Algae Issue

[fish-o-fish]

So I have a Hexy tank, I don't know if any of you are familiar with that brand, but it is a diagonal shaped tall tank with inbuilt filter and light.

Anyway, last week I had serious problems with the filter where it was spitting out sludgy algae that seemed to have grown overnight. I had to do 2 75% water changes, and a filter change and treat the tank with everything imaginable. I lost 3 fish to that disaster.

So now today, it has literally been ONE WEEK since the last filter change, I noticed the new filter pads are already growing algae on them again, and the filter had stopped running because it was clogged from water.. so I rinsed the carbon in tank water, and then replaced the filter wool ONLY and it has started running again.

I'm not sure if the tank is just poorly designed (the light rests right on top of the filter), or maybe if I have the light on for too long (probably about 2-3 hours daily) but that tank is just driving me crazy right now. I don't know what to do :\ and it's so dirty and actually literally STINKS because the water had just been sitting for a while before I noticed, as I was doing big maintenance on my main tank today.

What can I do to prevent all this algae growing in the filter??? I don't really want to replace the whole filter once a week!!

 

[StandbySetting]

Are you sure it's algae and not mulm? There's no need to replace filter pads.

 

[fish-o-fish]

I'm not sure, what exactly is mulm??

I have had to replace the filter wool/pads because they are glued by this green sludge and it stinks

 

[raptorrex]

Are you sure it's algae and not mulm? There's no need to replace filter pads.

perhaps another case of over feeding?

I'd give the substrate a damned good vac. and take a look at how much the OP is feeding.

 

[fish-o-fish]

Are you sure it's algae and not mulm? There's no need to replace filter pads.

perhaps another case of over feeding?

I'd give the substrate a damned good vac. and take a look at how much the OP is feeding.

That would be me...... I don't over-feed.. I put in 1 pinch of tropical flakes and 1 of the tiny algae wafers morning & night.

 

[raptorrex]

Are you sure it's algae and not mulm? There's no need to replace filter pads.

perhaps another case of over feeding?

I'd give the substrate a damned good vac. and take a look at how much the OP is feeding.

That would be me...... I don't over-feed.. I put in 1 pinch of tropical flakes and 1 of the tiny algae wafers morning & night.

ok, but it would depend on your stocking. i feed only every other day. i spent a long time cleaning my filter, far too often. they were full of brown smelly gunk. then i get my head around what food (how much) fish actually need. now my cannisters last 6 months or more between cleans. previously it was every 2 month.

 

[StandbySetting]

Smelly green sludge sounds like Cyanobacteria, does the inside of the filter receive any light?

Smelly green sludge sounds like Cyanobacteria, does the inside of the filter receive any light?

 

[raptorrex]

Smelly green sludge sounds like Cyanobacteria, does the inside of the filter receive any light?

Smelly green sludge sounds like Cyanobacteria, does the inside of the filter receive any light?

agreed. i didn't see the word GREEN in the post. but the OP does say the light sits right on top of the filter!

 

[StandbySetting]

Oops, missed that, OP, how long are the lights on for per day? If the filter compartment is illuminated it is likely that algae will grow as that is where there is a constant source of ammonia and light so algae or cyanobacteria in this case can grow rapidly, is there any way that you could stop the filter compartment from receiving light?

 

[fish-o-fish]

^ Yeah the light is pretty much right on top of the filter, so I thought that may have been the problem. The sludge/algae is brown/green and thick and it STINKS.

As it it built in light and filter I can't really stop it from getting light without just leaving the light off most of the time. I only really turn the lights on for 2-4 hours daily. 6 hours at the most (rarely)!!

 

[raptorrex]

^ Yeah the light is pretty much right on top of the filter, so I thought that may have been the problem. The sludge/algae is brown/green and thick and it STINKS.

As it it built in light and filter I can't really stop it from getting light without just leaving the light off most of the time. I only really turn the lights on for 2-4 hours daily. 6 hours at the most (rarely)!!

can you shield the top of the filter with foil?

 

[Harlequins]

Going by your other thread,if its the same tank??,then the overstocking issues and having plecs/goldfish etc,this is probably not helping the clogging of your filter media.

Only wash media in used tank water,theres no need to throw pads away,this will mess up your water quality and end up cycling each time.

 

[raptorrex]

Going by your other thread,if its the same tank??,then the overstocking issues and having plecs/goldfish etc,this is probably not helping the clogging of your filter media.

Only wash media in used tank water,theres no need to throw pads away,this will mess up your water quality and end up cycling each time.

Plecos and Goldfish? ignoring they live in different environments. my god, you would need an fx5/2080 on a 20g tank to clean that lot up.

 

[fish-o-fish]

This algae issue is in a separate tank from the tank discussed in my other thread!!!! It's just a few mollies and snails in this one! Though, the snails don't seem to be doing much cleanliness-wise...

Would it be safe/okay to put foil over the filter to shield it from the light?

I bought some "algae rid" aquarium stuff, and I've tried adding that to see if it makes a difference, I'm hoping that when the filter sucks it through it will kill the algae in there..so far, nothing though.

 

[fish-o-fish]

Would replacing the gravel with sand keep this tank cleaner? How do snails go with sand over gravel?