months. It seems like such a weird coincidence. Water parameters are fine. Two just dropped dead all of the sudden. I'm buying more ASAP; I just don't want the others to die.