First Ever Algae Post

[baker360360]

Ok I've never tackled algae before so ain't got a clue apart from I know it's bad for my fish and plants and takes oxygen.

So tank is 190l juwel trigon 3 days old. I've got fish in there as I moved my filter media with the fish from old tank to skip cycling. It's planted with sand ( white ). I have a piece of bogwood in there too. All from previous tank. Lights are 2x juwel high lite day t5's I have 200w heater set to 25degree Celsius. My windows in living room have blinds and curtains but obviously are not always closed, so the tank will be exposed to day light but never ever direct sun light as the sun passes across the front east------west and we face south--north. . And is situated on the opposite side of the room.

The algae. It's on the glass for a start and bog wood and plants . It's very small kinda like micro white furr.
Maybe it came from the stuff I bought over from my tank as this one is only 3 days old.

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10
Ph - 7.2
Kh - 100
Gh - 250

 

[fm1978]

You could try a tank wide blackout. I'd always try something natural before adding any treatments.

If there are individual pieces of wood/decor that are worse affected than others, take them out and stick them in a bucket in a cupboard for a couple of days. Without light, it'll die.

If it's everything in there, a blackout for a couple of days might be better. Obviously, that might only solve the immediate algae issue. To stop it growing back would be very difficult, I would think, but, you could try reducing feeds - fewer nutrients - and see if that helps!?

 

[levahe]

Any chance of a pic of the algae?

 

[baker360360]

Any chance of a pic of the algae?

I'll have a go but it's so small.
If you can see on the glass

 

[Sophie]

Not sure if the lighting period has any effect on it? Make sure you only have the lights on for 8 hours, maybe up to 10 but nothing more? If yours is on for a long period during the day, try reducing it?

 

[baker360360]

I will start to look into that as I think mine are on from about 9-10am to 9-10 at night so probably more like 12 hrs
I think I'll try less time the lights are on get some snails and shrimp.

 

[fm1978]

Algae eating creatures are, of course, another brilliant idea. My favourite are Amano Shrimp!

 

[betta fish]

Nerite snails are also particularly good, my LFS has them for around 1.50 each which I think is a bargain! they have the red onion ones, I may get a couple more this weekend 

pretty to look at too.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

I'm having a hard time IDing the algae from the picture.  Check the link to get a better ID.

 

[fm1978]

http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

I'm having a hard time IDing the algae from the picture.  Check the link to get a better ID.

 
I didn't know there were that many types of algae! 
 
The OP's looks quite like a light smattering of the Green Dust type on the glass, though...

 

[levahe]

Yeah its hard to see what it is

 

[baker360360]

http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm
I'm having a hard time IDing the algae from the picture.  Check the link to get a better ID.

I've got it in front of me and I can't really I'd it using that link.
Looks like green dust but its not green lol. The description states the causes like low co2 and new set ups as I have about 10 plants in my tank 190l with no co2 thingy and tank is new.

 

[snazy]

Just clean it and wait it out until it stops appearing.  If the tank is new the most common algae appearing is brown diatoms and it can coat your glass brown just like green dust algae, but is more yellowish in colour. This disappears itself and is caused by high light/trace ammonia levels that the bacteria is still not good enough to remove fast enough.  I am only presuming because I've seen no picture.
 
Reduce the light of course, regardless of the type of algae as they are all induced by higher light(higher demand for CO2 and nutritients) T5s can be quite powerful so something along the lines of 6-8hrs max long term maybe fine and 5-6hrs for now would be better. If you've got reflectors, you may want to remove them for now until the tank matures.

 

[SO19Firearms]

What Snazy said. (and Eagle too for the guide)

 

[baker360360]

Just clean it and wait it out until it stops appearing.  If the tank is new the most common algae appearing is brown diatoms and it can coat your glass brown just like green dust algae, but is more yellowish in colour. This disappears itself and is caused by high light/trace ammonia levels that the bacteria is still not good enough to remove fast enough.  I am only presuming because I've seen no picture.
 
Reduce the light of course, regardless of the type of algae as they are all induced by higher light(higher demand for CO2 and nutritients) T5s can be quite powerful so something along the lines of 6-8hrs max long term maybe fine and 5-6hrs for now would be better. If you've got reflectors, you may want to remove them for now until the tank matures.

I do have t5s and had been leaving them on too long no reflectors yet was about to order them but ill think I will wait. just got 4 amano shrimp but cant get hold of any nerite snails at the moment.
test water often and no ammonia present?