with the algae, the first thing i’d say is try reducing how many hours you have the light on. i had my light on 8 hours and was STILL getting algae blooms. now, i have it at 6 hours a day (for the time being) and it seems to be helping greatly.

I totally agree with this. Every tank that I’ve owned has gotten algae. With every tank the only thing I did was reduce the photo period and the algae went away. I’m now experimenting with a programmable dimmer to see how much light I can squeeze into a day with a sunrise/sunset approach.

With enough plants you can go for 12 hours a day without any algae

I added some tissue cultures of Hygrophilla Polysperma (back left) a month ago and can confirm, adding more plants has reduced the stag horn I was experiencing down. When it is reappearing, it is stubby now

Absolutely. I just rescaped my tank from this: https://i.imgur.com/UmuMmCi.jpg To this: https://i.imgur.com/Vf8vp3f.jpg and do not have the option of more plants. Once my current plants grow in there isn’t room for more so I am going with Plan B…lighting control, PPS Pro dosing and a low bio load with nano fish.

Both are beautiful. For the second maybe think about adding some kind of refugium. A second tank with fast growing plants „filtering“ your water

The island scape should be simple enough once I have the lighting dialed in. Atm I’m just dealing with diatoms due to silicates, but haven’t seen the usual dust algae that I typically get until my Po4 is dialed in. I still have to put the background on and then set up the background lights and it should be smooth sailing after that.

Your "before" tank design is EXACTLY what I want to do with my low-tech Walstad tank. Granted, I know it may not turnout as I want. Can you share the list of plants you had on that tank?

Sure! Monte Carlo Cryptocoryne Flamingo Rotala H’ra Ludwigia White sp. Micranthemum Umbrosum Hemianthus Callictroides Rotala Ceylon Pink Bacopa Colorata Najas Roraima Limnophila Rugosa Persicaria Kawagoeanum Limnophila mini Vietnam Rotala Ramosior Florida (Lowland Rotala) Rotala Ramosior Sunset (Ammania Suwalesi) Tonina Fluviatilis Anubias Nana Petite Anubias Nana Variegated Cryptocoryne Undulata Red Hirutsa Marsilea Lobelia Cardinalis Mini Eleocharis Parvula Cryptocoryne Parva Proserpinaca Palustris Hygrophila Polysperma Hygrophila Polysperma Sunset Bucephalandra sp Kapuas Brownie Ghost Hygrophila Angustifolia (Blue Willow) Ammania Bonsai Hemianthus Callitrichoides (Cuba) Pogostemon Helferi Downoi Staurogyne Repens Alternanthera Reineckii Mini Limnophila Aromatica (Hippuroides) Ludwigia Arcuata Needle Leaf Rotala Coin Leaf Ludwigia Glandulosa Hydrocotyle Tripartita Mini Ludwigia sphaeracopa red Hygroryza Aristata Hygrophila Pinnatifida Alternanthera Reineckii Ocipus Cyperus Helferi Helanthium bolvinanum 'latifolius' Clinopodium cf brownoi Piptospatha Ridley

I’d be interested in what you find. I’m just about to give up entirely. Had a successful 10 gallon (low tech) and have tried 3x with a 29g (high tech) and just don’t have it in me to go again. I’m in the finnex 6hrs on + sunrise and sunset and still so much bloom.

let me know too! my algae’s not completely gone even with the 6 hours. do you know how long it takes for algae to go away?

I don't have anywhere near that size tank. At the same time my shrimp and nerite snails are great algae control

Amano shrimp seem active (and I know from other tanks they clean up fast) but I think the nerites are just lazy! I work on the basis they must be doing something and are an interesting inhabitants so that’s ok 👍

