Hardscape heavy aquascapes algae control on the hardscape

[Dennis Wong]

Just wanted to point out that AquaDesignAmano has been doing this forever.

They actually sell the brush itself here.

They do do a lot of stupid things. Such as manually raising their lily pipes daily. This shows how much you can get away with if your marketing department works well.

 

[Pepere]

You can try winning by plant mass. Allow the tank to mature and grow in to the point that green dust does not spawn on any surface in a meaningful way (you will know this if your glass remains relatively clean). Around 70% of the substrate planted and grown in is a good amount for this effect to start setting in. It is a longer process than most folks think - measured in months rather than weeks. I think filter/microbial maturity plays a very a large role. Then add the rocks

Ok. And until then I will use a stainless steel detail brush from Home Depot.

Set of 3 for $6.46 vs 1 ADA for $50.00…

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Anvil-Mini-Brush-Set-with-Stainless-Steel-Bristles-3-Pack-SMB3-ANV/309996631

 

[techman81]

You can try winning by plant mass. Allow the tank to mature and grow in to the point that green dust does not spawn on any surface in a meaningful way (you will know this if your glass remains relatively clean). Around 70% of the substrate planted and grown in is a good amount for this effect to start setting in. It is a longer process than most folks think - measured in months rather than weeks. I think filter/microbial maturity plays a very a large role. Then add the rocks in, they should remain clean or green only very very gradually. Or you could do the Tom barr suggestion and use bristlenose plecos ?

I saw this with my primary display scape. I struggled with algae on the rocks the first couple months, but as plant mass grew and grew, I began seeing my rocks become free of the algae (nerite snails helped a little as well). The tank is now a year old, and while I am struggling with some hair algae at the moment (I let phosphates get a little high), the rocks look great.

Having said that, I don't think it's fair to just right off scrubbing the rocks early on with the wire brush. We tend to be impatient wanting our tanks to look their best so I see nothing wrong with some temporary fixes while things mature. As was pointed out, lots of well known aquascapers do it.

 

[BigWave]

I should point out cleanliness matters in a planted tank. Actually getting in there and cleaning with a toothbrush, throughly vacuuming the substrate, trimming and removing dead or decaying matter etc makes a big difference on tank health. A lot of the reason people get bba is from the built up organic matter. I get that people just want a nice tank to look at and think its easy with minimal effort. I blame some of these other methods such as the Walstad Method, Father Fish or even the plain ol Low Tech crouds for pushing this mentality.

 

[Pepere]

should point out cleanliness matters in a planted tank. Actually getting in there and cleaning with a toothbrush, throughly vacuuming the substrate, trimming and removing dead or decaying matter etc makes a big difference on tank health.

You are preaching to the choir on that.

The only algae I have in this tank is green algae forming on the top of the rocks. The plants are mostly free of algae except for a few anubias I transferred from a tank I neglected. As new growth comes in I am pruning off older leaves on that and it should clear up.

I scrub my glass every week just because. There is a hint on it that you can barely notice the difference between scrubbed and not scrubbed after a week.

 

[BigWave]

You are preaching to the choir on that.

 

[ElleDee]

I get that people just want a nice tank to look at and think its easy with minimal effort. I blame some of these other methods such as the Walstad Method, Father Fish or even the plain ol Low Tech crouds for pushing this mentality.

I dunno man, a balanced low energy tank is super easy to maintain with very little algae, but there are a bunch of limitations that have to be respected. If you are willing to throttle your light, stick to easy plants, and limit your stocking, etc. you can have clean plant growth with not that much work for years. The particular tank style that requires doesn't appeal to everyone, especially around here, and I get that. But it's hardly some mythical thing.

(I am not that familiar with Father Fish specifically, but the impression I've gotten is that he's both a kook and a snake oil salesman. I can't speak to his whole deal though.)

 

[Gwad]

I dunno man, a balanced low energy tank is super easy to maintain with very little algae, but there are a bunch of limitations that have to be respected. If you are willing to throttle your light, stick to easy plants, and limit your stocking, etc. you can have clean plant growth with not that much work for years. The particular tank style that requires doesn't appeal to everyone, especially around here, and I get that. But it's hardly some mythical thing.

(I am not that familiar with Father Fish specifically, but the impression I've gotten is that he's both a kook and a snake oil salesman. I can't speak to his whole deal though.)

I fought my low energy setups for a couple of miserable years. Algae on everything constantly, plants not thriving, always trying to change something or fix it but not knowing how since everything grows so painfully slow without CO2. Nothing worked until I found @Dennis Wong's articles on the 2Hr Aquarist website describing the lighting PAR levels needed to grow easy low tech plants and using a phone app to measure PAR. Once I did that and reduced my light intensity by about 75% or more, my low tech tanks are spotless and require basically zero maintenance other than an occasional water change and RO topoffs. The Anubias, Crypts, and moss are beautifully healthy, too.

I think overly bright cheap LED aquarium lights are literally a hobby killer for the planted tank community. I see it constantly in my local aquarium club and at the aquarium shop that is constantly growing algae on their basic plant display tanks as they blast them 12 hrs a day with big expensive lights.