algea help

Subject: algea help 4/13/2011, 8:16 pm

how do i get rid of algea in my tank, no clue thought i'd ask yall

thanks
justin

Subject: Re: algea help 4/13/2011, 8:36 pm

Well, an algae free tank is a result of a balance of light nutrients and co2. It's kind of up to you to find the balance. How long are the lights on each day? Is there any direct sunlight hitting the tank? Do You do REGULAR partial water changes? Are there plants in the tank? If so some fast growing plants such as anacharis take nutrients directly from the water column. That will leave less food for the algae. I'm assuming you are not addding co2. A bit more info is needed....like what lights you have, color rating, and duration of on/off cycle. What plants are in the tank? What inhabitants are in there. Keep trying, and we will try to work you through it.

Subject: Re: algea help 4/13/2011, 9:28 pm

forgot the name of them but the lights fixture is a duel bulb, dont have many plants because my convicts dig them up. would an algea eater help any and some plants. i turn the lights on when i get up and turn them off 30 min to an hour before i go to bed

Subject: Re: algea help 4/14/2011, 12:20 am

Sounds like you have some intense lighting from the fixture, and it could be a combination of several things causing the algae. Strong lights that are on like 15-18 hours a day, might be over feeding and the leftover food is fueling algae growth, water quality...

Subject: Re: algea help 4/14/2011, 8:02 am

I know cories would help but can put them in there because of my 14" bichir. Any suggestions

Subject: Re: algea help 4/14/2011, 8:24 am

Cories won't help much. Though I've got two bichirs around 10-12" and they don't mess with them. Did try a bristlenose pleco - didn't last a weekend with them. Now, I have thrown three nerite snails and one mystery snail in there - and they're doing so well that the mystery snail (a female from my snail breeding tank) has been laying eggs like crazy! So I'd recommend snails. They even survive the two young dempseys in that Bichir tank.

As for plants. Try putting them in pots and sinking pots with big rocks over the top. The bichirs/cichlids love hiding in plants. Amazon swords have done well with mine - even with a pair of herbivor crayfish in the tank! Duckweed and floating anacarus also does well.