Algae Problem...

[Dieses Madchen]

Okay, so I have a really bad algae problem in my Jack Dempsey tank. I clean the glass and what not but it always seem to come back worse than before. In my other tanks, I have used algae killers and what not without causing harm to my fish, but I am concerned with using it on this tank as it has fry in it. Are algae killing chemicals hurtful to fry?

That being said, can someone recommend a good algae killer that will be safe for use with fry, and also a good light that may reduce algae build? (there are no plants in this tank so it does not require special lighting.)

 

[hensonc4098]

The best thing if you don't have any plants is to cut back the lighting. You can do this by either using different, dimmer tubes, or you can add a floating plant like frogbit although I'm not sure how it would handle the JDs...

If you want to use algae killer, I would use a 1/4 dose the first time, leave a day or two, if no bad signs do a 1/2 dose, check again, 3/4 dose. If you see anything you don't like the look of re. the fry, do a water change and don't add any more.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Sounds like just moving the tank away from the daylight solves the problem.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Sounds like just moving the tank away from the daylight solves the problem.

It's in a room that has no windows lol. I think its the lighting honestly. The lighting that is in the tank is the regular lighting that generally comes with the hoods.

The best thing if you don't have any plants is to cut back the lighting. You can do this by either using different, dimmer tubes, or you can add a floating plant like frogbit although I'm not sure how it would handle the JDs...

If you want to use algae killer, I would use a 1/4 dose the first time, leave a day or two, if no bad signs do a 1/2 dose, check again, 3/4 dose. If you see anything you don't like the look of re. the fry, do a water change and don't add any more.

I would prefer not to use algae killer. What kind of light would you recommend for minimizing growth? And I will look into some floating plants. Worst case scenario is that jacks destroy it.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

If the the bulbs are older then 9 months and around the 6500k range I'm sure they increase the algae growth. Time for new bulbs?

 

[Dieses Madchen]

If the the bulbs are older then 9 months and around the 6500k range I'm sure they increase the algae growth. Time for new bulbs?

What kind would you recommend for decreasing algaue growth? I know pretty much nothing about lighting.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Do you know if there a t8 or t5 ?

 

[Moby-Krib]

Sounds like just moving the tank away from the daylight solves the problem.

It's in a room that has no windows lol. I think its the lighting honestly. The lighting that is in the tank is the regular lighting that generally comes with the hoods.

The best thing if you don't have any plants is to cut back the lighting. You can do this by either using different, dimmer tubes, or you can add a floating plant like frogbit although I'm not sure how it would handle the JDs...

If you want to use algae killer, I would use a 1/4 dose the first time, leave a day or two, if no bad signs do a 1/2 dose, check again, 3/4 dose. If you see anything you don't like the look of re. the fry, do a water change and don't add any more.

I would prefer not to use algae killer. What kind of light would you recommend for minimizing growth? And I will look into some floating plants. Worst case scenario is that jacks destroy it.

truly to stop All algae growth stop feeding all together and put your tank in a hole.
Now to control it look at light, excess (I'm sure you think its not) feeding. and flow.
there is a certain combination of events ongoing that is responsible in the sustain of the bloom/grow. no other responsible party present.
Large SA tanks are suspect to needing an additional change per week!!! HIGH NITRATE/LOW FLOW maybe ???
Jack dempsy is a canal fish. doesn't mean the tank will clear without a substantial amount of flow with a high waste fish. he/she just needs to deal with the extra flow you need to properly run the tank.
or do 2x the water changes.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Do you know if there a t8 or t5 ?

probably a t8