Algae :(

[Noahs ark6]

Hi

For about 3 weeks i've had a severe case of algae, its on the sand, glass (which i have to scrape nerly everyday plants, filter and even on the snails, its becoming very tiresome. Is there anything i can do to stop this.
(its mainly hair algae but its not hair algae on the glass)
Thanks

 

[stu40]

Hi
trying reading this. Also how long are your lights on for each day?

 

[Noahs ark6]

there on for about 8 hours per day. Just read the link, the algaes are:
blanket weed
Green dust algae
Oedogonium
Spirogyra
Staghorn

so its bad

 

[DrRob]

Sounds like you have a similar problem to me, just a lot worse. You're describing a variety of filamentous algae types and the list on the linked page isn't exhaustive, so I'm guessing you have a filamentous that doesn't quite fit into one simple box.

In general terms, algae likes left over nutrients, and light. Depending on the situation and what you're aiming for you need to starve the algae and keep removing it (which will get rid of those nutrients). Too much light for the plants you have, or not enough CO2 and nutrients for them would cause this. Gives you the option of loading in lots of plants and feeding them (sounds counterproductive but they will out compete the algae if they have the right conditions).

The other thing to look at is where the excess nutrient is coming from. My tap water is awful for dissolved organics and other rubbish, which feeds algae beautifully. A lot of my problems have been created by my rainwater tanks failing (that and the ammonia levels in the rainwater surging recently).

 

[DrRob]

Oh yes, and increased circulation helps too.

 

[Noahs ark6]

Thanks for the advice. So should i turn the lights out for 4 days and cover the tank so theres no light? will that work? And i'll get a new filter, because mines old and the impellor is quite slow now.

Thanks

 

[DrRob]

Will that work?

No way of knowing apart from trying really. It won't hurt the plants. Make sure you take out as much as you can mechanically as you're essentially trying to kill something with a fair old biomass and that's never good in large quantities.

The fundamental thing is working out what made it happen and correcting that. Easier said than done sometimes. With me it's not enough rain the water butt to do a water change, but that's rural tap water for you.

 

[Noahs ark6]

oI'm currently doing the lights out method ATM, it looks like its going to work. I've got rid of every single piece of algae (took 2 hours) and using aqua carbon and aqua nourish which says helps kill algae). I'm also going to get some cherry shrimp to help keep it down. Thanks for the advice