Huge algae problem in baby tears tank. Please help

[kashif314]

I need your help please. I have a 16 gallon planted hc cuba tank with pressurized co2 and hc cuba likes bright lights so i have a very very bright light like sun really. Within days i see too much green and black beard algae on dragon rocks. Please suggest how can i overcome this issue.

Livestock is:
_____________

One medium size angelfish.
One betta (Angel and betta are in harmony).
Some Cardinal tetras. (In harmony with all)
One electric blue ram.


I thought about putting otos but heard disappointing stories about angel fish tried to eat oto and choked to death. Also reducing the light is not what i think is a good idea as i tried that and can't reduce light timings for less than 8 hours. Thought about adding a Siamese algae eater but read it grows so big so please suggest what are my options. Algae is growing every day very fast. Please advise. Thanks.

 

[Fresh2o]

I could never keep my rocks clean. Hydrogen peroxide treatments helped somewhat. Otos and Amano shrimp ignored it. Every now and then I would take them out, soak them in a bleach solution overnight, rinse them thoroughly and soak in water + Prime. This would keep them clean for about 2-3 weeks and then the algae would reappear. First green dust algae then BBA later.
I know you did not ask about stocking but the only ones I would keep in there is a decent sized school of cardinals.
Are the lights on a timer?

 

[Delapool]

Can you adjust lights at all? Assuming CO2 and ferts are in excess (as is needed), then lights are the lever. Can you drop off blue light / increase red light at all? I’m running white light 100% and turned off blue light (have extra red light from t5ho).

Liquid carbon dosing is effective over time on BBA / not so effective on green algae I find.

 

[kashif314]

I could never keep my rocks clean. Hydrogen peroxide treatments helped somewhat. Otos and Amano shrimp ignored it. Every now and then I would take them out, soak them in a bleach solution overnight, rinse them thoroughly and soak in water + Prime. This would keep them clean for about 2-3 weeks and then the algae would reappear. First green dust algae then BBA later.
I know you did not ask about stocking but the only ones I would keep in there is a decent sized school of cardinals.
Are the lights on a timer?

Can you adjust lights at all? Assuming CO2 and ferts are in excess (as is needed), then lights are the lever. Can you drop off blue light / increase red light at all? I’m running white light 100% and turned off blue light (have extra red light from t5ho).

Liquid carbon dosing is effective over time on BBA / not so effective on green algae I find.

Unfortunately i can't take out rocks. They are placed inside substrate and also the light has no settings. Just one mood. The store guy has his own very high led places in one aquarium light stand to make it cheaper as aqua branded high lights are very expensive.

And exactly as fresh2o said it was first green algae and then it turned into black beard algae. I can dose flourish excel but it will be a expensive thing to do since i need to dose it daily and also in more than recommended dosage or will it work if i only dose the recommended dosage? I know tank is small but if i put a siamese algae eater will that be fine? My tank is 100 percent snail free and i want to keep it like that as I am sure adding nerites or similar wont entirely solve the problem. Very uncomfortable situation really. Can flourish excel solve this problem entirely with normal dosage or if high dosage than how much?

 

[Fresh2o]

Can you plug the lights into a timer and reduce the duration? That should help some.
Rather than increase the amount of Excel, you can simply spot treat the affected areas using a plastic syringe or similar device. Shut off the filter, apply the Excel, and after 10-20 minutes start up the filter. The lack of flow helps keep the Excel concentrated in the areas it is added.
I dont know enough about SAEs to recommend their use. With the fish you have in there already, it might be pushing it, fish wise.

 

[kashif314]

Can you plug the lights into a timer and reduce the duration? That should help some.
Rather than increase the amount of Excel, you can simply spot treat the affected areas using a plastic syringe or similar device. Shut off the filter, apply the Excel, and after 10-20 minutes start up the filter. The lack of flow helps keep the Excel concentrated in the areas it is added.
I dont know enough about SAEs to recommend their use. With the fish you have in there already, it might be pushing it, fish wise.

Thanks and good idea about the spot treatment. I did that in past for my nano tanks. I didn't do in this tank because algae is everywhere on rocks and i am looking for permanent solution. How about using algacides like api algaefix or something as they claim to use it weekly and will be no algae but i am not sure if its a safe option.

 

[Fresh2o]

I have known folks using API Algae Fix in Planted tanks for algae removal with success. I have not personally used it.

 

[PerfectDepth]

How long are the lights on? Reduce to 4.5 hours until algae subsides. If you don't mind healthy but less compact growth in the HC, you could raise the light fixture to reduce the intensity.

I think your large bioload is going to be a major problem in a high-light setup. Have you ever noticed that the medium light nano setups and even larger tanks with aquascapes that are using very high light usually have just one or two schools of tiny fish? This is to keep dissolved organic content very low which will help balance out algae.