# pruning after algae outbreak.



## nikky119 (Jun 22, 2011)

Ok I made several rookie mistakes and got a horrible algae outbreak. Thought I had moderate lighting since I only had 2 watts per 55g but I guess t5 high output makes it high lighting. So I wasn't putting enough co2 and fertilizer.
also put some fertilizer in the bottom substrate so I wasn't syponing really well cause I fidured that would just suck the nutients right out.

So I've done a bunch of water changes to get the nitrates below 10 increased the co2 to 20 and have been fertilizing daily and have bought some more plants cause I was understocked.
most of the algae is gone but a couple of my plants still have it on even its been a week and a half since I made the changes. The worst are the echindorus. The first picture the plant at least has 8 new leaves so I was thinking about prunning the outer leaves would that stunt it's growth though?
The second picture is a red melon sword. This one doesn't seem to be recovering well. Every new leaf it gets seems to have a chunk of it disappear. I'm not sure its missing a nutrient not handling the algae well or my goldfish are eating it in retaliation for decreasing feeding. Anyone have any suggestions I've thought about a chlorine dip but I've read that can kill some plants. Or do I just need to be more patient and the algae will go away?

Thanks.


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## ddavila06 (Jan 31, 2009)

cut them off, leave like two or three leaves and they will grow even faster and healthy!.


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## nikky119 (Jun 22, 2011)

Thanks i'm getting a shipment of plants tomorrow so I'll do it then.


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