No Co2 WRGBII Slim on 60cm cube tank

[Fiona]

HI Chihiros
I have a WRGBII Slim on a 60cmx55cmx55cm tank. I don't have Co2, not confident in this. So Low Tech. My plants are losing their leaves at the bottom (4 months in to this tank). I started low R=30 G=25 B=25. Slowly increased but seem to be buying new plants every month due to thinning and ended up with algae on the plants. Water is crystal clear.

With this tank, and low tech at 4 months, what are the best settings please. On the Facebook Page a few laughed at me, others said you cant use Chihiros without Co2, yet its not advertised or sold saying only Co2.

This photo looks ok, was a month or so ago, last night I pulled out 80% of stem plants due to no leaves.

Thank you for your guidance.
Fiona.

 

[Administrator]

The issue comes down to a mismatch: high light + no CO2 + limited nutrients, which leads to:
1. Bottom leaves melting or dropping
2. Stems becoming thin
3. Algae starting to appear
And as you increase light, plants demand more CO2. Without it, they can’t keep up, so they weaken and algae takes advantage.

The solution isn’t buying more plants, it’s reducing demand to match your setup:
1. Stop increasing light
Low tech tanks don’t need strong lighting.
Reduce intensity below 30% for several weeks, then slightly add.
Photoperiod reduce to 6h.
2. Trim and reset stem plants properly
You can cut healthy tops, then replant them, and remove bare bottoms.
3. Choose low demand plants
You can choose fern, anubias or moss.