Ways To Combat Algae

[TheChards]

Happy Easter everyone!

Over the last week or so I have been having quite a bit of trouble with green, stringy algae in my low-tech planted tank. It's all over the inside of the tank and there's an ugly, thick coating of it on most of the plants. Clearly I'm doing something wrong so I've done a bit of reading and come up with the following suggestions. I'd be keen to know which people think will be more effective and which could be a waste of time:

1) Less plant fertiliser? I use JBL Ferropol 24 and had been dosing 5 drops (to help the plants get established since they were new) but have now cut this down to 2 drops every morning. I also use API Pro Series Root Tabs but only with the addition of new plants.

2) I use a Red Sea ("Co2 Bio System") CO2 diffuser which is basically just a fermentation device with a powered diffuser. This is on for 12 hours a day at its maximum setting. Could this cause excessive algae?

3) Should I get some Ottos or a Bristlenose Catfish to help out by eating the algae?

4) Should I use some sort of algae killer added to the water? I wouldn't expect most people to recommend this as adding chemicals to the water is generally frowned upon but is this worth a shot?

5) I could use RO water. This isn't something I've used before but the guy in my LFS recommended that it may be the way to go.

6) I read that there is a special type of filter media that can go inside external filters (along with normal filter media) to help combat algae? I don't have an external filter (mine is a Fluval 3 plus) but would consider swapping for one if this could get rid of the algae.

7) If I fed my fish less would they be likely to graze on the algae? There are currently 3 Dwarf Gouramis, 3 Rainbowfish, a pair of Honglsoi and 2 Corys.

Any advice or comments very much appreciated!

Thanks,
Dan

 

[ROSSCO22]

What plants do you have?Ideally you need fast growing stem plants ludwiga camboba ect to out compete the algae for nutrients and adding less fertilizer would make it worse.

The CO2 will not be causing Algae but if the CO2 levels and unstable that will be a trigger for algae.

Some Bristlenose Catfish would help keep the algae down.

Ro water would help but if you were to do 50% water changes per week that would make a big difference.

I would recommend getting an external filter which is much bigger filtering capacity giving good biological filtration which will help beat the algae.

 

[aaronnorth]

if you could ID the specific algae in the algae guide (see sig) then we will be able to help more. Also, please could you list:

tank size
lighting - diameter & wattage
filtration & powerheads
maintenance - water changes & when?

 

[Ficious]

Farlowella acus

 

[TheChards]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies and sorry for the lack of info in my original post...

I can't be certain what the plants are, I don't really know plants very well. They are all quite low-light plants though and they have been growing well so far...

The tank is 33 USG. It has two 24" t8 globes; 1 x Flora-Glo, 1 x Power-Glo which provide about 1.2 wpg if my calculations are correct! They come on for 12 hours a day with a 2-hour break in the middle.

The filtration is provided via an internal Fluval 3 Plus filter. I don't know any more specific details regarding the power heads.

Weekly maintenance is basically a weekly water-change of approximately 30 - 40%, sometimes a little bit less, but rarely more frequently than once a week.

The algae is a little difficult to describe but from the pictures on the algae identification page I'd say it most closely resembles the Rhizoclonium algae in that it is green and quite fibrous, kind of like a very fine cotton. It generally tends to grow on the inside of the tank and it is also coating a lot of the plants. It is easy to scrub off during water changes either by scrubbing it off of the glass or sucking it off of the plants with the syphon.

If anybody has any idea how best to go about eliminating this algae once and for all I would be very grateful!

Many thanks,
Dan

 

[aaronnorth]

firstly, cut the photperiod to 8hrs, and lose the siesta.

to eliminate it you could buy some easycarbo, and dose daily. To get it done quicker then overdose by 3x daily. up this gradually over the course of a few days if you take this appraoch.

You can spot dose - where you squirt the daily dose directly onto the affected areas. This kills it almost immediatley but sometimes not always useful, for example if it is covering the whole of your tank.

Easycarbo is a liquid source of carbon, and as a side affect a mild algaecide.

 

[TheChards]

Thanks for this. Should I be using EasyCarbo alongside the CO2 diffuser I already have or should I turn this off? I wouldn't want to overdose on CO2 or cause pH swings if I can avoid it! Could I not just keep the CO2 diffuser as it is and buy something specific to kill off the algae?