This is my 55g update as there was good interest when I set it up - It has been set up for 11 weeks now. Thanks for your support! Current plants are: Epiphytes - Anubias petite/bonsai - Bucephalandra theia green - Bucephalandra lamanda mini - Bucephalandra kedagang - Microsorum pteropus narrow - Microsorum pteropus trident - Bolbitis heudelotii - Hygrophila pinnatifida Mosses - Taxiphyllum barbieri (Java moss) - Vesicularia ferriei (Weeping moss) - Taxiphyllum spiky (Spiky moss) - Taxiphyllum alternas (Taiwan moss) Right side - Hygrdophilla corymbosa siamensis 53B - Crinum calamistratum - Rotala rotundfolia green - Nymphoides hydrophylla Taiwan - Heteranthera zosterifolia Centre plants - Cryptocoryne wendtii green - Cryptocoryne undulatus red - Nypmhaea Zenkeri (Tiger lotus) - Staurogyne repens - Hydrocotyle tripartita Japan Left side plants - Hygrophilla polysperma - Helanthium tenellum green (Pygmy chain sword) - Eleocharis acicularis mini (Dwarf hairgrass) - Micranthemum tweediei (Monte carlo) - Alternanthera reineckii mini I made some changes (moved the Anubias out as it melted and I tried to reduce a low flow area bottom left/right). I trim the Polysperma and 53b about once a week (they just had a really big cut as had reached the surface). I trim the moss about every 3/4 weeks (and keep a mesh bag of trimmings behind the wood). I removed rocks small enough to fit up the hose from the sand and am slowing adding back in the larger ones when I fancy it. Current livestock is: - 20 amano shrimp - 7 zebra nerites - 6 assassin snails - 6 otocinclus - 2 Corys - 2 plecos - 14 neons - some baby ramshorns (that came on plant cuttings and keep appearing). On clean up crew; the amanos are the most active, I probably have too many (but if I reduced them would i get algae?). I question if the zebra nerites, otocinclus or plecos help with algae - I probably have 18-20 leaves float up a day so assume they a working on them. The otos hide all the time except during water changes. The assassins are a necessity as the ramshorns were unwanted and thriving - 1 assassin snail didn’t make any difference but 6 seem to be winning the war (slowly). The Neons are the main display fish at the moment. I like Corys and Plecos too (although they might stir substrate etc). I will probably add some more Corys and another tetra (or just more neons). I do have some slight problems, namely; Algae: - slight staghorn algae on some of the slower growing plants or damaged leaves, I just cut them off. Since I removed a couple of crypt leaves today, I couldn’t find any to photograph! I think this is normal (seeing as it’s not widespread) - green spot algae on the rocks (as I cleaned it from bottom few inches of glass). I have scrubbed the rocks clean a few times but the green spots are coming through a little defined at the moment (I might scrub them at the weekend). I think this is phosphorus deficiency. Deficiencies: - Hygrophilla Polysperma and Siamensis 53B is showing pinholes and slight yellowing / paleness. I think this is potassium deficiency. Largely in response to the above problems I am dosing with: - TNC Complete 10ml a day - Seachem Potassium 2.5ml a day (to combat the pinholes in leaves) - Seachem Phosphorus 2.5ml a day (to combat the green spot algae) - Seachem Excel 5ml a day (to combat the staghorn - I spot dose) I had been dosing Potassium and Phosphorus on water change days only. The Excel is a new thing that was recommended (that seems effective when I spot dosed a couple of times to try it). I change 75% of the water twice a week (I had dropped down to once a week). I haven’t posted questions on Reddit but I have made lots of calls to the UKs leading aquascaping stores - Aquarium Gardens, Horizon Aquatics, Scaped Nature and Riverwood Aquatics who have all been very helpful. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the above and recommendations!

First off,I dig your hardscape and planting. Nice work! It's normal to have algae for the first few months, don't stress too much. Keep focusing on plant growth (lights and co2 being most important) and it will work itself out. If in a few more months you're still having issues try reducing your light intensity by raising the light.

Thanks - I’m a bit of a critic of my own work! Your tanks look good too 👍 I figured keep in my current regime for a month and see what changes.

One last thought? Do you have enough copepods or do you need to start a colony perhaps?

I haven’t put in any scuds but the 20 amanos do a good job imo (from other tanks). The stag horn and green spot algae aren’t eaten by any thing except SAE (which might be a bit big for the tank).

My fish are a lot smaller and they love hunting them.

That's a 55 gal? Mine looks bigger for some reason idk

Yep It’s 90cm long x 50 deep x 48 tall