Algue Problem!

[Lamby_Lee]

Hello. In may last year i bought a 70 litre aquarium in hope of starting up a community tank. This tank is a Jewel Rekord 70 which came supplied with lights, filter and heater. This tank has been running since then so is fully mature. It is stocked at the moment with 8 black phantom tetras, 3 siscer tails, 8 cardinal tetras, 2 guppies and 2 corries. Slightly overstocked i know . Since then i have become bored of my community tank and i'm going to transfer these fish into another much larger tank with plenty of water going spare . Now comes the time when i make any changes to this tank before adding any other fish. Since the start I have had algue problems. It builds on the sides of the tank and coveres the white graveled floor. I have to clean this tank to remove this; which i try and do every week. Im wondering if there are any solutions to this poblem before i make any changes?

Im not too sure on the information needed to solve this so here it goes:
My tank is placed next to a window but this window doesnt get much light as of buildings and vans.
My light timer is set to around 8-10 hours of light a day.
My filter and heater is run all day long, 24 hours a day.
The temperature is 24 degrees.
I have white gravel (dont know if this makes a difference; will be changed to sand hopefully)
The filter etc. is the same as come supplied wih tank.
I wash all my sponges etc. in the same water from the tank.

Please ask if there is anything else needed to solve this
Help is much apprieceated! Im blank on this knowledge

 

[Colin_T]

do you have any live plants in the tank? if not then that is why you are getting algae. Live plants will use the light and help to limit the algae but if there aren't any plants in the tank, then there is nothing to use the light. If you don't have live plants then you only need the lights on for a couple of hours in the evening when you are home.

 

[aaronnorth]

Different types of algae are brought on by different factors, have a look at the algae guide in my sig for an ID.

 

[Lamby_Lee]

Ahh... I havent any live plants! Thats probaly the problem. I shall only put my fish lights on for 3-4 hours.. would that help? Or is there any other solution to this?

Thanks for all your help

 

[aaronnorth]

limiting the photoperiod will help, you dont necassarily have to have plants, it just depends on your setup.

 

[poconoboss]

Check your nitrate level, high levels of nitrate will cause algae to break out. I have had it happen to me, once I lowered the nitrate, algae went bye bye.

 

[Truck]

Check your nitrate level, high levels of nitrate will cause algae to break out. I have had it happen to me, once I lowered the nitrate, algae went bye bye.

that is not true. nitrates feed algae and dont cause it. the exces amonia from over stoking could be the cause.

 

[SuperColey1]

In a well planted tank nitrates won't be cause nor will excess anything but they will be in a non planted tank especially when it is all organic nutrients.

Its the 'no plants' that are causing the algae. You should be able to combat that with water changes though and if wanted a nitrate pad in your filter.

AC