Tank rehab

Observation & Action

1. I was still not satisfied with algae level in the tank. Additionally, there was an ammonia spike to 0.5 ppm (the threshold for what the fish can handle), so I performed a number of changes to the tank.
1. Wipe down submersible pump, its hose, and tank heater.
2. Scrub the inner walls of the tank to remove any algae film upon them.
3. Manually removed any string-type algae (I still have to look up the proper term).
4. Performed a 10% water change using the naturally dechlorinated water I keep in bucket.
5. Added 40 drops of pH UP to the tank. A water change will typically bring down the pH, which I don't want.
2. The growlight and the aerator came two days ago. I now see a new plant sprouting. I have to find my extra timer, but I've been leaving it on from 8 AM to midnight. I'll have to research the optimal time and set it accordingly.
3. The aerator seems to be doing well, but I'm unsure of its effect. It's sorely needed while the algae problem exists. I don't want the algae to rob oxygen from the fish. I wonder if there is a timer that functions as an A/B; where power alternates between device A (aerator) and device B (siphon pump)? Perhaps separate timers setup accordingly would suffice and give me more control.
4. The fish, as usual, have a voracious appetite. I've been giving in to feeding them too much as the algae is a big problem again.

Analysis

The ammonia spike was significant. It may be due to a lack of plants to filter the water. This is why I performed a water change. I'll also be buying some more seeds to see if I can enact some positive progress. Something has to give. As it is, I'll be performing more ammonia checks until I can confirm the problem has been handled.

The Numbers

Date	GH General Hardness	KH Carbonate Hardness	pH	NO2 Nitrites	NO3 Nitrates	NH3/NH4 Ammonia	Temp °C
15-Jun	180	40	6.5	0	160	0.50	24°