10 MISTAKES THAT WILL GIVE YOU ALGAE! MAKE SURE YOU AVOID MAKING THEM!

[@MJAquascaping]

Share your mistakes underneath this comment! 😁And don't forget to like the video! Entire Algae playlist: kzbin.info/aero/PLr... 🚨Watch this next!🚨 Inspiration playlist! kzbin.info/aero/PLr... CO2 buying guide! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnq5o6Vnrrhmqbc How to SETUP your CO2! kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4Sri2d8Z7V8aNE Simple fertilizer dosing! kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5Cuc4KLgpaFjq8 👉🏻Cool Aquascaping T-shirts: mosscotton.com/ Code: mjaqua10 👉🏻Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to my KZbin channel: KZbin.com/mjaquascaping 👉🏻 Use Code ''amsterdam'' for 10% off CO2art products 👉🏻10% DISCOUNT on buceplanet.de with code: Amsterdam10 #plantedtank #aquascape #mjaquascaping

[@marydevoe6077]

Very informative and much respect for your honesty, we learn a lot from our mistakes. I would love to see more videos on other mistakes you have made. There is so much trial and error in aquascaping but it is very rewarding.

[@darrenderousse4804]

Thought to get rid of a lil hair algae on my bolbitis leaves it would be genius to put peroxide in a spray bottle and spray the leaves during a water change when the leaves were out of water! It just melted 8-10 leaves that took me over 6 months to grow 😂🤦‍♂️

[@Joshua-uq9zw]

Question mr. MJ. Currently cycling a walstad type dirted tank like the one you did in the dirt vs aquasoil video. But im having so much brown algae. I have the chihiros A2, and I suspect i might be using too much light. I did a medium-heavily planted setup, with a HOB filter, and the chihiros AII light you suggested that is app controlled. What light cycle and intensity do you use on that particular light MJ for the start-up period of a dirted tank? And same question when the tank is up and running and well established? Ty ❤️

[@THandP_org]

@@Joshua-uq9zw I have a few dirt substrate tanks. To avoid severe algae, use more plants. If $$$ means slowly propagating the aquarium plants, dracaena (lucky bamboo) and pothos will help remove excess nutrients until the plants are acclimated and you can propagate. I start dirt substrate tanks at 3 hours on/4 hours off/3 hours on, and increase as the plants request. Typically around 4-6 months, I need to evaluate plant growth for nutrient deficiencies. Not all dirt/plant/fish food combinations provide everything plants need. Potassium is the most frequent insufficiency. And iron, if I don't use the correct iron supplement for my pH.

[@AquascapingCube]

This content is pure gold. Not obvious stuff repeated over and over, but real life lessons for all of us. Great video!

[@MJAquascaping]

I appreciate that!

[@reginakhatun1078]

A summary of the points: 1) Not using a co2 drop checker 2) setting up a tank in the middle of summer and before going on holidays 3) Ignoring direct sunlight 4) reusing plants from a tank that already has algae issues 5) dosing too much micronutrients 6) never dosing nitrates 7) using too many root tabs 8) using too much light 9) not calibrating ph sensor (if you have an automated co2 system) 10) skipping water changes Great tips man! Thanks!!

[@Merichguy2]

Mistakes are how we learn. Now I just need to remember yours, so I don't make the same mistakes lol. Great video.

[@tombarb2864]

It’s good to be honest and humble. Someone’s mistake can be another’s success. Thanks for the very useful info.

[@MJAquascaping]

Thanks for watching!

[@youtubeviewer9523]

Super useful tips! Thanks for the tips Mark. Planted tanks require a lot of patience, I have found out that trying to rush growth caused so many algae issues that I was tempted to get rid of the tank. Thankfully the plants are growing beautifully and the algae has pretty much gone away.

[@MJAquascaping]

Yep you can't rush plant growth 😁 Happy to hear your tank is doing well!

[@Aquatasy]

Well, I have to admit that I am guilty of many of those mistakes myself. Thank you for making this video. I think it's important to share not only our triumphs in this hobby, but also our missteps. Great video. Blessings to you.

