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Re: Frustrated





> Subject: Frustrated.
> 
> My tank is getting worse, not better. The white stuff which looks like filmy
> mold is spreading over everything. The green dust algae is back, worse than
> ever. There is brown stuff growing in all my tubing and the mixer J. I am so
> frustrated and I don't know what to do. Plant growth is tremendous, huge,
> fast, bright, except for crypts, lotus, and now my Barclaya longifolia,
> which all grow a few leaves, then melt, then repeat the cycle.

I know you have funny hardness levels(low) in that tap water. Even so, the
crypts melting often seem to mean NO3/NH4 issues or lighting issues. I'll
rule out lighting. Bacterial and filter issues might cause some of this.
Crypts do seem to like hard waters in plant tanks.

Nothing like a good clean and big water change.
> 
> I am starting to wonder if I should just rip everything out & start over.
> The tank will be a year old in July, and it has never stabilized. What do
> you all think - should I start over?

I'd do a narly cleaning, but I'd not start over and tear the entire tank
down. Check everything, CO2, NO3 and PO4. GH and KH? Try raising those up
some to 5 and 5. Don't move the plants around too much if you were before.
Prune the plants and toss out the bottoms saving only the tops for
replantings. Clean that filter, scrub those walls, scrub that wood. Net out
everything that you can that's floating. Do the water change. Repeat.

 I know you've heard this before but something's going on here and I think
something is being overlooked. You've had chronic issues and lots of algae.
Try bushy noses for the Green dust and try stopping the traces for a week
and watch. Up them later if this works(the plants will recover). Feed fish
well.
You can use a UV and or a diatom every now and then but it's certainly not
needed as a regular component in a plant tank. A net, an algae pad, fingers
and vacuuming water changes can achieve a lot.
Regards, 
Tom Barr