Controlling Algae

[NewToFish1989]

How do you all control algae? It really irritates me and makes my tank look ugly and only grows on the back walls of the tank. I scrape it off and is back again within 2 weeks.

My water parameters are good:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm

My lights go on at 10AM and go off around 9PM. I've also tried algae treatments, didn't work so haven't bothered since. What's the real cause of it? Fish don't seem bothered but my gourami's love it and always pecking at it lol

 

[MonkeyMonk86]

People use Seachem's Excel or metracide 14. Follow higher dose instructions for 1st dose. If added via syringe spot treat, also. Later on here is a calculator for using them as alternate to CO2.
http://rota.la/glut/

Cut lighting back to two 3 hr periods with long off time between them.

After everything is under control you could try this. Algae are really good to have. http://youtu.be/qGLnBvDkaO0

 

[phishiephishie]

Your lights are on for way too long try cutting it down to 6 hours and see if that helps

 

[sallyjano]

I had the same problem so read up on it and found that algae needs 2 things: light and nutrients. Feed light(er) to avoid extra nutrients in the water. And as said above reduce the lighting by several hours. I did that on my tanks and now all is good. On my QT tank I don't turn on the lights at all and have barely even seen any algae!