algae growth

[Jaybird]

I haven't had much algae in my tank but lately some has really started to take hold.

I've noticed that the glass top, on one side, gets green algae growing on it, and along the edges of some of my plants there is some hair-algae growing.

Should I try reducing the intensity or duration of my lighting? Are there other options for control?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Do you have an airstone or the filter on the side that has the green algae growing on the hood? Do you have fake or real plants?

 

[Jaybird]

I have real plants. The only plants it doesn't seem to take to are the swords and the cabomba.

The side where the algae is growing on the glass top has the output of the canister filter nearby, but the intake is on the opposite site.

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

How long do you leave the lights on each day?

How often do you do water changes? Have you tested the nitrate level in the tank?

 

[jcarlilesiu]

I get some algae on the glass top near my filter out put too. The splashing holds droplets on the top of the glass, which is stagnent and out of the water column, thus grows algae. I wipe it off every water change. I don't however have any algae in my water column with the exception of green spot algae which is apparently an indicator of good water quality. i wouldn't worry about the algae on the top too much, but the ones covering your plants and glass needs to get taken care of. Do you inject CO2?

 

[Jaybird]

Nope, no CO2. The algae on the plants, and I have spotted some on the rocks, is a wispy and hair-like. I've reset the timer on the lights to try less light.

The nitrates in the tank never get a chance to get all that high. I do 50% PWCs every week, and a gravel vac while I am doing it.

There is some algae spotting on the glass too, but it's a different kind. Jut a light-green little blotch. I've stopped giving the plecos (a sailfin and king scribble) any algae tablets until they start doing their job properly

 

[jcarlilesiu]

I would think that the green algae on the glass is fuzz algae. An annoyance but an easy one to take care of. Usually a result of too much light, or direct sunlight.

The wispy algae is most likely hair algae, dark green and a few inches long. A tangled mess that usually has a very vegatative smell when removed from the water. I have found that this type of algae is representative of excess iron, from dosing or your tap, that isn't being utilized by your plants.

If you are having trouble keeping nitrates up due to low bioload, i would advise you to dose NO3.

www.gregwatson.com

He offers straight pottasium nitrate. Pottasium should be dosed anyway. Most likely your plants, which need nitrates to grow, are becoming stagnent due to lack of that macro nutrient, so the excess nutrients (like iron) are being utilized by algae consumption.

Most algae is caused by a nutrient imbalance in the tank. Get those worked out and the live plants will out compete the algae for nutrients.

HTH

 

[Jaybird]

Actually, I just bought some small darkish wedges that are put into the gravel to help fertilize the plants. I'll check the box to see if it's actually potassium nitrate.

I never knew that algae can be a product of a nutrient imbalance in the tank.

Thanks.