[@chrisdavidson3180]

Nothing makes me want to quit like stubborn algae. So thanks for the tips and for an amazing channel. 🤛

[@nvyas5058]

I'm from India and I am big fan of your experiments in aquarium. I love to watch your informative videos.

[@bigben8369]

Good video and to the point. Videos like this one are easy references for people with algae problems. So I think you should keep making them, as they are kind of your specialty. BTW, you should add this one to your algae guide playlist. Maybe you could do a Q&A one with questions from viewers.

[@williammcdowell6257]

Thanks as always. Appreciate the self-deprecation. Lots of comments because algae is really the BIG issue. My mistakes (some repeated): too little CO2 in high intensity light tanks, too low a light intensity with high light plants, too intense or too blue light with low light plants, (like you Mark) too many Nitrate rich tabs when I detected a lack of nutrients, allowing Phosphates to get high, too little testing when using tap water high in Nitrate and Phosphate for water changes in the summer, having too long a photo period (9 hours is always max), not having the CO2 on when the tank is being hit with sunlight (spring/autumn issue for me) and sometimes letting the water hardness ride up after water changes.

[@AlTyler138]

Great video, definitely a few I would have made and wondered what was causing the problem. Future video idea, would love to see an in-depth video on balancing a tank. Signs to change anything, if you're changing to a better light how much do you adjust the rest of the tank. Same for increasing co2. Keep the awesome content coming. ✌🏻

[@MJAquascaping]

Great suggestion!

[@aholmeset]

Yet again a great video! I am considering changing from my juwel internal filter to an Oase external filter. I would like to see how you have your filter setup regards to bio media and spunges etc. Also a video about the flow direction, different lily pipes and how they work in the aquarium would be nice, I see most people have the tubes on the sides of their tank and the flow direction the same way, in my case i want the tubes on the back and how will that work considering the flow direction. Just suggestions on new material for you :)

[@AJMOFO1987]

We all want more algae videos mj! I think filter cleaning is often over looked. Once your tank is established I think its good to clean every 5th week

[@MJAquascaping]

Filter cleaning is important indeed!

[@stoneysscapes7544]

The list of what interests me I would start with plants A-Z , 2nd) on the list is Scaping A- Z 3rd )would be CO2 but only with pressurized setup's , I have never given the yeast , baking soda methods a try and never will. My obsession with regulators and the build qualities , prices & sizes 4th )is anything to do with premium lights and light screens , love the way it makes most aquariums look ....the CURRENT USA Serene backlight is ok , been on almost 2 years but I need the light screen that you have 🌅 The last for me is fish & the ways you have shared information w/ us has always been appreciated. To hear another You Tube top 10 best & worst is not something I get excited to watch but @ least from you I know it's going to help or it will in the future . So thank you Mark !!! All these great topics and doing everything that it takes ? Keep it up & I believe in good things come to good people ☯️ and good ways to create some of the best content 3 years and counting !! Week after week !!! And you just keep getting better... Here is my Top 10 list , compiled in my head from daily viewing for over 3 years of Nature aquarium content binge watching 1) GREEN AQUA 2) George Farmer 3)MULMUNG 4)Juris Jutjajevs 5)[ADAview] 6)MJ Aquascaping 7)MD Fishtanks 8)Aquarium Co-op 9)LRB 10)The Pond Guru

[@ukaszd.2494]

I once did an all-in-one mistake of putting 10 new fish, setting auto feeding and day after that going skiing for almost a week. When I came back my whole tank was in green dust algae and it took me a good three months to settle it back 😆.

[@josips4281]

Thanks for sharing all the info, I have done couple of those too.. 👍 I am having looong ass battle with gsa. My exposed rocks would become green every couple of weeks and have to go into hydrogen dip solution to get cleaned. Recently I have converted my closed top to open top tank, put twinstar b line light and some fast growing plants and floaters.. seems to be more balanced now but I'm still waiting for a month or so to be sure it's gone for good.

[@MJAquascaping]

Good job! I would have done the same! Fast growing plants + floaters = succes

[@deanlugisto]

love how you explain this whole conversation. keep it up! live your contents

[@Kingdamien6660]

so much informative i watched it twice. thanks MJ

[@susiness]

Thank you for sharing many tips on your channel i really learned a lot as a beginner aquascaper..God bless you..Happy Holidays 🙏

[@vidmusic88]

Good sharing on personal mistakes related algae issues. It all happens to the best of us and its unavoidable at times.

