I have a big algae problem in my 60L/15gal which is all over the tank. There is brown algae on the gravel and green algae on everything else. I only recently bought new ornaments, some live plants and driftwood but they are now covered in algae. I only have my led light on for around 8 hours per day and I change 20% of the water weekly. I am thinking of moving the fish into another of my tanks and taking everything out and have only live plants in the tank. I might try to take the filter out which is a juwel compact and replace it as it is quite old. Does anyone recommend me doing this or any foreground, midground and background plants?
Changing my tank
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Brown algae is caused by high silicates in the water. There are silicate absorbing media that can be put in the filter. As far as live plants for front to back, the Elodea Anacharis grows tall and fast for the background and handles trimming well. The mid- range could be Amazon swords and guppy grass for the front, but there are quite a few other plants as well.
Where can I get silicate absorbing filter media does it have a special name? Also the big problem isn’t the brown algae it is the green algae. I have a few strands of anacharis already and have an amazon sword plant that is covered in green algae. Thanks for the reply
Fresh2o
Aquarium Advice Addict
Do you have a pic? Just wondering if this might be blue green algae (BGA) aka Cyanobacteria. Not really an algae, it is more like slime mold and can be quite invasive if not properly managed. Can appear greenish or bluish in color. Will form sheets over substrate, plants, and glass.
Unless you have some sort of mega aquarium shop close by, you can ask one of the chain stores like Petsmart to order it for you. The aquarium hobby gets limited to the most major problems like ammonia, so shops don't like to carry rare inventory that will take up space for more quickly selling items. But try ordering.
It appears to me that you have a couple problems going on. I could see the fuzziness on the plant in the last plant that looked like typical green algae. But your first pic of what looks like some sort of little wall is completely covered with a thin layer of what was referred to as cyanobacteria or mold like growth. Silicate removing media would help with the green algae, but I'm not sure about the slime like growth. Scraping is definitely in order for the growth on the little wall like structure. The scraping will cause probably ribbons of the material to come off at a time that you can scoop out with a net. Be prepared for small particles to fly around. Get some silicate remover first and add it before you do any scrubbing or scraping. Otherwise, any small particles could just settle elsewhere if your filter doesn't grab them. Your tank has some beautiful area otherwise. I like it. Good luck.
Thankyou. I will get some silicate absorbing filter media but every time I throw out an ornament and buy a new one or scrub the walls down it just grows back. Hopefully it won’t once I’ve added the silicate remover. Do you know/recommend any silicate remover/ media that is available in the uk? By the way the ‘wall like structure’ is the filter it is so big and doesn’t look very nice but unfortunately it’s built in.
coralbandit
Aquarium Advice Addict
You can bleach your ornaments instead of throw them out.
1 part bleach 9 parts water. Let soak 1/2 hour and scrub. Should come off.
Algae will grow even in healthy tanks. Your best defense is to manually remove all you can.
For some algae H202 applied with a syringe or turkey baster will kill it.
Turn your lights down to 6 hours IMO.
No matter what the excess nutrient is the light fuels it.
Here is a quick algae guide ;
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...sh.org/algae&usg=AOvVaw0b-JlTLqyTFUBqFH571WKv
1 part bleach 9 parts water. Let soak 1/2 hour and scrub. Should come off.
Algae will grow even in healthy tanks. Your best defense is to manually remove all you can.
For some algae H202 applied with a syringe or turkey baster will kill it.
Turn your lights down to 6 hours IMO.
No matter what the excess nutrient is the light fuels it.
Here is a quick algae guide ;
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...sh.org/algae&usg=AOvVaw0b-JlTLqyTFUBqFH571WKv
To be honest, kind of like the green covering on your filter. To me it gives the tank a more natural reef look, but I know it won't sray where it is...it will spread! I'm not familiar with areas in the UK to get products, but I know you have access to Google on the internet. Go to Google and type in "silicate remover for aquariums" and you may find some sources to order it yourself.
I also saw the suggestion about using H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide). I don't disagree with it's use if you look up proper procedures and dosage. But too much H2O2 can act like an oxidizer (bleach) on the gills of fish and kill them if not properly dosed so it can break down into water and free hydrogen which will dissipate.
Sorry about a mistake above. H2O2 breaks down into water and free oxygen...not water and free hydrogen. Don't know what I was thinking. I happen to be a retired chemist...my bad!
Thanks for the reply I will reduce my light time to 6 hours and bleach my ornaments (is it safe to bleach them?) and I guess I’ll have to throw out the plants that are covered in algae. What is h202? And one more question, I have loads of snails all over the tank that have multiplied a lot over time, I know they do eat some of the algae but could they be contributing to the algae problem?
Thank you I will do that. Yeah the filter does look better with the algae on but everywhere else it doesn’t.
enrgizerbunny
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'd say a blackout is in order! No lights for 3 days (don't worry your plants will be fine). Then gradually introduce light a couple hours at a time.
Limit your lights to no longer than 2-3 hours at a time, with a long break in between. If you haven't already, you may want to test your nitrates to see where you're at.
Controlling nutrients is important, but controlling light is far less work, and arguably more important since algae requires very little in the way of nutrients to grow.
Limit your lights to no longer than 2-3 hours at a time, with a long break in between. If you haven't already, you may want to test your nitrates to see where you're at.
Controlling nutrients is important, but controlling light is far less work, and arguably more important since algae requires very little in the way of nutrients to grow.
H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide and you have to be very careful using it in the presence of fish. I don't recommend it's use unless you've done some research on how to properly use it. As far as the snails go, their waste also eventually breaks down into nitrates which feeds algae. In short, snails produce as much algae as they eat.
Oh...the more snails you have, the less available oxygen you will have for fish. Snails use up oxygen too.
Ok i have turned the light off and will leave it for a few days I hope this helps. Thanks for the reply.
Ok thanks I don’t think I’ll use hydrogen peroxide but I think I might have to move the fish into another tank after I’ve tried all the different options and take everything out to get rid of the snail infestation. I’ll move the fish back after I’ve filtered the tank again.
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