Algae Problem

[Auntsally]

Hi all

Thanks for those of you who kindly helped me out in my last posting!

Maybe some knowledgable person could give me the answer to the ongoing prob I have with algae in my 40ltr small tank.
It came to me with mature filters and water two months ago but every week I do an 8 ltr water change and scrub glass and pebbles of a covering of algae! Plants refuse to grow to help me out, but the fish seem to be healthy. Tank has 3 small platy, 8 neons and five harlequin rasboras. Two corydoras. All fish are v. small and when large enough to look after themselves the platys and corys will go into my 125 ltr tank. I add 3ml of algae remover with each change.

I guess the problem is the lighting, but have been told it is impossible to light this size tank adequately. anyone know any different?

Oh I also have an air brick in there.

the pump is a trio 2000.

 

[Matty P]

What light do you have, if any? Also is your tank in direct sunlight or very near a window?

 

[5teady_2012]

Strange one this cos the tanks i have more or less near windows have no algae and the ones in the darker corners of my room get it...

If i was you i would change the light in the tank, maybe to a yellow type of one or pruple/pniky (dont know the proper names) i changed to these in my tanks with algae and laely i have had hardly any grow.

Only other option is to maybe get a few plecs to help ya out, they will clean ya glass a bit.

 

[chicklette]

You could add some algae eaters; they will clean that up in no time. You can get Chinese algae eaters or even a pleco depending on your tank size. Ottos would also work.

 

[Auntsally]

What light do you have, if any? Also is your tank in direct sunlight or very near a window?

I have a basic light sold to me by the LFS for this tank. The tank is postioned in a fairly dark corner of the room.

Strange one this cos the tanks i have more or less near windows have no algae and the ones in the darker corners of my room get it...

If i was you i would change the light in the tank, maybe to a yellow type of one or pruple/pniky (dont know the proper names) i changed to these in my tanks with algae and laely i have had hardly any grow.

Only other option is to maybe get a few plecs to help ya out, they will clean ya glass a bit.

The change of light might be worth a try! If I can get one for this size tank (21"x10"x12") The Rio125 has a dual light system and is no prob. Have two little corys in this tank, would it be too small for plecs?

 

[Auntsally]

You could add some algae eaters; they will clean that up in no time. You can get Chinese algae eaters or even a pleco depending on your tank size. Ottos would also work.

Hi. 5teady suggested algae eaters too. Would the tank be too small? Would the little fish suffer? tank measures 21"x10"x12".

 

[Piscator]

I guess the problem is the lighting, but have been told it is impossible to light this size tank adequately. anyone know any different?

Oh I also have an air brick in there.

What sort of plants do you have in there? Different plants have different lighting requirements. Also, get rid of that air-stone! While it looks pretty, it causes CO2 to be lost at the surface of the water. Plants need CO2 for good health and growth. Are you adding liquid fertilizer? What is the color temperature (in Kelvin) of the lights you're using? What's the total wattage?

 

[rabbut]

If it is the standard Juwel light system, it should be fine for may types of plant. The air brick, as said above will be driving off precious CO2 from the water, that your plants need. The Juwel lights don't state colour on them, so we have to go on their names. The color glow tubes are 6700K, and I can find the other reatings in a tech e-mail I got from Juwel a few weeks ago, if you have the other types of tubes fitted (can't remember what the rio125 comes with as standord). How many plants are you adding, what are your water stats, and are you injecting CO2 and fertilisers?

Algae eaters may work, but siamese algae eaters become very aggressive when older, as do sucking loach. These are best avoided, and the tank is too small for a common pleco. Bristlenoses or clown pleco (also known as rubber lipped pleco) would be good plecs to add. Ottos would also work, but can be a bit touch on water quality. They also often reuse to eat, after bining moved

What type of algea are you getting? some algea eaters only touch some types of algea, so it is important that we know the type of algea you are getting.

HTH
Rabbut

 

[mark.w.jones]

There's too many fish in there I'm afraid. Even if they are juveniles. I would guess that you have raised levels of ammonia and nitrite just before you clean your tank out every week. Any chance you could get some water stats for us just before your weekly water change. Changing water twice a week will help but removing some of your fish will also. I am also interested in what plants you have as fast growing plants are usually a dead cert at helping with algae. Some pics will help.

Also, how are you cleaning out your filter and what other maintainance do you do?
What media does filter contain?

Finally don't be tempted to go down the algae eaters route. With a small tank like that none of the "algae eating" species are really suitable apart from otos. But they should not be added to an unstable tank.