Awful Algae

[specks]

I am at my wits end, I have the most horrible algae problem. I have spent most of today cleaning tanks, my sons tank is ok, a quick gravel vac, water change & filter clean is all that is needed. However I have to spend hours with mine as 3-4 days after cleaning/water change you can hardly see the fish as the glass is green. My tank has been set up for 11 months now, both our tanks get the same amount of light & water comes from the same tap. Our water stats are the same; Ammonia - 0 Nitrite - 0 Nitrate - 25. I have to work right through to christmas now with no days off & do not want to spend the 25th cleaning out my tank. I am really fed up & am ready to give up unless I can find a solution to this problem. Can somebody help me please?

 

[WILDER]

http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/algae/algcont.shtml

 

[timmystood]

Have you considered getting algae eating animals such as apple snails who I think eat algae???

 

[rimmer 05]

plecos, apple snails will clean up some of your algae, they love it ! Try get urself a clean up crew , mine consists of 2 corys for my 10 gal, and its been so clean since , was going to get a bristlenosse plec, nower sells

 

[Dangerousdan]

67gghyy9y98yb

 

[cujoho78]

Hi. Have you tested your tapwater for nitrAtes? What is the number? If it's more than zero, then there's part of your problem. If it is zero then you know your water source isn't the problem. Is your tank more heavily stocked than your son's? If it is, and they receive the same amount of light, that could be another piece of the puzzle. How much are you feeding them? A couple of small pinches once a day or so depending on how many fish you have should be plenty. If you over feed, it will foul up the water quickly. Also, you could try to bring down the nitrate levels further with water changes. If your tap water has nitrates in it, you could try mixing tap water with reverse osmosis 50/50 to help get the nitrates down. So i would try some of these ideas... try to get the nitrates down below 15 or 20ppm, and feed a little less. I think that maybe an algae eating fish would help eat some of the algae, but in my opinion, that wouldn't solve the real problem. Also, if possible try to restrict the amount of light the tank gets. If you have the lights on a lot, try reducing it some. Or draw the curtains for part of the day if the tank is near a window. Don't give up... you'll get it figured out. Good luck!

Edited to write what i meant to say!

 

[Bloo]

Hi. Have you tested your tapwater for algae?

Do you mean PO4 (phosphates) ?
To the very best of my knowledge you can't test of algae in water.....

How many gallons is your tank ?
How many watts of light does your tank have ?
How long are the lights on per day and what exactly are the hours of operation ?
Is there a break during the lighting period - so for instance do you have the lights on for a few hours in the morning and then again a few hours in the afternoon ? or just in one stretch ?
Do your lights work on a timer switch or do you manually operate them ?

 

[@ombomb]

Try get urself a clean up crew , mine consists of 2 corys for my 10 gal, and its been so clean since , was going to get a bristlenosse plec, nower sells

Cories don't really eat algae...

 

[Dangerousdan]

z

 

[chishnfips]

I had noticed that sunlight affected my tank more than the tank lights, since I moved it I have zero algae, also I think my pleco is a deciding factor in that, along with my CAE.

I think every tank should have at least one sort of algae eater to keep the stuff at bay. Also snails are very effective.

I could be wrong but would over feeding create algae?

 

[Dangerousdan]

78 goh78

 

[specks]

Thanks for your replys guys. (and girls). Now to answer the points you made.
Have already got cories & no they dont touch the algae.
My sons tank if anything is stocked heavier than mine. He has got quite a few mollies which seem to produce a lot of waste. I have 3 mollies who are only 2 months old.
I dont know the wattage of my lights, I have the standard tubes which were in the tank. Its a juwel 180 litre, sorry I dont know what that is in gallons.
I have over the months had the lights on all day, then I kept shortening the time they were on. I then tried a few hours, a break then another few hours. I control them myself, no timer.
The tank isnt in direct sunlight & during the summer months I left the blinds closed when sun was that side of the house. My sons tank is in exactly the same position as mine although one floor up.
I am as sure as I can be that I dont overfeed. Fish get fed twice a day & I can honestly say food is gone in seconds. I do sometimes worry that the cories & kuhli loaches dont get enough. I do feed both tanks & always fed my dads fish so I am confident that I am not overdoing it.
MY tap water is reading at 25, same as the tank.
I have done water changes daily in the past & the problem is the same as if I leave it for several days.
At first I relied on the filter for water movement but then invested in a pump & air stone as that was the only thing different between our tanks.
I think I have covered the points you made. Hope that all makes sense.

 

[cujoho78]

Hi. Have you tested your tapwater for algae?

Do you mean PO4 (phosphates) ?
To the very best of my knowledge you can't test of algae in water.....

Ya, i meant to say NitrAtes. I edited my mistake. Guess i should proof read my posts!

Specks, you might want to try reverse osmosis water and mix it with your tap water to bring the nitrates down to see if that helps you any.

 

[Bloo]

Specks, you might want to try reverse osmosis water and mix it with your tap water to bring the nitrates down to see if that helps you any.

That will certainly help, but if it's not something that can be maintained on an ongoing basis then it's of no use
And the RO route is time consuming and can be quite costly.
I for one can't have RO water - I live in a rented flat where I can't alter any plumbing and there's just no space at all to have store the RO water for approx 80 gallons in tanks alltogether. I neither have a car to collect RO water from a lfs - on top of which it would be too expensive to buy water and then adjust it

Specks, I also a Juwel 180 and I also have anything between 20 and 40 Nitrates ppm from the tap.
You have 2 x 25 Watts on the tank.
I suggest you buy yourself a cheap timer and start a lighting regime. Try something like :

7.30am - 12.30 light
12.30 - 17.30 no light
17.30 - 10.30 light

or adjust to your viewing hours. But have at least a 2 hour (up to 5 hour) break between the two light periods a day.

Try that setup for a couple of weeks and see how it goes. Give your tank a good clean and remove as much algae as possible at the same time.

I'd also like to add that the only algae eating fish I have in my tank, is a CAE - and they aren't even the best algae eaters !

My phosphates are also very high at around 3-5 ppm (depending on what the water company feels like pumping into my pipes) - so I (along with other Thames Water users) have more phosphates than most people have to deal with.

And I have minimal algae.....
just a thought.

 

[BabySealClubber]

Specks,

Water changes should definitely help, but it sounds your tap water has something in it that promotes algal growth. Phosphate comes to mind. This might explain why the algae returns shortly after a water change.

Two readily available ways to control out-of-control algae:
1) Restrict access to the nutrient that is most likely limiting algal growth: phosphate. Employ phosphate-binding products like these http/www.drsfostersmith.com/product/NavR...m?N=2004+113810
2) Harvest algae from your water column with a diatomaceous earth (DE) filter http/www.thekrib.com/Filters/diatom.html.

The great thing about DE filters is that they physically remove algae from your system. When you harvest algae from your system you are removing the nutrients with which the algae used to grow. This produces better water quality overall. If you keep repeating the harvesting process you should reach a point where the algae have exhausted the nutrient supply and can no longer grow. The only source of nutrients thenceforth is from feeding.

Plecos and other algae eaters might assist with the symptoms of algae outbreaks, but they are not a long-term solution. These animals consume algae, but their wastes will decompose and mineralize into nutrients that algae can again use to grow.

UV sterilization and ozone injection are also viable treatment methods.

Good luck.