Complete Water Change/tank Scrubing

[unknowntbeast]

As I said in this post [URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=300878"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=300878[/URL] I have an algae problem. Instead of getting an algae eating fish, I've opted to try to clean out the tank first before I went and got one. But before I start I had some questions. Since I am cleaning the entire tank, should I keep some tank water aside to put back in after? Or should I use completely new water? What could have made it grow in the first place? I removed the plants yet it still grows. Can a white florecent light increase algae growth? Can vitamin cubes cause growth? Any other help would be nice. It is a 10 gallon tank, reletivly small, but waiting on pay check to get a bigger one. This tank has 8 Zebra Danios.

 

[rdd1952]

What type algae is it? That is a key question. If it's something like blue-green algae, it's almost impossible to get rid of. Some other types are common in new tanks and will clear on their own. Lights don't cause algae but can help it grow. Overfeeding is another prime factor. removing the plants won't help and may even hurt as the plants are also using nutrients that the algae feeds on. With no live plants, the algae has no competition for food. I'm not really sure what vitamin cubes are so I can't really say on those but if it's some type food you put in the tank to slowly dissolve, it could definitely be a problem.

If you take the tank down completely, you probably need to keep about half the old water just so you don't have to acclimate the fish again. Of course, if the tank water pH is basically the same as the pH of your tap water, you could just as easily use all new water.

 

[shelaghfishface]

what a pain.

i have recently stripped down one of mine due to algae, and RDD is correct when he says this probably wont solve the problem, but may help you to feel more in control of it.staying on top of it in futre etc..

like he also says you need to identify the algae so that you can treat the cause, other wise you will just be going round in circles
the algae in my tank was from sheer neglect of a type, as it was snakeheads and i really didnt want to disturb them..a little turned into a lot with the help of the lights etc and one day i just had enough of not being able to see the fish....cut back on the vitamin cubes ( are they food?) try a black out ( cover the tank in black bags for a few days.. no lights etc..another member Geoff has just had sucess with this method..
if i were you i would leave the tank maybe untill you find the cause, otherwise you could find yourself doing the same stripdown on a regular basis

good luck getting rid of it.. have a look in the planted section i think theres a pinned topic on the diffrent types of algae, you may find yours there

 

[unknowntbeast]

What type algae is it? That is a key question. If it's something like blue-green algae, it's almost impossible to get rid of. Some other types are common in new tanks and will clear on their own. Lights don't cause algae but can help it grow. Overfeeding is another prime factor. removing the plants won't help and may even hurt as the plants are also using nutrients that the algae feeds on. With no live plants, the algae has no competition for food. I'm not really sure what vitamin cubes are so I can't really say on those but if it's some type food you put in the tank to slowly dissolve, it could definitely be a problem.

If you take the tank down completely, you probably need to keep about half the old water just so you don't have to acclimate the fish again. Of course, if the tank water pH is basically the same as the pH of your tap water, you could just as easily use all new water.

It's brownish. I changed about 2/3 of the water, and scrubbed the tank and the filter housing. I've cut back on how much food I give them, before it was quite a bit. pH and NH3 are both at normal levels. I will wipe off the plants of the algae and replant them.

 

[Truck]

What type algae is it? That is a key question. If it's something like blue-green algae, it's almost impossible to get rid of. Some other types are common in new tanks and will clear on their own. Lights don't cause algae but can help it grow. Overfeeding is another prime factor. removing the plants won't help and may even hurt as the plants are also using nutrients that the algae feeds on. With no live plants, the algae has no competition for food. I'm not really sure what vitamin cubes are so I can't really say on those but if it's some type food you put in the tank to slowly dissolve, it could definitely be a problem.

If you take the tank down completely, you probably need to keep about half the old water just so you don't have to acclimate the fish again. Of course, if the tank water pH is basically the same as the pH of your tap water, you could just as easily use all new water.

