Pleco-less algae control

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JoeMan

Aquarium Advice Activist
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Oct 15, 2016
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Does anyone have ideas for pleco-less chemical-less algae control for a 20 gallon tank? Plecos just poop too much and the rockwork I have doesn't exactly lend itself to hardcore scrubbing
 
What about nerite snails? I keep them in all my tank's and they're hard little workers. They also can't breed in freshwater so you don't have to worry about babies lol
 
I didnt think of snails. Im planning on making it a planted tank though. Would nerites eat many plants?
 
All my tank's are planted and my nerites leave them alone, if you buy the small thorn nerites they will clean algae off the plant's as well. Handy little guy's without all the pooping!
 
I have golden mystery snails and they do a number on algae.

Other ways to reduce algae....

Less lighting. I ran my light for 10-12 hours a day and got a lot of algae build up.

Boost co2. This goes hand and hand with reducing light. Co2 will kill algae off quickly but can kill your fish if you use too much at once

Over feeding. Most common way. If you reduce feeding, the algae won't compete with your fish or live plants for nutrients and should die off.

Those are the 3 tips I was given in the past. I used too much lighting. I reduced it and now my algae is under control

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Adjustable timer for the lighting. Controlling the amount of light is probably the biggest influence on growth of algae. Including a siesta period will help extend tank viewing time but limit light duration.
 
You need to reduce the needs of algae to grow.
Reducing nitrate presence will aid in controlling Algae. That doesn't mean reducing feeding ( as long as you are feeding appropriately) but doing more frequent water changes will help keep nitrates under control.
Light: too much creates green algae and not enough means brown algae. The right amount, combined with food reduction, means no algae. (y)
 
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