Algae problem

[Owp]

I have a 60 litre tank with 6 white cloud minnows in and the tank has quite a lot of green algae as well as brown. I do 15% water changes weekly because there aren’t many fish for the tank size and I recently bought a new ornament which has already started growing algae on. The light is on 5 hours a day to try and reduce it but I’m not sure if the light itself is the problem. What should I do?

 

[ZxC]

Make/Model/Color spectrum of the light?

Usually without CO2 injection, heavy plant loads or algae eating cleanup crews, you’ll just have to get into the habit of cleaning the tank for algae once a week, or whenever you do a water change.

 

[King Fisher]

Try a live marimo moss ball and a couple plants.

 

[King Fisher]

You could also add a cherry shrimp

 

[Potluck]

No they can't just "add a cherry shrimp" [emoji44] as shrimp are super sensitive and if their water isn't set up for them they will die.

What are your readings for the tank? ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph temp?

If you have plants already how many /what kind are you dosing ferts? If so what fert are you dosing and how much?

Does the tank get direct sunlight from a window?

I would do bigger water changes 25-30% no matter what fish you have and how many just because nitrates (plant nutrient aka algae) build up and the only way to remove them to a lower level is by water changes (another reason you can't just add shrimp) because they are sensitive to water changes.

 

[Owp]

Make/Model/Color spectrum of the light?

Usually without CO2 injection, heavy plant loads or algae eating cleanup crews, you’ll just have to get into the habit of cleaning the tank for algae once a week, or whenever you do a water change.

Hi Thankyou for replying I am unsure of the light as the tank wasn’t new and came with a bulb that has been going for a long time. It is one of the fluorescent tube lights.

 

[Owp]

Try a live marimo moss ball and a couple plants.

Thanks but I do already have Marino moss balls and several different plants as well as cherry shrimp.

 

[Owp]

No they can't just "add a cherry shrimp" [emoji44] as shrimp are super sensitive and if their water isn't set up for them they will die.

What are your readings for the tank? ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph temp?

If you have plants already how many /what kind are you dosing ferts? If so what fert are you dosing and how much?

Does the tank get direct sunlight from a window?

I would do bigger water changes 25-30% no matter what fish you have and how many just because nitrates (plant nutrient aka algae) build up and the only way to remove them to a lower level is by water changes (another reason you can't just add shrimp) because they are sensitive to water changes.

I do not currently have a test kit but I’ve been looking at the api master test kit for a while but it’s quite expensive. I do have ammonia test strips but I have ran out of nitrate and nitrite strips but I know they can be inaccurate anyway. The temperature is 22oC

I have quite a few plants i have a large amazon sword plant, fern, anacharis, Marimo moss balls. I also have Indian almond leaves in and a small piece of driftwood. I dose api leafzone weekly.

I already have 3 red cherry shrimp and am planning to maybe add more. Also I have many small snails that have taken over which do help the algae problem a bit but there are quite a lot now though I’m unsure of the species they came on a plant. I will do bigger water changes and clean of the algae and hope this works Thankyou for the help.

 

[Potluck]

I do not currently have a test kit but I’ve been looking at the api master test kit for a while but it’s quite expensive. I do have ammonia test strips but I have ran out of nitrate and nitrite strips but I know they can be inaccurate anyway. The temperature is 22oC

I have quite a few plants i have a large amazon sword plant, fern, anacharis, Marimo moss balls. I also have Indian almond leaves in and a small piece of driftwood. I dose api leafzone weekly.

I already have 3 red cherry shrimp and am planning to maybe add more. Also I have many small snails that have taken over which do help the algae problem a bit but there are quite a lot now though I’m unsure of the species they came on a plant. I will do bigger water changes and clean of the algae and hope this works Thankyou for the help.

Okay so the api master freshwater test kit is in my opinion the most important thing for a fish tank besides of course filtration /heater etc etc.

Your nitrates could be super high from the fert dosing, fish waste which would explain the algae, plants only consume enough ferts they need avd the rest goes to the algae which doesn't need much, I would cut your fert dosing in half, I know shrimp are very sensitive to water changes do I find feel comfortable telling you to do bigger ones, stick to what you're doing at 15%, cut your fert dose in half and see if your plants still grow but your algae starts to diminish, so you run co2? If not do you use excel? If neither I would look into excel and dose that daily or 2-3 times a week, it's liquid carbon and also an algaecide (there's products out there that are the dance thing that are cheaper I just can't remember the name, think it's glut others will be able to tell you exactly what is called you just throw the activator that comes with it away)

I dose thrive 2 pumps 1x weekly if I do 3 pumps I get algae and excel 3 times weekly, and I think I've find a good balance for what I have, it's all about balancing the tank.

 

[smallfry53]

Hi Thankyou for replying I am unsure of the light as the tank wasn’t new and came with a bulb that has been going for a long time. It is one of the fluorescent tube lights.

This could very well be a large part of your problem. Fluorescent bulbs lose strength over time. For aquarium use they should probably be changed every 6-12 months depending on how long they are on, etc.

I also agree that you are probably not changing out enough water every week, which is probably also contributing to the problem.