Tank too near the windows?

[Yodlem]

Did i put my tank too near the windows?

b.c I have an ongoing problem with algae in the water...

Someone said a couple of months ago that there may be an imbalance in the water or smt.

I jsut did a gravel vaccuum clean if that makes any difference

here's a picture of where my tank is:

[MyCatsDrool]

How long has teh tank been set up? What kind of fish in it? How many? NH3, NO2, NO3 readings?


Are the blinds usually open or closed? How many hours a day are the lights on over the tank?

[Yodlem]

since last year april, not sure about the readings yet. I might go out and buy the test kit today so perhaps i'll post it later

blinds to the right usualy open during the day, and at night they close, the ones on the left are usually closed

Okay the way i put my lighting is weird:
Usually during the weekday i turn it on from 6:20 AM in the morning (I go to school) and feed them.
I come back at around 3:00 PM and then feed them again, then turn off the lights for about an hour or two, then turn them back on and then feed them again around 6 pm or 7 pm, then before i go to sleep around 10pm or 9pm i turn off the lights for good.

The weekend i turn on the lights at around 10:00am or so then i feed them then. i then feed them again at 4 and turn off the lights for an hour or two...and then it follows the same pattern pretty much.

[MyCatsDrool]

Ok, to first get rid of the algae that is there already:

72 hour black out. No lights. No feeding. Cover the tank with a blanket or towels so no light can get in. NO PEEKING for 72 hours. Don't worry, the fish will be fine not eating for 72 hours.


After the 72 hours, you can remove the cover and return to lighting. Try a more stable lighting schedule of 10 hours a day, no off time. Turn 'em on in the morning, turn 'em off 10 hours later.

Reduce feedings to once a day. Feed only waht they fully consume in 2 minutes, then net out any leftovers. In a 10 gallon tank, this would be about a half a pinch.


More often than not, algae is the result of overfeeding and insufficent lighting, or extreme lighting and over feeding. Balance the lighting, reduce feedings, and after the blackout it should not come back.

[Fishyfanatic]

I would increase your water changes to get the phosphates down and do a deep gravel vac. Cut back the feeding to once per day.

[tropicfishman]

I like the little snowman sticker on your tank lol

[Yodlem]

Originally Posted by tropicfishman

I like the little snowman sticker on your tank lol

thanks heheh

and I'll try to do that and see what happens

[FishOCD]

If the flourescent tank bulbs are more than a year old, replace them. Old bulbs still look bright but their spectrum changes and encourages algae. (But if all the algae is on the window side of the tank, it's definately the sunlight.)