[@MJAquascaping]

Absolutely!

[@DadHD]

Thoroughly enjoying your content. Just switched to fresh water planted from a reef tank. Never done fresh water so these videos are just hugely beneficial! Cheers!

[@dylanvisitacion8618]

Your algae videos are great 👍 Researching algae is how I found your channel and your advice has been the most useful. Thank you.

[@REscapes]

Grateful for the tips and your tanks are looking so vibrant and clean 🔥

[@alexanderpopov3587]

Very helpful tips, speaking from experience, thank you! I was just about to setup a new time before the summer vacation but I will pospone this for the autumn.

[@nickangelogabrielarjon2901]

Very informative and straight forward. I really enjoy watching your videos. Thank you for he knowledge! You deserve more subs.

[@dirkmatthys2124]

Water changes are key in any aquarium set up , especially during the run in and stabilising period. Nice videon, grtz from belgian scaper

[@cryzz0n]

Great video, definitely a few I would have made and wondered what was causing the problem. Future video idea, would love to see an in-depth video on balancing a tank. Signs to change anything, if you're changing to a better light how much do you adjust the rest of the tank. Same for increasing co2. Keep the awesome content coming.

[@nancywaterhouse3135]

Such useful well presented info! Thanks. I'm struggling with brown/diatom algae in a 6 week old 10 gallon tank :( I'd love more on how to make changes to plantings in a tank carefully and also how to change out substrate .

[@Vlac73]

Thanks for the good video, as always. I think you did enough about the alguae topic. I would be interested by some maintenance tips. With so much good looking aquarium you are probably well organized. I guess you can explain how do you proceed for your water changes, cleaning glass, filters... And maybe you can talk more about the fishes. Like of you are trying to breed some etc.

[@TheVoyagers.]

Just what was needed thanks for your hard work

[@aguma2067]

Excelente y pormenorizada exposición de fallos que debería enseñarnos a no cometerlos. Pero nos pasará lo mismo que a tí 😜

[@photon3385]

Very informative and practical. I had made similar mistakes and faced a lot of algae issues. Then learnt slowly with observation and experimentation. Too much light and too much dosing was the issue. Had this video came out earlier, it would have saved a lot of trouble. Thanks anyways for such a simple yet very practical and extremely helpful video.

[@eleanors1996]

I have been siphoning blue-green algae from between the glass and substrate for about three weeks. Just realised I have no nitrates either so hoping this is mistake number 6 and that adding nitrates solves it. Keep up the great content, it is very helpful. Would love to see more tips maybe optimizing tanks for breeding and growing fry of different kinds of fish.

[@leighschellekens4648]

This has been greatly helpful, thanks a lot.

[@simonreitz6809]

Thanks for sharing. #7, the tabs, I followed your advice. And yes, can confirm algea issues 😉. Together with too much light though.

[@ESF19791111]

VERY USEFUL EXPLANATION VIDEO : THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH US :) THANK YOU FROM ISRAEL :)

[@eliaszackaria]

Awesome truth summaries. I think another point is about understanding plant types, ferts and lighting requirements balancing act; Anyway I always look forward to your down to earth and honest representation in this hobby lifestyles. Kudos !

[@MJAquascaping]

Yeah good point! In the end every tank is different. What works in one tank might not work in another.

[@tomlevoi5493]

I love your videos ! Always so informative, so relaxing. Hello from south england !

[@MJAquascaping]

Glad you like them!

[@luiswicho5301]

Thanks for the tips pal. Cheers

[@bkbabu1413]

It's a nice video with lots of Inputs can you also do a video on aquarium maintenance like deep cleaning the planted tank to remove debris and dust from soil near rotalas and Montecarlo. I would also like to see the equipment you use, etc. I am eagerly waiting and asking you repeatedly regarding this. Mg second request is do an experiment with pinatafida with normal nitrates and very low nitrates.

[@sheldoncooper2247]

Please do a specific video on brown algae.. thanks MJ

[@fabioprata9539]

Cool, thanks for sharing! That is great learning. 😉

[@criteschristine]

I have made the root tab mistake and recently decided not to add them in initial set ups using high nutrient aquasoil.

