Green Water Eradication Plan - Comments?

[karin]

Alright then, I have a single cell algae bloom that started about a week ago. I think it was the perfect storm of changes that caused it. I am in the process of removing an old UGF doing one plate at a time so that I can handle the gunk that comes up with a vac and water change. I also put the light on a timer so that when I'm not around the fish have light during the day. Tank is in my office. So crap, now I have green water probably due to an ammonia spike from my work with the UGF gunk and the light?

Here is my plan. Go over today and pull the last UGF plate and do a 50% water change. Pull the curtains in the office and put something over the tank to black it out for 3 days. I will not feed the fish during that time but filter and heater running normally. Then when I come back, I'll do another 50% water change. I will only put the lights on when I'm there(no more timer) and on weekends I'll pull the curtains and leave the lights off.

Sound like I have a fighting chance? I read here that live plants would solve this problem right away. True?

Also I'm wanting to get a 50-60 gallon tank for home (as I'm totally getting into this) but I have just rebuilt the house and I have lots of windows and natural light. Would I be doomed with algae blooms? Tank would be in the main room with lots of indirect light. I just don't have much in the way of dark in this house.

Thanks to all.

 

[drobbyb]

The cheapest way to get rid of a bacterial bloom is to block out all light for 3 days (literally wrap the tank in a blanket or something that the light can't get through.) Leave the light off and don't feed for 3 days. After the blackout do an 80% waterchange to remove most of the now dead algae. If that fails to work, buy a UV sterilizer and it will clear up in a few days.

 

[Assaye]

Light + ammonia = algae.

So, even in a very light house, if you are strict with your water changes, have plenty of plants and do a blacked out fishless cycle, you should be fine.