Betta Tank Has Green Algae

[Mayu]

I have a 15 gallon tank with a Betta fish. Really gorgeous white and blue one.

I have been having a diddly of a time with green algae lately though. I don't know why other than maybe my light is left on too long. I don't have any direct sunlight... the room the tank is in has the shades drawn pretty much all day. I keep the lights in the room off unless I'm in there... and I know I'm not over feeding

but I kept the tank lights on starting at about 11 am till about 8 or 9pm.

I've tried everything from doing half water changes, washing down the decorative silk plants and other decorations, and vaccuming the gravel. but it still comes back.

I pulled out the silk plants and replaced them with a couple live plants, and I'm keeping the lights off for about 24 hours (except for feeding)... but I only want to do it for 24 hours because the live plants are going to start to need to get light.

Should I add more plants or add a small algae eater like a dwarf pleco or a longnose whiptail? (I have 2 of those in my large tank and they don't get very big or take up much room, and they keep that tank pretty clean)

what else can I do?

surprisingly water levels seem good, and my betta is also doing pretty good despite the green algae issue.

 

[Mauricia]

In my unplanted betta tanks I just never turn on the tank lights and make sure they're not near a window, and I don't get any algae. The bettas don't mind as long as the room has some ambient light, they prefer darker waters anyway. If you want a planted tank you can do that too, it'll just be a bit more work to keep everything balanced so the algae stays down. (But will look nice and I'm sure your betta will appreciate the plants). The algae won't hurt him, just make sure the water is clean.

 

[theshadowinc]

You will probably get more info going to the planted section in the forum and posting this, they will direct you in what needs to be done to prevent it from happening

 

[Honeythorn]

Having just a couple of live plants is useless. Not only does the fish have very few places to hide ( they need a real jungle of plants ) but you do not have enough plants in there to compete with the algae.

Basically your green algae is feeding on fish waste , the end product of your filter cycle and any bits of uneaten food that is breaking down ( nitrates basically ) Algae is simply another plant albeit a very small one, and plants LOVE nitrates.

So becase you only have a couple of live plants in there, the algae is getting all the "food".

One of the quickest ways to outcompete the algae, is to buy several bunches of stem plants. These are usually cheap, and in many shops the more plants you buy, the cheaper they are. You often find these stem plants come in bunches of 2-3 mixed plants. These usually consist of Cabomba and Elodia, both of which are very easy to establish in a basic light tank, grow quickly and are tall/long, which the betta will really like. When they start to get too long, cut off the tops . They will continue to grow. These two plants also put roots out from the sides, and if you pinch off the plant just below these roots, you can plant the cutting in any gaps or use in other tanks! Saves you buying more


Really fill the tank, all the back and sides.


The stem plants will root quickly, and will readily consume the nitrates in your tank. By doing this they will outcompete the algae, and while you may still get the odd little patch or two, ( easily removed by hand ) for the most part it should really reduce to almost nothing.

Basically the more heavily planted your tank is ( with plants suited for your light ) then the less algae you should get. Both my tanks are planted this way and algae is no trouble at all for me. I have stock ( basic ) lighting, no complicated CO2 or anything of that sort.


For some rooted plant reccomendations, ( by which I mean they are already established and have a proper bunch of roots, these are usually a little more expensive but worth it to fill large gaps )
I would highly reccomend Aponogentons. Crispus is the one most commonly sold, and it's thick bunch of long curly leaves are betta heaven http/www.tropica.c...=083&mode=close <--- picture and info from tropica


. Echinodorus is also a great plant. I have a large mature Aquartica in my 30 gallon, and it's beautiful and very very easy to grow. http/www.tropica.c...074F&mode=close <--- picture and info from tropica

I also have some of the shorter types of echinodorus and would reccomend them for any beginner .

 

[theshadowinc]

Having just a couple of live plants is useless. Not only does the fish have very few places to hide ( they need a real jungle of plants ) but you do not have enough plants in there to compete with the algae.
Basically your green algae is feeding on fish waste , the end product of your filter cycle and any bits of uneaten food that is breaking down ( nitrates basically ) Algae is simply another plant albeit a very small one, and plants LOVE nitrates.
So becase you only have a couple of live plants in there, the algae is getting all the "food".
One of the quickest ways to outcompete the algae, is to buy several bunches of stem plants.
Really fill the tank, all the back and sides.

Really?! LOL
GSA
Cause ~ With Estimative Index low phosphate levels often bring on a GSA outbreak. Also Low CO2 and poor water flow. Too long a lighting period doesn't help.
Removal ~ If dosing Estimative Index increase phosphate levels by adding monobasic potassium phosphate or fleet enema solution. Aim for a level of 2 to 3ppm. Check CO2 levels and water flow. Can be scraped off the glass using a razor blade or a good magnetic glass scraper. Between 9 and 10 hours is plenty of lighting time for the plants. If it is more then reducing it may help. If dosing a lean dosing method like PMDD or PPS-Pro then modifying the NO3 to PO4 ratio normally helps. A bit of trial and error may be required.

Nothing about Nitrate for GSA as was found here and also on this forum under the planted section

Basically the more heavily planted your tank is ( with plants suited for your light ) then the less algae you should get. Both my tanks are planted this way and algae is no trouble at all for me. I have stock ( basic ) lighting, no complicated CO2 or anything of that sort.

