What is this in my tank?

[astronomicallee123]

I have cleaned this out a few times in the past 2 weeks and it comes back after a day or so. Any idea what It is?

 

[patrickriley2010]

I have cleaned this out a few times in the past 2 weeks and it comes back after a day or so. Any idea what It is?

Those black oily looking blobs or the algae on squidwards house

 

[astronomicallee123]

Well the black "oily" blobs are just air bubbles from the background I am using. The thing you are calling algae is what I'm concerned about

 

[Mudfrog]

It's just algae. Usually caused by high nitrates and too much light. Have you checked your water parameters?

 

[Mebbid]

It's just algae. Usually caused by high nitrates and too much light. Have you checked your water parameters?

+1

How long are you running your lights for? Keep in mind, algae isn't really a big issue unless it gets completely out of control. It will grow on just about every aquarium. Although in heavily planted tanks it has a harder time growing than it does in normal tanks.

 

[patrickriley2010]

Your fine just a little algae no biggy the bubbles concerned me it looked like mercury or something

 

[Mebbid]

Your fine just a little algae no biggy the bubbles concerned me it looked like mercury or something

That would officially be the worst aquarium decoration EVER

 

[Rivercats]

How old is the tank? It almost looks like diatoms which is normal in newly set up tanks. Also only run your lights on for 6 hours a day until the algae issue is resolved. How often do you do water changes and how much do you change weekly? Do you know what your nitrate level is? The reason you get algae in a tank is because there is an imbalance and until you correct the problem the algae will keep reoccurring.

 

[NinjaNomad196]

If you don't like it I recommend an algae eater, it won't move around much, and isn't affected by the 1 inch per gallon rule. Pretty much it'll eat algae from the floors, decor, walls, etc.

 

[Wolfsblood]

If you don't like it I recommend an algae eater, it won't move around much, and isn't affected by the 1 inch per gallon rule. Pretty much it'll eat algae from the floors, decor, walls, etc.

Terrible advice. The algae eater isnt affected by the inch per gallon rule because that is a bogus rule anyway. Nearly all algae eaters contribute a ton of waste to the aquarium which in turn causes more nitrates for the algae to feed on. Buying an algae eater because you have an algae problem is simply fixing the end result of the problem and doing nothing to address the cause.

 

[Rivercats]

Not all algae eaters eat all kinds of algae and some algae no algae eater will eat. And if an algae eater is a fish it does in fact count towards your bio-load as does any living creature you add into a tank. Any algae eater should be gotten to aid in algae control not to try to fix the problem.

 

[Mudfrog]

Otos have a small bio load and are pretty good with algae control. Not a fix all though.

 

[mollymom]

Hi,
you worried about the algae? Well, I had TERRIBLE green spot algae in my fifty gallon and came across Nerite Snails....There AWESOME!!! It's supposed to be 1 snail for every gallon, but I didn't really want to do that. So, I got 30 for my fifty gal. Give em' a couple days to do the "deep clean" then after that....NO MORE ALGAE!!!! There are just the normal Olive Nerites but they have, zebra, tan, black, white....You'd think they reproduce like crazy, but no! They do not reproduce in freshwater!!! Only in brackish and saltwater!! Getting nerites was the best thing I could've done!!! Oh yeah, they only get to about an inch or a little smaller!
Hope I helped!!

 

[thomasina]

Not all algae eaters eat all kinds of algae and some algae no algae eater will eat. And if an algae eater is a fish it does in fact count towards your bio-load as does any living creature you add into a tank. Any algae eater should be gotten to aid in algae control not to try to fix the problem.

+1 Advise from Rivercats is the best. Check out her tanks. If you follow her words, you will have a great tank. Rivercats sure helped me and my tank, and still does! Some Nerita smaills don't eat everything. I have them, ramshead, cory (4) and two red fin oto.