1903dandydons
New Member
Hi everyone,
My 3d background and stones / shells have become covered in this brown / orange looking algae. I have 'googled' here and on google and there seems to be a lot of different opinions and options for trying to clean it.
Fish were added on 22/11 after successfully completing a fishless cycle, all plastic plants and one 18w 2ft bulb out of the two bulbs working. Have cut back the length of time the light is switched on as I feel I have had it on for some periods over 8hrs. Current fish are 2 green tiger barbs, 4 tiger barbs and 1 rainbow dace, lost 2 mollies, 1 green tiger barb and 1 rainbow dace since 22/11.
Usually doing a third water change every 1 or 2 weeks. Water results on 11/1 are PH = 7.4, Ammonia = 0.0, Nitrite = 0.0 and Nitrate = 10.0 Have been unable to hoover the surface since starting as I am still waiting for my hoover/syphon to arrive from onlineaquariumstore.com that I ordered and paid for in Sept 08 but that's another topic.
I am concerned that I may damage my 'Back to Nature' background by scrubbing off the algae and taking off some of the surface although their website suggests it's pretty tough. I'm down to seven fish and want to go out and purchase some more fish at the weekend and there is opinion that I should get some algae eaters.
Please, would appreciate your comments on cleaning, fish purchase etc, etc.
I would add pictures but I seem to have lost the browse button for adding pictures
My 3d background and stones / shells have become covered in this brown / orange looking algae. I have 'googled' here and on google and there seems to be a lot of different opinions and options for trying to clean it.
Fish were added on 22/11 after successfully completing a fishless cycle, all plastic plants and one 18w 2ft bulb out of the two bulbs working. Have cut back the length of time the light is switched on as I feel I have had it on for some periods over 8hrs. Current fish are 2 green tiger barbs, 4 tiger barbs and 1 rainbow dace, lost 2 mollies, 1 green tiger barb and 1 rainbow dace since 22/11.
Usually doing a third water change every 1 or 2 weeks. Water results on 11/1 are PH = 7.4, Ammonia = 0.0, Nitrite = 0.0 and Nitrate = 10.0 Have been unable to hoover the surface since starting as I am still waiting for my hoover/syphon to arrive from onlineaquariumstore.com that I ordered and paid for in Sept 08 but that's another topic.
I am concerned that I may damage my 'Back to Nature' background by scrubbing off the algae and taking off some of the surface although their website suggests it's pretty tough. I'm down to seven fish and want to go out and purchase some more fish at the weekend and there is opinion that I should get some algae eaters.
Please, would appreciate your comments on cleaning, fish purchase etc, etc.
I would add pictures but I seem to have lost the browse button for adding pictures