[@ObsidianFPV]

Great tips and thanks for sharing the my so perfect parts.

[@droiid123]

THX for tips.

[@MJAquascaping]

Any time

[@xXIronSwanXx]

I set up my tank around 8 months ago and have been doing the lean dosing method by listening to your advice. I have been fortunate enough to not have any major issues, but will be gone for 2 weeks starting tomorrow. Super nervous on what happens....

[@MJAquascaping]

What's your plan for those 2 weeks? Are you going to change anything about light, co2, ferts?

[@xXIronSwanXx]

@@MJAquascaping I have a food timer for the fish that will dispense more food than I normally give since I don't feed daily. I figure this will lead to excess nitrates in the water so I have no plan on using my auto fertilizer doser and will rely on the root tabs. The lights will be on at 60% intensity (usually 80%) with no change to the 1 bubble per second co2. Also did 1 large water change before hand so finger crossed!

[@jxa795]

Hi MJ! Have you ever tried the siesta lighting method since we're on the topic of algea? There's lots of conflicting information online maybe you could do a little experiment on this topic

[@MJAquascaping]

Not yet! Can definitely try that!

[@pwaquatics3290]

Was the R/O tank cloudy because of it being new and too many nutrients from the soil? I have a 60p that stays cloudy like that but its 6weeks old with weekly water changes. Great Video

[@MJAquascaping]

The clip that I used from the R/O tank was from day 1 😊 water is clear now! Have you watched my video on achieving clear water? kzbin.info/www/bejne/Z6nLiWimd6d5aLM

[@pedrocastel8177]

Love your content! Could you do a comparison between comon bulb led lights and aquarium brand lights?? ( Same Watts) thanks a lot from Bolivia

[@darrenderousse4804]

Great video as always Mark! Thanks for letting us into your mistakes and it’ll help us so much! It also makes us feel better! Like my bone head mistake of spraying peroxide on my bolbitis when it was out of water during a water change 😂 don’t do that, it melts the leaves! I thought it was a genius idea 🤦‍♂️😂

[@RahulThachilath]

Just a question. If you have an aquarium rack setup why don't use a common sump filter for all aquariums and keep a ph controller common for all tanks? In that way, it will be efficient as well as cost-saving. Wouldn't it?

[@stevegallenstein]

Algae videos are good! Thank you for the advice

[@bettatheexplorer1480]

I dont do water change and I recently have hair algae issue. I was able to fix this by adding a lot of floating plant

[@hamedrummer1017]

Anybody told you that you look like a young Arnold Schwarzenegger? Great vid! Greetings from the Philippines!

[@MJAquascaping]

Never heard that before 😅 Best compliment one can get 😁

[@Jasonjleach]

Hi MJ another great vlog. Great tips. What I’d really really like to see is a warts and all day by day walk though of the first 28 days of a new hi tech set up. So many vlogs move straight to the 2 or 3 week mark. I’m on day 8 of a new tank and panicking about water changes, ferts and crypt melt ! HELP 😀😀😀😀😀

[@jmasta42]

Hey MJ great video. When setting up a new tank, will reusing sponges from an old tank with algae cause it to transfer to the new tank?

[@MJAquascaping]

I don't think so 😊

[@waspmeat]

Yea I guess keeping things simple seems to be the ticket. I don’t use root tabs, high lighting, high maintenance plants, fertilizers, or co2. I do water changes once a month (maybe lol) and I rarely even clean the glass, tanks are spotless, lush with plants and no algae issues. I test the water all the time thinking it’s all gonna end and have a big melt down but, nature seems to know what to do when I leave it alone hahaha 🙏🏼

[@Shiro-vd5iq]

can you please do a video about lights ? not just how strong but also colors and hue

[@jonassteenstrup5536]

I love your videos. What's the size of your smallest tanks with Otosinclus in, and how few/many do you have in it? I have a 25 l, and would like to have 2 or 3 in that, but wondering if that is possible.

[@MJAquascaping]

Yeah in my opinion that's possible, I keep two otocinclus in a 20 liter, and they seem very happy.

