Algae Anyone?

[julibob]

Can anyone help. I am now utterly bored with this black hairy algae which takes over my tank. I have tried every method I can think of to get rid of it, and these include:

Regular water changes
Commercial products
Phosphate remover
Scrubbing everything that isnt attached
Oh, and I even bought an internal UV Steriliser!!

Nothing works

Water stats are:

Ph 8
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10

Scrubbed the tank and rocks on 15th Jan, and now look at it not even 2 weeks later. I dont know what else to do. This is 2 weeks growth!!!

NICE ISNT IT!!!!!

Julia

 

[smithrc]

whats the lighting schedule like?

 

[julibob]

The lights, Light-glow and Aqua-Glow go on at about 3pm and off at 11pm.

Julia

 

[fishfishfish]

that looks like a sea algae

 

[@ombomb]

I'd switch the tube to Life-Glo 2s if you want to use Hagens.

What is the phosphate level?

 

[julibob]

If I lose the aqua glow, does that mean that my fishies colours will not look as vibrant?? Are their other lamps I could use? It came with Hagen.

Did phosphates yesterday and it was 0.5 ppm

I have a Tropic Marin phosphate removal bag thingy in my external filter.

Julia

 

[Chri$]

hair algae is caused by phosphate's. when you do a water change you need to add some anti phosphate resin to eliminate them. remember not to overfeed. this should prevent it from coming back.To get rid of it first give the whole tank a good clean first, inc cleaning and trimming of plants with algae then use anti phosphate resin to eliminate remaining phosphates, try using an algaecide with the resin for it to completley dissapear.

SORRY just realised you tried phosphate remover already. )

 

[julibob]

Any more ideas anyone???

I only stripped the tank 2 weeks ago, and obviously it stresses the fish so I do want to do it more often. Because it is a Malawi tank I don't have any plants. My tank was looking beautiful a week ago and now it looks like I haven't maintained it for a year !!

Here is a pic of my tank after I cleaned it.

Now its covered in Hair algae again!!!!!

 

[smithrc]

Power-glos are nice and crisp and not very helpful for algae..

 

[The-Wolf]

Oh dear Julia, you didn't say it was red algea (Rhodophyta)
the only thing I know of that will kill that is bleach.
I suggest that you read the following article and if you are brave enoug follow the guide to the letter.
http/www.thekrib.com/Plants/Algae/red-algae.html

 

[julibob]

Oh dear Julia, you didn't say it was red algea (Rhodophyta)
the only thing I know of that will kill that is bleach.
I suggest that you read the following article and if you are brave enoug follow the guide to the letter.
http/www.thekrib.com/Plants/Algae/red-algae.html

Paul, it doesn't look that red in the tank, it looks browny black. I was probably my flash.

Fed up with it though.

My Ancistrus Ranunculus (aka Meduca) is v. v. v. HAPPY!!!!!! Thanks! Will be in at the weekend to look at that fake rock

smithrc, where will I find these lamps on the net to look at?

Julia

 

[julibob]

Sorry, I'm desperate

Julia

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

I think your problem is no bio-mass to use up all the nutrients in the water and if you up the light hours after a week or so you'll get slower growing green algae and the brown will die back. Now I realise Malawi Cichlids are not good with plants so i think you need to create a bio-mass outside of the tank run inline with that canister filter. I've seen a plastic spagetti jar fashioned to have an inlet pipe and outlet with 24 hour light. It will grow green hair algae filter out the nutrients and if you keep the U.V on in the tank your defently not get green water. The cCichlid tank i saw this on had no U.V and the water was sparkling. It will take at least afew weeks to see the difference but wow it works well and you just lightly clean jar once a month. Hope this gives you some ideas other than throwing money at chemicals that need constant adding.