Cleaning and stocking question

[The Prime]

I'm sure none of you remember me, but I was around in October asking for help in setting up my 55 gallon tank.

So far, it's coming along excellently. I've got 6 zebra Danios, and 1 blue gourami.

My cleaning question is this: a small bit of algae has formed on the wall of my tank. The tank has been up for a good two months, and this is the first I've seen of that. Do I just need an aquarium sponge thingy to clean it off, or is there some sort of preventive maintenance that I can implement to prevent it from spreading?

On to the stocking question:

I'd like to expand my fishie inventory. Given my current stocking selections (above), what would you recommend I add to give the tank a little more life and color? The danios are quite small compared to the tank; I was considering some larger fish.

I was also thinking of moving these nonagressive fish to a smaller tank that I'll soon be setting up for my cousin, and picking up some cichlids to replace them. If I go for that option, is there anything I specifically need to worry about?

Thanks in advance for all of your help, I really appreciate it.

 

[courtnee]

I am not much help as I am still new to this. I have a 55gl too as well and I have algae growing. I have a snail so I welcome some growth. LOL I get to focus more on giving the snail treats this way.

This is what I have been doing. It is right? I dunno but it works for me. I do this with my 10gl tank as well I have had it up for awhile now.

I am on a schedule. The algae part... I have seen scrappers etc at the LFS, but I went with a little green pad and it works great.

Every two weeks I clean off the front glass. It has a film on it, and I know there is good bacteria on there too so I dont do the back glass as often as a bubble curtain hides it When I do the back wall I will NOT do the front. That is alot of glass surface if you think about it with some good stuff on it too.

I may skip cleaning off the glass and will during a PWC take out my fake plants gathering the "fuzz" as I call it and I will clean off only the areas that have fuzz in the PWC bucket, so I dont kill my bacteria and I leave most of it alone. Just get the yuckies.

I am all over it in a schedule and watch it. I want it for the snail but I dont want a ton of it. I dont want to add something to kill it as I like to add as little as possible to my tank.

That is what I do.

 

[TomK2]

Eventually, the green algae adheres to the glass and needs some hard scraping. A razor blade, single edge of course, takes it right off. Some of the scrapers have a razor blade built into them. Stay away from the silicone sealant with a razor blade. With no direct or indirect sunlight, I have to scrape only a few times a year.

 

[drobertson]

My tanks are not in direct sunlight so once or twice a month I use a mag float to clean glass. I only use a razor blade or stiff scraper if a tank is have big issues. for general maint. I just use the mag float.

 

[ryan]

you cxan also just use a plastic card thats what i use it cleans the glass easily even the green spot algea.