[@jonassteenstrup5536]

@@MJAquascaping Cool thanks. Do you kep other small fish and/or shrimps with them, or are they in there just the two of them? :)

[@maymuna8022]

So if someone has some amount of alge in there planted tank so is they add fertilisers while doing weekly water change ,or if someone is doing weekly water change but stop giving fertilizer but co2 is going ?

[@maymuna8022]

Make a video on liquid co2 and gas co2 in planted aquarium

[@romain.romico]

Your channel is mooi!! Cheers from France

[@cbdislife2514]

question,…. Why do you store your plates next to your aquariums? They must get so dirty next to tanks

[@VietTran-eo1kp]

How is your room temperature? I am from Viet Nam, so the room temperature in summer always up to 30 celsius and higher.

[@ralphlubaton996]

Im dosing my tank with micro and macro nutrients. No Co2. Been at it for a week. Will it be enough for low maintenance plants, or leafzone or liquid Co2 be better?

[@MJAquascaping]

Hard to say, because it depends a lot on the plants you chose! Liquid CO2 is not going to do much for the plant growth

[@coldrenfar3014]

Battling with algae is almost continuous for me. When one algae gone the other type emerge. From gsa, to thread, and now it stag and bba algae which probably from my inline diffuser causing heavy misting in the tank.

[@MJAquascaping]

Just don't give up!

[@usmc187]

Great video on your transperacy, there is still hope left for me lol

[@jennyrrrrgg]

You can do a peroxide/bleach dip on plants to be able to reuse them.

[@madeyemary]

Dosing nitrates--have not considered this. On a low tech tank would I need to do this if my nitrates are consistently 10 or below? I dont' overfeed and I'm having a hair algae issue. Lots of manual removal and I'm trying to up my water changes. Wondering if I should just lower light or if I need to start dosing nitrates, hard to know which algae likes what

[@MJAquascaping]

Nah keep your nitrates the way they are! I'm talking zero nitrates in a heavily planted tank. If you have hair algae I would just temporarily lower the light or add some floating plants!

[@jacquesperrot5407]

bonjour merci pour le partage des erreurs 👍

[@Kristoffer_BT]

How do you dose nitrate? Is it the same as nitrogen? I'm struggling with blue green algae and have very low nitrate levels

[@MJAquascaping]

Yeah nitrogen indeed! You can basically ''overdose'' nitrogen for a few weeks and the BGA should disappear

[@adrianradu2332]

Can you go into a bit more detail about your fertilization routine? I use the same liquid brand and I need to know. How often do you actually dose macro nutrients? How do you calculate the dosage for each tank? Thanks!

[@MJAquascaping]

I explain everything in this video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5Cuc4KLgpaFjq8

[@eshantrathod3365]

Bro a request whenever u clean any of your tank which has algae please record it and upload.after watching this video a part came of green algae which were on rocks i wanted to know the easiest way to clean those.

[@mirzaaprianda4030]

I'm curious, is the micro liquid fertilizer safe for neocaridina shrimp because I see they contain Copper.

[@MJAquascaping]

Completely safe! I use it on all my shrimp tanks!

[@mirzaaprianda4030]

@@MJAquascaping thank you for answering

[@victornaesens]

Hey MJ which glue are you using for your DIY CO2-system? I want to make it again because i had then used superglue and the co2 mix came out.

[@MJAquascaping]

Yeah I always use liquid super glue.

[@M_evs]

thank you so much

[@lindapeppin2441]

I agree that it doesn’t hurt to repeat the lessons and you could maybe just link to the past ones?

[@dddmmm21]

I didnt get the #1, having low CO2. Why would that cause Algae if many tanks dont even use CO2 and are fine? Is it because your light in fact was too strong to match the CO2 injection which you thought was high enough? Thanks

[@MJAquascaping]

Indeed! Too much light with low CO2 = Algae

[@FranseBulldogKay]

Goede video weer! Iedereen maakt foutjes zolang je er maar van leert 😂. Wat betreft plantenvoeding: Kun je zonder problemen in een keer (na een waterwissel) overstappen van EI naar lean ?

[@MJAquascaping]

Kan prima!

