Algea Causes In Betta Tank.

[electric yellow]

What could cause algea to grow on everything in my tank when the water is perfect? I have fluffy green algea covering my: silk plants, filter, air pipe, ceramic pots, gravel and glass inside. I do weekly water changes of 30% and i have the light on for about 6hrs a day. Mainly at night because there is lots of natural light in my house. Ramjet is fed every 2 days because he is a piggy. Should i pull the filter out and clean it? The tank is an Aqua Start 320 so the filter sponge bit is removable....

It cant be from over feeding as he eats everything i put in. Would it be the silk plants? Black out the tank? Or maybe the filters not doing its job? This is the tank i had divided before and now not. I clean the silk plants whenever i do a water change.

I know im going to wake up one day and Ramjet will be covered in it!

 

[bronzecat]

Join the club We have had the same problems with 2 tanks ourselves. I have now changed the type of tube on one of them to see if that helps. In our case it isn't sunlight as one of the tanks is way across the other side of the room. I've even tried RO water with no luck. Will see if the new tube makes a difference. The new tube is just a simple Interpet Beauty light 15W and says it eases algae problems. We'll see?

 

[electric yellow]

Yeah its def not sunlight or to much light causing the problem. It just wont go away. I will try to tackle it again today and see what happens.

*frustrated*

 

[newfishy]

algae just seems to like my water.

 

[electric yellow]

Its just annoying. Its not changed the quality of water....its just unsightly. Poor lil guy hates it. Im trying to figure out how to get rid of it without chems. Im thinking of scrubbing the tank down...

 

[guppy fan]

I'm having the same problem. There is algae on everything except my fish. I just try to clean it every time I do a water change.

 

[electric yellow]

Yeah i did that last week and it came back with vengance

 

[electric yellow]

Ive just done a 40% water change, totally scrubbed the glass down, gravel vac and have taken out all the plants and ornaments. I dont know if i will put the silk plants back in. I might just put the pots and ornaments back. Or maybe just one plant....The water is clear so its not a water algea problem.

Hmm...

I could put a bristol nose plec in there if it happens again...they would eat the algea right? Poor Ramjets swimming round in murky water :\

 

[Truck]

hairy algae is cause by lack of flow/CO2 so getting more flow in there would help (but yes bettas dont like it)

green water is caused by direct sunlight.

brown algae is caused by ammonia.

 

[electric yellow]

So add an air stone? I had one in their originally with the divided tank and they didnt seem to mind..it was on minimal flow so it wasnt to bad.

 

[Underwurlde]

Picture of tanks would help diagnose any problems along with full tank specs, feeding reigemes, bio load, filtration, lighting & lighting periods.

Are all your tanks relatively new setups?

Adding a UV HOB would be my first 'simple' step. Cleaning tanks etc etc may do for the short term, but long term, as root cause has not been diagnosed & hence tackled, algae may come back.

Andy

PS
Adding UV is not tackling the root casue, merely suggested as they do seem to help some.

 

[electric yellow]

Tank has been running for about a year. My other four tanks have been running nearlly 2yrs. Filter was previouslly used in my other aqua start 320 so tank was well established and is well maintained.


Specs-
fed small amount daily
water change weekly 30% with gravel vac
under gravel filter
fountain outlet pipe
lighting for 6-8hrs a day (wattage im not sure. i dont have the box but its the original aqua one lights it came with)
heating 26deg celcius
gravel subtrate
3 ceramic pots
3 silks plants
ph - 7 neautral
ammonia - 0
nitrate - 0
nitrite - 0

Previously divided into two sides to house two bettas. Betta died so dismantled divider and it now houses one male VT approx 8mths old. Algea has become uncontrollable over the last week. Did a water change today and scrubbed down the sides of the tank, cleaned the gravel when vaccumed it, also washed the plants and pots. Replaced pots and put one silk plant back in. Added an air stone.

Tank:

Ramjet...

Like said, never had to much of a problem with water quality. ive just noticed that the algea is getting worse and worse...

NB: about three hours after putting a silk plant back in there is already green stringy algea appearing off it. the lights went out in the tank about half hr ago. If the algea gets worse over night im removing the plant. Would adding a real plant make a diff to algea growth?

 

[Jdubz]

only problem i can see is the temp and fish dont get along lol

The water should be a little warmer for him..

 

[electric yellow]

How is that temp bad for him? All four of our tanks are heated to 26degrees celcius. 3ft, 4ft and two small ones.

Thats what normal temp is....26-28degrees celcius.


...heaters 25watts to.

 

[Devorax]

I'd use an Apple Snail, they'll keep your algae down to a minimum, and the bettas ignore them completely. However, they do just turn algae in to poop, so the gravel vac may need increasing, because they are proper mess machines! They are fascinating in their own right, you can get different colours besides the golden yellow, and they go about their business without stealing food from anyone else (algae wafers not included...lol). Alternatively, add a few Amano Shrimp, as long as they are big enough to not resemble food to the betta, they too will clean your tank impeccably and add to the bioload much less than a snail will.
HTH.