Algea Problems in all my tanks...

[leafgirl115]

Hi I am new to this forum :D IM glad I found it Its always hard finding a lot of canadian based forums.

I have huge algea problems in all of my tanks. My 20g, 10g and 5g.

All are planted with swords abd m 5g has 2 ottos in it as well as a baby pelico at the moment and its still covered in algea...

My lights are not on that long... I think its got ot be my water.. Do you guys have any sugestions?

[thegrandpoohbah]

Some more info on your tanks would be helpful: water parameters, lighting (type, wattage, duration, etc.), dosing regiment if any, etc. Also, identifying the type of algae will help to combat it. See this link: http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm.

[leafgirl115]

This is just off the top of my head but I think the 5g has a 12w light, 10g has a 2 25w bulbs so 50w but the ights not the best in that tank looks dime compared to my other 2 tanks(this is from big alls) and 18w for the 20g. Ill have to go look to make sure. Also all lights are flurescets.

I had the hagen mini testing kit but lost the instructions for it... so im still looking for them.... I dont have enough money to go out and buy new test kits.

The 5g has had hair algea , dust algea , green spot algea.. almost all that are on thatlist lol.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/leafgirl115/My%20fish%202/000_0007.jpg
thats the 5g last year when I had to break it down and scrub like mad. Its not like that that the moment but still has way to much algea.

I dont realy know anything about CO2 but have heard its expensive.

[thegrandpoohbah]

When it comes to healthy plant growth the three main factors are light, nutrients and CO2. If they are not in perfect balance then you will get algae. From the looks of your 5G I'd say you need to scrub down the sides and do water changes more frequently. At least 25% every week to reduce nitrates. Aim for 2 watts of fluorescent light per gallon of water on each tank, more if you have CO2. You don't mention how long your lights are on each day. 8-10 hours is sufficient. Get a timer if you don't already have one. As for CO2, just Google "DIY CO2" and you will find lots of articles on how to build your own yeast-reactor CO2 system for cheap. There's a lot more to it then that but this should at least give you a starting point. Research, research, research and then research some more is the best advice I can give you. There's lots of info on planted aquariums out there, you just have to go looking for it.

[OldMan]

One of the biggest changes you can make to cut back on algae growthg is to stop overfeeding. I thought that was not my problem until I went on vacation for 2 weeks and left my fish to vacation feeder blocks. The blocks only release food when the fish pick at them so there is never any extra in the water or on the bottom. When I came home, the tank that had been driving me mad with the algae had a clean glass front. I was amazed because if anyone had asked I would have sworn I had not been over feeding.

[Jeradatar]

Old Man
Thanks thats pretty interesting information.

[CACAdmin]

One of the biggest changes you can make to cut back on algae growthg is to stop overfeeding. I thought that was not my problem until I went on vacation for 2 weeks and left my fish to vacation feeder blocks. The blocks only release food when the fish pick at them so there is never any extra in the water or on the bottom. When I came home, the tank that had been driving me mad with the algae had a clean glass front. I was amazed because if anyone had asked I would have sworn I had not been over feeding.
Here's a thought. Did you have mollies in that tank? Mollies will always nibble at algae so I was thinking that when the handouts from you stopped coming, it's possible they'd have been left to their own resources and spent much more time dining on algae.

[Soggybottom]

Mollies wouldn't scrape the glass though would they? I used to have a herd of guppies that would nibble at algae in a schooling fashion, but they never touched the glass :Think:

[leafgirl115]

Actualy i do see my mollies in my 20g nibling the glass here some algea colects. Thats the tank with the least amount in it. Never thought they would be helping that much...


this is the 5g now... llooking beter for some reason though i realy have done nothing yet.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/leafgirl115/Bettas/100_1773.jpg

[CACAdmin]

Only my young mollies will try nibbling at the glass as they seem to want an non-stop food supply (adults can't be bothered for the mostpart).

The tank is looking good... any signs of the green algae reappearing on the glass?

[Soggybottom]

Dang Jay you called it. Where's the bowing smiley?

[CACAdmin]

Well the mollies may be part of the solution but I found some info on algae today and posted it in this thread (http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4506). The root cause may be phosphorous (from various foods or ferts).

[leafgirl115]

There is abit on the back but it looks as if itsdead. I just have to scrape it off :) (dones not come off at all)

I can live with the tank like that lol. I think adding 2 more live plants helped compeat with the algea.

[CACAdmin]

Yes, I think you're right about adding more live plants as they will compete with the algae for the nutrients. Also, if there is a lot of algae on the back, be careful not to scrape too much off at a time so as not to foul the water. Sure glad things have improved in the tank for you.:smile:

[leafgirl115]

Well that one tank my other one has a nasty slime on it...
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/leafgirl115/Bettas/100_1796.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b224/leafgirl115/Bettas/100_1792.jpg

I added 2 plants to this tank at the same time as theother one....

Any ideas on how best to get rid of that one? Right now im using a old toothbrush and trying to get the muck off when i do waterchanges....

[CACAdmin]

It's hard to tell, but it sort of looks like brown algae. What are the water parameters in that tank?

[thegrandpoohbah]

How often do you do water changes? How long a day are your lights on? Is your tank overstocked or do you over feed? we can't really help you without more details.

[tiff]

Just some thoughts...
Have you tried Flourish Excel. It has some properties that seem to help control the algae.
I really do agree with jay and grand poohbah!!!!!!!!
But we really need to what type and lenght of time you have your lights on for and what kind of filtration.... I have found that that brown algae liked to grow in my tank that had too low of lighting and very little water flow.

[leafgirl115]

The tanks lights are on for 8h a day. Waterchanges happen once a week and in that one tank I have a 20g sponge filter on it. The 10g is divided and has 2 bettas in it.

[tiff]

Some nice info: http://www.rexgrigg.com/Algae1.html