It's brownish. I changed about 2/3 of the water, and scrubbed the tank and the filter housing. I've cut back on how much food I give them, before it was quite a bit. pH and NH3 are both at normal levels. I will wipe off the plants of the algae and replant them.

dont do water changes that are not needed...just keep removing the algae and it will go eventually...brown algae is mental in new tanks

 

[unknowntbeast]

what a pain.

i have recently stripped down one of mine due to algae, and RDD is correct when he says this probably wont solve the problem, but may help you to feel more in control of it.staying on top of it in futre etc..

like he also says you need to identify the algae so that you can treat the cause, other wise you will just be going round in circles
the algae in my tank was from sheer neglect of a type, as it was snakeheads and i really didnt want to disturb them..a little turned into a lot with the help of the lights etc and one day i just had enough of not being able to see the fish....cut back on the vitamin cubes ( are they food?) try a black out ( cover the tank in black bags for a few days.. no lights etc..another member Geoff has just had sucess with this method..
if i were you i would leave the tank maybe untill you find the cause, otherwise you could find yourself doing the same stripdown on a regular basis

good luck getting rid of it.. have a look in the planted section i think theres a pinned topic on the diffrent types of algae, you may find yours there

These are not food pyrimids, just vitamims. See the link for the type I use. This was also the first one I used. http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753999

 

[Truck]

what a pain.

i have recently stripped down one of mine due to algae, and RDD is correct when he says this probably wont solve the problem, but may help you to feel more in control of it.staying on top of it in futre etc..

like he also says you need to identify the algae so that you can treat the cause, other wise you will just be going round in circles
the algae in my tank was from sheer neglect of a type, as it was snakeheads and i really didnt want to disturb them..a little turned into a lot with the help of the lights etc and one day i just had enough of not being able to see the fish....cut back on the vitamin cubes ( are they food?) try a black out ( cover the tank in black bags for a few days.. no lights etc..another member Geoff has just had sucess with this method..
if i were you i would leave the tank maybe untill you find the cause, otherwise you could find yourself doing the same stripdown on a regular basis

good luck getting rid of it.. have a look in the planted section i think theres a pinned topic on the diffrent types of algae, you may find yours there

These are not food pyrimids, just vitamims. See the link for the type I use. This was also the first one I used. [URL="http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753999"]http/www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753999[/URL]

there is no need for this product...your fish will get all there mineral from the food and water

 

[rdd1952]

I agree with truck that the vitamins aren't needed. I had never heard of them before.

How long has the tank been set up? Brown algae (the type that covers the leaves) is quite common in new tanks. It is actually diatoms that feed on the silica from the substrate and leeched from the silicone that seals the tank. It will clear up on it's own and actually redoing the tank can prolong it as you are stirring the substrate up again (or putting new substrate in) thus adding more food.

 

[unknowntbeast]

The tank has been up for about 1 1/2 months. Yeah I'm already noticing it spread again already. Looks like I am going to go with a algae eater. Any suggestions on which type I should get? Remember it's a 10 gallon tank, I'm looking to get a 20 gallon soon.

 

[Geoff1991]

If its diatoms, brown algae and its a new tank, its because if it isnt now, at some point there was ammonia + light present which = algae

Done any water tests?

 

[unknowntbeast]

If its diatoms, brown algae and its a new tank, its because if it isnt now, at some point there was ammonia + light present which = algae

Done any water tests?

I have the ammonia/pH meters in the tank and they never showed any levels of ammonia.

 

[rdd1952]

Getting an algae eater may not solve the problem. As mentioned, you will still have to ID the algae as certain fish eat certain types of algae. If you get the wrong type fish for the algae you have, they won't touch it. And if it's blue-green algae, no fish will eat it as it's not really algae but an organism. Photos of the algae would help with an ID.

 

[unknowntbeast]

Getting an algae eater may not solve the problem. As mentioned, you will still have to ID the algae as certain fish eat certain types of algae. If you get the wrong type fish for the algae you have, they won't touch it. And if it's blue-green algae, no fish will eat it as it's not really algae but an organism. Photos of the algae would help with an ID.

Ok I will try to get a picture of it and post it. But it's kindof hard to take a picture of a tank...I might make a video.

 

[fifefish]

have you considered, lowering your photo period, changing your lighting to a lower wattage, putting some floating plants in the tank, these all helped me. now i never have to scrub algae in my tank,