Is algae contributing to melting?

[nimbo]

New to plants here and just set up some Seveflake Kleiner Bar Swords. Got new lights - NICREW RGB +W 24/7, and now I'm dealing with a weird issue. One of the leaves (far left in pic) has turned translucent. Everything, except the fish, is getting covered in brown algae. Is this what people mean by 'melting'? I've taken down the Nitrate level from around 20 to 4 and gently cleaned some of the heavily covered leaves. The Kleiners are getting Flourish tabs for food. Any advice on getting rid of this algae would be great.

My tank specs: 120 gal, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 4 Nitrate, pH 7.5, 79 F. Lighting is on for 9 hours with a ramp up/down in the morning and evening.

[boomer]

I'd say this is likely a nutrient issue that the Flourish Tabs should help correct. I've been using them for years and they're reliable. That being said, this is an outer leaf and with Echinodorus species, new growth comes from the centre of the crown, so older leaves tend to pale and die off as the plant redirects nutrients. Once the leaf turns brown at the base of the petiole, it's probably best to remove it - they usually come off easily at that point.

The lighting might be a factor, especially since you changed it recently. I'm not too familiar with LED lights, but do you have any info on the intensity? Can you adjust it? What's the spectrum like? Also, have you considered adding some floating plants? They can really make a difference.

[Giggletons]

Also, the swords are likely grown emersed, and if they're producing new leaves that look different, that's a good sign they're adapting. Don't remove the old leaves just yet, only take them off once they've become fully translucent - the plant is reabsorbing nutrients from the leaf.

[whetu]

Soft acid water is preferred by these plants, so it's likely they'll need some time to adjust to your tank's higher pH.

[brunobear]

How long has the tank been set up for? I'm guessing the brown algae coating everything is likely diatoms, they're super common in new tanks and tend to burn themselves out in a month or so.

I think your photoperiod might be a bit too long, 9 hours plus sunrise and sunset is a lot. I personally aim for 6-8 hours and keep the ramp up/down to a minimum, 30 minutes max on either side.

[nimbo]

I'd say this is likely a nutrient issue that the Flourish Tabs should help correct. I've been using them for years and they're reliable. That being said, this is an outer leaf and with Echinodorus species, new growth comes from the centre of the crown, so older leaves tend to pale and die off as the plant redirects nutrients. Once the leaf turns brown at the base of the petiole, it's probably best to remove it - they usually come off easily at that point.

The lighting might be a factor, especially since you changed it recently. I'm not too familiar with LED lights, but do you have any info on the intensity? Can you adjust it? What's the spectrum like? Also, have you considered adding some floating plants? They can really make a difference.

I've got control over each channel - RGB and White. The specs are attached, I've got two 33W units on a 72" tank. I vaguely recall seeing a spectrum for another brand, but I'll have to double-check.

You mentioned floating plants - I don't have any yet, still deciding on which ones to get.

[coltin]

New to plants here and just set up some Seveflake Kleiner Bar Swords. Got new lights - NICREW RGB +W 24/7, and now I'm dealing with a weird issue. One of the leaves (far left in pic) has turned translucent. Everything, except the fish, is getting covered in brown algae. Is this what people mean by 'melting'? I've taken down the Nitrate level from around 20 to 4 and gently cleaned some of the heavily covered leaves. The Kleiners are getting Flourish tabs for food. Any advice on getting rid of this algae would be great.

My tank specs: 120 gal, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 4 Nitrate, pH 7.5, 79 F. Lighting is on for 9 hours with a ramp up/down in the morning and evening.

I'm still getting familiar with the plants and the seveflake Kleiner Bar Swords I planted recently. After switching to the new NICREW RGB +W 24/7 lights, I've noticed one of the leaves turning translucent and brown algae covering everything except the fish. Is this what they mean by 'melting'? I've already lowered the Nitrate level from around 20 to 4 and gently cleaned some of the heavily covered leaves. The Kleiners are fed using Flourish tabs. I'd appreciate any advice on how to reduce the algae.

My tank's been set up for a while now, it's a 120 gal tank with the following parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 4
pH: 7.5
Temp: 79 F
I've got the lighting set to 9 hours of full intensity with a ramp up/down in the morning and evening.

[nimbo]

How long has the tank been set up for? I'm guessing the brown algae coating everything is likely diatoms, they're super common in new tanks and tend to burn themselves out in a month or so.

I think your photoperiod might be a bit too long, 9 hours plus sunrise and sunset is a lot. I personally aim for 6-8 hours and keep the ramp up/down to a minimum, 30 minutes max on either side.

It's been a rescue Goldfish tank for years, but I converted it to tropical over a year ago. Only had a single Glofish Tetra for most of that time, though. Added a bunch of new fish around Thanksgiving - about 20 Tetras, including some Glofish and Buenos Aries, plus 8 Corys. And, of course, the plants. The Glofish, by the way, are a family favorite - wife and kids love 'em, and I've grown pretty fond of them too.

[nimbo]

New to plants here and just set up some Seveflake Kleiner Bar Swords. Got new lights - NICREW RGB +W 24/7, and now I'm dealing with a weird issue. One of the leaves (far left in pic) has turned translucent. Everything, except the fish, is getting covered in brown algae. Is this what people mean by 'melting'? I've taken down the Nitrate level from around 20 to 4 and gently cleaned some of the heavily covered leaves. The Kleiners are getting Flourish tabs for food. Any advice on getting rid of this algae would be great.

My tank specs: 120 gal, 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 4 Nitrate, pH 7.5, 79 F. Lighting is on for 9 hours with a ramp up/down in the morning and evening.

I'm still getting familiar with the plants and the seveflake Kleiner Bar Swords I planted recently. After switching to the new NICREW RGB +W 24/7 lights, I've noticed one of the leaves turning translucent and brown algae covering everything except the fish. Is this what they mean by 'melting'? I've already lowered the Nitrate level from around 20 to 4 and gently cleaned some of the heavily covered leaves. The Kleiners are fed using Flourish tabs. I'd appreciate any advice on how to reduce the algae.

My tank's been set up for a while now, it's a 120 gal tank with the following parameters:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 4
pH: 7.5
Temp: 79 F
I've got the lighting set to 9 hours of full intensity with a ramp up/down in the morning and evening.

I took a closer look at the default settings for my NICREW RGB +W lights, and it seems that daytime is set to 100% on all channels - RGB and White. However, I've been having some issues with one of the units, which I've detailed in a separate thread. I'll likely end up reprogramming the lights to a shorter daylight cycle and shorter ramp times, as suggested by brunobear.

[nimbo]

I adjusted the Daylight program time (P2 in the pic) to 6 hours as suggested, and I'm glad to see the ramp time was already at 30 minutes. I decided not to touch the Sunrise, Sunset, or Moonlight programs for now, as I enjoy watching the fish during these times.