Thanks,
Dan

 

[aaronnorth]

Should I be using EasyCarbo alongside the CO2 diffuser I already have or should I turn this off?

keep both going,

easycarbo doesnt cause pH swings. It is not a gas, the reason the pH drops when you inject CO2 is because of the carbonic acids produced.

Easycarbo is made up of the chemical gluteraldehyde, then this goes through various chemical processes within the plant, and carbon is made available.

you wont overdose on CO2, easycarbo does not raise CO2 levels, it raises carbon levels. It may become toxic at higher levels, however, i have sucessfully dosed 5x the reccomended amount on numerous occasions without any adverse affects.

Buying algaecides, not only kills algae, but plants aswell. And sometimes, to achieve the correct level it can have a bad affect on the fish.

 

[TheChards]

Thanks for your explanation Aaron, it is very much appreciated!

Should I continue to dose with the JBL Ferropol 24 in addition to the Easycarbo? I've also read that apparently moving the water outlet of the filter so that it does not disturb the surface of the water may help to reduce algae as algae thrives when the surface is disrupted in this way. Not sure about it myself, but I'll do anything to help get rid of it!

Thanks,
Dan

 

[sandfire]

Easycarbo is a liquid source of carbon, and as a side affect a mild algaecide.

I created a algae farm in my 180l tank. It has a 150 watt metal halide, external Tetratec filter and homemade CO2 (yeast) system which did not make a dent.

I got every algae you can think of at one point, but since increasing the water movement with internal power heads and using easycarbo morning and afternoon I have no algae at all and the plants have been growing like crazy. I have to dose with ferts everyday to keep up with the rapid growth.

It took a few weeks and I removed the very badly effected leaves and pulled out the stag algae by hand, but its now pretty much algae free, only algae left is on the bog wood and thats kept in check by SAE and Cherry Shrimps.

 

[aaronnorth]

Thanks for your explanation Aaron, it is very much appreciated!

Should I continue to dose with the JBL Ferropol 24 in addition to the Easycarbo? I've also read that apparently moving the water outlet of the filter so that it does not disturb the surface of the water may help to reduce algae as algae thrives when the surface is disrupted in this way. Not sure about it myself, but I'll do anything to help get rid of it!

Thanks,
Dan

yes, carry on dosing otherwise the lack of nutrients may bring on more algae!

wow sandfire, 150w MH over a 180l!! Thats crazy lol

 

[sandfire]

wow sandfire, 150w MH over a 180l!! Thats crazy lol

I know, its like a airport landing pad over the tank, but it was on offer so I had to have it! Its Ok I supply the fish with sunglasses

lol

 

[TheChards]

Hey guys, thanks so much for all your assistance so far.

Here is a quick update on what I intend to do/ am doing based on advice from this thread...


Things I've changed:

- Revert back to adding 5-drops a day (the amount I was dosing originally) of my daily fertiliser (JBL Ferropol 24)

- Easycarbo is in the post, I will start dosing with this as soon as I get it and see how I get on

- Reduced the length of time the lights are on down to 8-hours a day; from 2pm to 10pm

- Adding 4 Ottos and a Bristlenose Catfish at the weekend hopefully

- Increase the amount of water I change with each PWC from 30 - 40% to 50% once a week and possibly do a smaller 20 - 30% PWC mid-week if necessary

- Moved the filter so that it is further down and doesn't disturb the surface of the water too much


Things I haven't changed:

- CO2 diffuser is still running for 12 hours a day from 10am to 10pm

- Still using tap water as opposed to RO water

- Still feeding fish once a day, every day apart from Sundays


I'm hoping this will all contribute towards getting rid of the algae as quickly as possible. If not, I will consider getting an external filter and some anti-algae filter media to see if this helps. Has anyone reading this tried this before? The extra money it would cost and effort to get it cycled mean this would be very much a last resort that I can do without if it's unlikely to make any difference!

Many thanks,
Dan

 

[aaronnorth]

I'm hoping this will all contribute towards getting rid of the algae as quickly as possible. If not, I will consider getting an external filter and some anti-algae filter media to see if this helps. Has anyone reading this tried this before? The extra money it would cost and effort to get it cycled mean this would be very much a last resort that I can do without if it's unlikely to make any difference!

i tried it a few year bak when i had a biube, i noticed no difference. I think the media is supposed to bind the algae together, so the filter can remove it easier. However it is only useful for green water if that is the case!