[@josemanuelmuguiro4293]

Hi, what do yo do to avoid fish jump out your big tank?

[@MJAquascaping]

Just always making sure I don't ''scare'' them. For example the lights are very slowly ramping up and down.

[@msaimeestay]

During timer lights-out, I turned the light on manually for whatever reason. Forgot to turn that off. Lights were ON in manual mode for about 24 hours straight. When I got back to it the following night there was hair algae everywhere

[@MJAquascaping]

Happens to the best of us 😅

[@TaylorYarick]

What's the carpet plant?

[@nizamk.h.4955]

hi MJ. if you see algae in your ecosystem, what did you do? if you dont mind sharing

[@shanadhikary2894]

How much watt needed per square feet in high tech tank ?

[@janvanrookhuijzen8309]

Would love to see a tutorial for a 'life gets in the way proof tank '.

[@AdamHazelton33]

Maybe an off topic video idea but I heard people can eat algae. Can you do a video on it?

[@johndilloe777]

Staat jou aquarium met de ph controller 24/7 aan ? En de reactor ben je daar fan van ?

[@so_so_reef]

I'd like to see you challenge yourself by doing a plantless tank, perhaps a blackwater. How to control algae in a plantless tank is really hard.

[@dev-flix-v1x]

I think a brackish water tank would be nice too. I haven't seen a lot of those on youtube.

[@ReinkeDK]

Very nice tips :)

[@MJAquascaping]

Thanks a lot!

[@istoppedlaughing5225]

6.06 name of that rock??

[@MJAquascaping]

It's called Geo stone! But some other supplier calls it Amelia stone.

[@istoppedlaughing5225]

@@MJAquascaping thanks

[@capnsmashem1554]

Next mistake, buying root tabs and disassembling them into what is essentially slow release fertilizer pellets like Osmocote+, which is like 10 bucks for a half gallon jug of it, the whole benefit of root tabs is that they're encapsulated in gelatin... They are literally the encapsulation of standard run of the mill time-release fertilizer formulations... It's like buying a sandwich from subway purely to remove the meat and put it onto a cracker. The mistake was de-encapsulating them, not that you used too many of them. If the package doesn't specify a depth, I will tell you that I recommend a minimum of 2 inches of dense substrate like fine gravel, not quite as fine as sand, pool sand works great for me, roots can find a way through it. My layers are soil, root tabs, a sprinkling of gravel, 2 inches of pool sand anywhere that there are soil or root tabs, I bank mine towards the back and only have soil and tabs under the back half so the front can be shallow, then a layer of decorative rock, a sparse filling in with matching sand or fine gravel, then structural rocks. My substrate is usually 6-7 inches at the back, and 1 inch at the front. I only get fertilizer issues when I don't put at least 2 inches of something dense on top of fertilizer sources.

[@eimanzacharyabukassim3253]

love the meme sounds!!!

[@amirazar6488]

good job bro good job 🇮🇷🤘🌹❤️

[@adrianv.871]

Damnnn i can tell that u doing a great job with the gym too bro. xD you looking good man

[@MJAquascaping]

Thanks 😅

[@jamesharasch9425]

My question is do you know how long a planted tank will last?

[@MJAquascaping]

I don't think planted tanks have an expiration date, if you take care of them they can last forever

[@jackoghost]

annoyingly enough but when sunlight hits the tanks, it just looks amazing and the fish as well, no made light that i have seen makes it looks the same, not even 6500 Kelvin daylight lights

[@MJAquascaping]

Very true!

[@Christian.Danielsen]

The issues with algae is ongoing - you might lose the battle, but win the war :) 1 . Ramping up too much light when I think things are under control 2. Beeing cheap and not adding enough fertilizer 3. Overstocking - guppy tanks! 4. Etc etc

[@Christian.Danielsen]

Forgot overfeeding! Really important I think in regards of algae. I find it hard to not feed too much

[@silvioschurig749]

A video that people shouldn't over obsess with algae ... In a fish tank algae is not poison ... Of course if people keep a micro managed scape with fish as decoration - that is probably different ...

[@MJAquascaping]

Very true! Having some algae is completely normal and can actually make the tank look more natural

[@jayson8o8]

I want to know your hair routine 😘