Need Your Help Please!

[fluffycabbage]

Hiya - i inherited a fish tank which is just under 60 gallons a couple of months ago. We've had some losses, but i think theres about 3/4 left. There are about 10 platys, a small golden loach, 2 black mollys and 6 bronze corys.
Problem is, theres a bad algae problem. We have been advised to leave the light on for only about 5 hrs at the moment. Its next to a window but the wooden blind is shut so has minimal light. But within a day or two of cleaning the tank is full of algae again, on the glass, the plants, everywhere! It gets green very quickly! All levels are at zero, so i must be doing something right! There are a lot of 'bits' floating around everywhere too, i dont know what it is, maybe little bits of algae? Its a Juwel tank with a Juwel filter system, ive got all the necessary sponges in, and ive put 4 of the white cottony filters in the top just to make sure!

Any advice appreciated thanks

 

[PaBucsFan]

This may not be the correct answer but the NitrATES not NitrITES test might be giving you a false reading. I used to do the test incorrectly and always get 0.0ppm. Once I began doing the test correctly I would get 20-40ppm every time. I would re-do the NitATE test to see how high your Nitrate levels might be. High nitrate = lots of algae. If the levels are high, clean the tank with a good water change ( I normally do 50% every week and my levels stay in control).

 

[Katty]

I agree that maybe there's something wrong with the tests, either the method or the tests themselves, because it's a bit strange IMO to have 0 nitAtes unless you change water several times a week. If you can't find anything wrong with how you're doing the test, and the tests aren't expired you could try taking the water into a fish store and have them double check for you.

How often do you change the water and gravel vacuum? Do you have live plants? Do you dose any fertilizers or put CO2 in the tank?

 

[fluffycabbage]

This may not be the correct answer but the NitrATES not NitrITES test might be giving you a false reading. I used to do the test incorrectly and always get 0.0ppm. Once I began doing the test correctly I would get 20-40ppm every time. I would re-do the NitATE test to see how high your Nitrate levels might be. High nitrate = lots of algae. If the levels are high, clean the tank with a good water change ( I normally do 50% every week and my levels stay in control).

Already done it 3 times First couple of times i did the normal test, then did the sensitive test. I do a 50-60% water change every weekend, and vaccuum the gravel thoroughly with it. Srcub the tank and the filter (not the sponges, just rinse those in water from the tank).

I agree that maybe there's something wrong with the tests, either the method or the tests themselves, because it's a bit strange IMO to have 0 nitAtes unless you change water several times a week. If you can't find anything wrong with how you're doing the test, and the tests aren't expired you could try taking the water into a fish store and have them double check for you.

How often do you change the water and gravel vacuum? Do you have live plants? Do you dose any fertilizers or put CO2 in the tank?

Water and vaccuum once a week, no live plants at the moment as they keep eating them lol, no fertilizers or CO2 ( i wouldnt even know what theyre for lol!). How would I know if the test is out of date? It doesnt have an expiry date on the box
Must say after keeping the light on for only 5 hours a day the last few days has really helped - there's algae in there but not even half of what there was. Odd.


Re-do the test again? Or shall i take the water to a shop? If it comes up higher the 0 what shall I do? Change the water again? Many thanks

 

[fluffycabbage]

pics of the plants to show you what im dealing with - this is 3 days after a 60% water change

 

[fluffycabbage]

according to James' planted tank, its brown algae. Do i need to get some Otocinclus or (as my tank is pretty full already) is there some other way of getting rid of it? I also have that black sticky algae, and hair algae, though not much at all any more.

 

[waterdrop]

It sounds like you are doing many of the right things that should slowly begin to clear up your problems. Doing large gravel-clean-water-changes (with good technique of course, conditioning and temp matching) on a nice frequent basis (once a week like you are doing is great) will go a long way to lowering the number of algae spores and clearing out the algae you've dislodged by scrubbing prior to the water change. Don't be afraid to remove and sink-clean all the plastic plants each time as they will have picked up debris. Don't be afraid to make your water changes be 75 or 80% if you want to. Perhaps lower your hours to 4 instead of 5, but actually if you have no live plants you don't need light except for viewing periods. Discuss your light wattage with the members.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[zophie]

I would highly reccomend two sulutions.
These both worked for me when I had algae outbreaks.
The first is to introduce a algae eating fish, such as a Ancistrus cat-fish. Snails would also clean up the problem, or any herbivorus fish, such as the Siamise Algae Eater
The Seacond is to get more live plants. Live plants help to beat algae, and by getting even more (that is,if you already have them), you could stop the problem.
Well, best of luck!

Zophie

 

[fluffycabbage]

It sounds like you are doing many of the right things that should slowly begin to clear up your problems. Doing large gravel-clean-water-changes (with good technique of course, conditioning and temp matching) on a nice frequent basis (once a week like you are doing is great) will go a long way to lowering the number of algae spores and clearing out the algae you've dislodged by scrubbing prior to the water change. Don't be afraid to remove and sink-clean all the plastic plants each time as they will have picked up debris. Don't be afraid to make your water changes be 75 or 80% if you want to. Perhaps lower your hours to 4 instead of 5, but actually if you have no live plants you don't need light except for viewing periods. Discuss your light wattage with the members.

~~waterdrop~~

what do you mean by conditioning? i always temp match. i always take out all the plants and scrub them in an algae solution before rinsing then dipping in a dechlorinator before putting back in. i will increase the amount of water change then, and post elsewhere about the lighting. Thanks

I would highly reccomend two sulutions.
These both worked for me when I had algae outbreaks.
The first is to introduce a algae eating fish, such as a Ancistrus cat-fish. Snails would also clean up the problem, or any herbivorus fish, such as the Siamise Algae Eater
The Seacond is to get more live plants. Live plants help to beat algae, and by getting even more (that is,if you already have them), you could stop the problem.
Well, best of luck!

Zophie

ok, so none of my fish or snails are algae eaters? i will get a couple more fish if i need to, if theres room lol.
we did have several live plants but they all died

 

[waterdrop]

"Conditioner" is the word we use the for modern multi-purpose dechlorinator/dechloraminator products we use to remove chlorine or chloramine (your town will use one or the other, not both, but the modern products are made to handle either.) Many of us like and use a product called Seachem Prime, because it is very high quality and very concentrated, making for a cheap price when considered on a per-dose basis.

~~waterdrop~~