Algae Controll

[england]

is your tank near to direct sunlight? my 5ft never has an algae problem, last time i scrapped the glass was back before summer last year

 

[markandhisfish]

just notice my temp has crept up to around 27!! even tho the thermos on the heaters are set to 24 so i have just turned them down to 22 . also just to update i have just been looking at my swords and the leaves are covered in little brown specs that look like some kind of algae. this is now doing my head in

nope nelly my tank is protected from sunlight at all times. the only place i get any algae on thee glass is the underside of the sliding covers never anywhere else

 

[minxfishy]

27 isnt that high, dont panic! Dont think it would make a diff to the algae problem anyway.

I know you dont want to vac around the kribs area, but it would be a good idea whilst your having this problem to, doubt it will bother them.

 

[markandhisfish]

i do vac the kribs area i just go over it lightly tho next gravel vac i will deep-clean that bit. what about the swords tho?

 

[Nick16]

i would just do a 3 or 4 day blackout. or try spot dosing with easycarbo or excel, that will work fine.

 

[markandhisfish]

ok will either of those harm filter bacteria?

 

[Truck]

nope

 

[markandhisfish]

what do you mean by spot dosing? do i literally use it in the affected areas? or is it used like a normal med?

 

[markandhisfish]

read up on both i rekon il get some easycarbo im reluctant to do a 3 to do the blackout at this stage as the algae is minimal at present

 

[Nick16]

i do blackouts all the time. leave the filter and heater going etc, you wouldnt want to turn them off. all you do is stop any light getting to the tank. just feed the fish once or twice in that time and itl be fine.

spot dosing is basically getting a syringe and squirting one or two ml on the affected area. (normally it is 1ml for 50L) on my 120L becuase it has alot of plants i dose about 4 or 5 ml so it doesnt matter if you go over. repeat the process for 0one or two days and the algae should go a funny colour and then dies. the BBA that i had went blue and red and purple, all kinds of colours before dying out. however if you have alage on any mosses, glosso or HC dont spot dose as it also kills the plant i believe. but i doubt you do as you have cichlids.

 

[markandhisfish]

hmm now im confused from what i read it sounded to me like easycarbo was a plant food?

 

[Truck]

its a CO2 suplement

 

[markandhisfish]

im not using co2 as with my sevs its not worth it as ive only got about 3 real plants

 

[Truck]

i know but easy carbo is an algaecide and CO2 alterative, so kills algae

 

[markandhisfish]

im gonna give it a try may be able to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. i cant grow plants for love nor money