Green Algae Problem

[Shodo]

I have tons of green algae that grows in my 10 gallon aquarium. It gunks up the glass, goops up in the sand, and covers everything. I do a 50% water change and scrub the glass and get most of the algae off and within a week it has grown back. I currently have one medium sized plant. Filter turns 100gph per hour. I have two platy fish 1.5 inches each. The algae didnt seem all that bad before but seems bad these days. It is a cycled tank but I do go about 3 weeks between water changes which I have been told is fine with my stockage and nitrate level.

Any help would be great

 

[K_Hedin]

If you don't have live plants and are leaving the light on for more than 8 hours a day, try reducing that or leaving the light off completely. If you don't have live plants then you don't technically need a light on. While with your stocking you can probably get away with WC's that far apart you may want to try upping it to every week and see if it helps.

I have a 10 gallon that sat around forever and when I started it up it had a bad algae problem. After the first initial WC's, a bigger stocking, and some live plants with good light control, I haven't seen the problem come back.

On a side not I have had a bad algae problem in my 55G and the members here told me to reduce the light time and since doing it I have seen my live plants fight back the algae and the tank become much healthier overall.

Hope this helps.

 

[term_22000]

If you don't have live plants and are leaving the light on for more than 8 hours a day, try reducing that or leaving the light off completely. If you don't have live plants then you don't technically need a light on. While with your stocking you can probably get away with WC's that far apart you may want to try upping it to every week and see if it helps.

I have a 10 gallon that sat around forever and when I started it up it had a bad algae problem. After the first initial WC's, a bigger stocking, and some live plants with good light control, I haven't seen the problem come back.

On a side not I have had a bad algae problem in my 55G and the members here told me to reduce the light time and since doing it I have seen my live plants fight back the algae and the tank become much healthier overall.

Hope this helps.

I agree, I have done the same thing and it looks so much better and healthier since I started leaving the light on no more than 10 hours a day.

 

[Shodo]

Thanks for your replies

I have a timer set for 10-11 hours a day. So I am re-setting it to 7 hours to see if that helps. I do have one plant and even that was covered in slime yesterday during my water change. I may get another plant but I am always scared of bringing in parasites. I give my plants a bleach dip before adding them though.

Hopefully the light reduction will help. Also I will try upping the wc weekly.