Algae Problem

[Manic Fury]

As the title says, I'm having an algae problem that I've been fighting for the past month.

I tested my water yesterday and everything is normal.

Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-~5

I've done multiple water changes throughout the week. Before I change the water I usually scrub the substrate, tank walls, and decorations in the tank water to suspend them in the water so I can suck them up.

I even tried blacking out the tank for 3 days. That slowed it down a bit but still came back.

The algae looks green with some black/blue spots in some areas. It's growing these stringy green things.

I can provide a picture later if you would like.

Please help me get rid of this abomination!

 

[IllusionX]

What kind of fish do you have in there?

Anyways, so far, in my experience, algae will always grow as long as there is light and living organisms in the tank. So you either scrub like you did, or get something that will eat some of these algae.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Algae always grows in tanks. Whether it's a full blown takeover or not even noticeable it's always there.

Yours is looking like Green Hair Algae(GHA)

That's great water parameters so we can rule that out

Here are some other possible reasons for algae:
1. Over feeding- leftover food gets dissolved in to water.
2. Lights on too long- unless it's a heavily planted tank requiring more light- the general rule is no more than 8 hours per day.

In planted tanks: (if yours is planted)
1. Excess nutrients- if you dose fertilizers your plants might not be absorbing all the nutrients provided, giving room for algae to absorb them and grow.

2. Too strong light- I actually deal with this myself. In my planted tank my light is slightly too strong and I fight GSA on my glass and rocks.

Maybe this will help and we can get too the bottom of it!


Caleb

Sent via TARDIS

 

[IllusionX]

Oh, I have GSA in my 65g community. I've been scrapping off the glass but the rocks I put in there is simply too fragile to brush those off.
Probably low co2 and too much light here...

/thread hijack.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Oh, I have GSA in my 65g community. I've been scrapping off the glass but the rocks I put in there is simply too fragile to brush those off.
Probably low co2 and too much light here...

/thread hijack.

I'm thinking mine is nutrient overdose and not enough co2 I'm playing around with it because it was trying to make a wall on my back glass till I scraped it off. I just let it grow on my rocks. Gives a bit of a natural feel and algae isn't actually bad for a tank of kept in control it's just unappealing.


Caleb

Sent via TARDIS

 

[Manic Fury]

The fish I currently have:

5 Harlequin Rosboras
4 Cory Cats
1 Swordtail Platy

I don't overfeed. Only feed them every 2 days and make sure to feed as much as they will eat in 2 mins.

My filter has been giving me problems recently (I'll probably make a separate post about that in the Hardware section) so it hasn't been filtering correctly. When I do my water changes, I pick up tons of waste that my filter simply isn't pulling in. Could be the problem.

Also, I replaced the bulbs in my lights. I couldn't find my regular bulbs but I had 1 Color Enchancing and 1 Plant bulb. The plant bulb is meant for planted tanks but I don't have any plants.

I'm thinking that the combination of bad filter and strong lighting could be the problem. Let me know what you guys think.

 

[IllusionX]

The filter isn't meant to pick up all the wastes in the gravel.

If you don't have any plants, you could also simply take out one of the 2 bulbs. (I think you meant fluorescent tubes)

 

[ImACoolguy]

The filter isn't meant to pick up all the wastes in the gravel.

If you don't have any plants, you could also simply take out one of the 2 bulbs. (I think you meant fluorescent tubes)

Yes and start gravel vacuuming. This will help cleanup what the filter misses.


Caleb

Sent via TARDIS

 

[Manic Fury]

So you think I should take out a bulb?

Also, is there any way to completely get rid of the algae? Or just slow it down and cut them back? Because like someone said earlier, you will always have algae in your tank, no matter how much you clean it.

 

[ImACoolguy]

So you think I should take out a bulb?



Also, is there any way to completely get rid of the algae? Or just slow it down and cut them back? Because like someone said earlier, you will always have algae in your tank, no matter how much you clean it.

It's all a balance. I would cut a bulb, most algae you can wipe it off rocks, decor, glass etc.


Caleb

Sent via TARDIS