This isn't what you said on another post in the betta section *cough*, plants are also living organisms and require food alot more than just nitrate! Certain plants require certain food just like fish require feeding hence why I pointed the individual to the planted section they are more knowledgable in that section is the reason it has its own section on the forum, flow is probably to low in the tank and depending on the watts per gallon and lights being on probably lead to the phosphate depletion thus would lead to algue issues, and on the plus side depending on the plants probably require supplements, almost all tanks over there in that section pearl what I mean by this is gives off oxygen bubbles during the photo period I know my tank does

the planted section in our forum
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/forum/10-plants-and-planted-tanks/

 

[SPLiSH]

One of my girls shares her 3.5gal with an apple snail and he (she? it? whatever) takes care of any algae that pops up. The snail's a really interesting little thing to watch too, only downside is that they do poop a lot but with a large tank like yours I would think things would be fine

I also agree with the suggestion of fast growing plants, to keep the balance in the tank. My girl has java moss in there too, I've noticed it helps a lot also.

 

[betta fish]

Get a nerite snail, they are the best algae eaters out there! they eat virtually all types of algae and since adding one to my tank I have had no algae issues whatsoever, they will not touch your live plants either, which I find apple snails can occasionally do, though they are not as common and easily found as apple snails and a bit more expensive too, they are certainly worth it when you do get one.

 

[Honeythorn]

Having just a couple of live plants is useless. Not only does the fish have very few places to hide ( they need a real jungle of plants ) but you do not have enough plants in there to compete with the algae.
Basically your green algae is feeding on fish waste , the end product of your filter cycle and any bits of uneaten food that is breaking down ( nitrates basically ) Algae is simply another plant albeit a very small one, and plants LOVE nitrates.
So becase you only have a couple of live plants in there, the algae is getting all the "food".
One of the quickest ways to outcompete the algae, is to buy several bunches of stem plants.
Really fill the tank, all the back and sides.

Really?! LOL
GSA
Cause ~ With Estimative Index low phosphate levels often bring on a GSA outbreak. Also Low CO2 and poor water flow. Too long a lighting period doesn't help.
Removal ~ If dosing Estimative Index increase phosphate levels by adding monobasic potassium phosphate or fleet enema solution. Aim for a level of 2 to 3ppm. Check CO2 levels and water flow. Can be scraped off the glass using a razor blade or a good magnetic glass scraper. Between 9 and 10 hours is plenty of lighting time for the plants. If it is more then reducing it may help. If dosing a lean dosing method like PMDD or PPS-Pro then modifying the NO3 to PO4 ratio normally helps. A bit of trial and error may be required.

Nothing about Nitrate for GSA as was found here and also on this forum under the planted section

I don't use any of this rubbish and my plants grow very well indeed under basic lighting. All I have is basic pond soil under sand. Manual removal is an obvious soloution and one the OP has already tried if you read it.

Basically the more heavily planted your tank is ( with plants suited for your light ) then the less algae you should get. Both my tanks are planted this way and algae is no trouble at all for me. I have stock ( basic ) lighting, no complicated CO2 or anything of that sort.

This isn't what you said on another post in the betta section *cough*, plants are also living organisms and require food alot more than just nitrate! Certain plants require certain food

Please direct to that post as I have absolutely no idea what you'r talking about. Being cryptic does not make you look clever.

Also, yes certain plants do require certain food, but basic stem plants as the ones I described, Cabomba, elodia ect, do not require additional nutrients and CO2 to survive and grow well. The layer of mulm found under the gravel in the tank, plus the waste from the fish and basic stock lighting are all sufficient to grow simple easy plants like these. That's why they are so often reccomended for beginners ( and not just by me ) .

Certainly the addition of CO2 ect will make such plants grow like a weed, but they do grow just fine without such things. I have proved this myself with my own tank. I have basic plants, Aponogentons, Cabomba, Echinodorus, Java moss, moss balls ect. My aponogentons flower regularly and my echinodrus has produced offsrping plantlets before now. I have no special substrate, just sand over pond soil which has been that way for over 7 years, no CO2, no dosing with ferts or anything of that sort. The filter is an eheim 2215 and I change half the water once a week every week.

I have always been able to grow plants easily this way and here's a pic of my tank to prove so. It's not an amano-esque masterpiece of aquascaping, but I have little to no algae , certainly no nuisance types of the sort the OP describes, and the small amount I do get is easily removed with a scraper.

Yet again you fail at trying to make me look like I don't know what I'm talking about when the proof is here in front of you, and yet again you've attempted to make out as though a planted tank is some sort of vast challenge requiring all sorts of un needed equipment for a basic planted setup. Yet again you fail.

 

[loraxchick]

more plants are not necessarily a solution to algae problems. you firstly need to define which type of algae you are getting and where (on plants, decor, glass, substrate, etc.). in most betta set-ups likely due to low flow. also from insufficient nutrients (IF the lights are left on too long or your lighting is too strong).
i suspect in the case of someone who has no algae issues and has plants in their betta tank (which most likely has very little water circulation), they have lighting on the low side (which is why no algae problems have come about) and have a reasonable photo period (which is why no dosing or co2 would be necessary).
every set-up is different and to "cure" algae you need to get to the root of he problem. going out on a limb and being WILDLY general, but in the OP case, most likely due to what i mentioned above- low flow(ie poor circulation) and too much light for too long. decrease lighting to 6 hours and see if that helps. certain types of algae require different solutions to eradicate them, and even then some are pretty tricky esp in a low-flow situation). adding some fast grwoing stme plants MAY be of some help, but again depending on lighting supplemental ferts or co2 might be needed (just becasue certain plants are labeled "easy" doesnt mean they are easy in every lighting condition at some point ALL plants need supplimental ferts and co2). also, too many waterchanges can be of no good when dealing with certain algae.

to the OP- what sort of algae do you have? "green alage" is not a very good description. have a look here and then you can begin to eliminate certain factors that may be casuing it:
http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm
a VERY good resoure for anyone who has plants in their aquarium
cheers
*edit to add*

 

[steelhealr]

Hi All...please keep the thread on topic. Personal issues can be dealt with offline, PM's, email etc. Thanks. SH