Algie...?

[e burna]

I'm wondering, is a little algy in a 29 gallon freshwater tanks going to hurt much if I don't scrape it out? I have live plants, 2 bulbs, and 14 fish. Nice set. up. 7 cory's, a loach and a pleco in the bunch. Anyway, if I don't clean all the algae, will in it anyway affect anything in the tank? Thanks for reading.

 

[mattrox]

Algae doesn't harm fish unless there is TONS of it. If there is a huge abount of algae and it dies and rots then there is trouble, but I have not heard of that happening in an aquarium becuse it looks so bad people do something about it before it gets like that.

You don't need to clean it all off, just so you can see into the tank. I don't fuss too much about algae. I just scrape off what looks unsightly on the glass.

 

[Guest]

It really depends on the type of algae. Could you give us a pic?
If it's just green spot algae on the glass and some plant leaves, no big deal. If it's Cyanobacteria (green or black slime algae), you have problems. Many types of hair algae, brush algae, or string algae can also be problematic.

 

[e burna]

I don't have pic, but it's just spotty algae that looks to be green or brown in color on the glass, I noticed some around the filter as well.

 

[Quake2player]

Algae scraping off the glass becomes part of the normal maintenance routines... I've gotten into the habit of scraping once I see just a few small dots showup, usually near the gravel in front where the sunlight hits during the day. I don't bother with the back of the tank as I have filtration tubes there and plants close to the glass... hard to get to.
I find I do this about once every 2 weeks.

Before when I had plastic plants... the algae was more annoying cause I really coudn't clean it off (those plastic plants can fall apart on ya!)... but it seemed like my Rosey barbs had a ball nipping at it all the time... so there was no harm, just unsitely looking.

 

[Guest]

don't have pic, but it's just spotty algae that looks to be green or brown in color on the glass, I noticed some around the filter as well.

Not a guarantee, but that sounds like the "green spot" algae we pretty much all have. No worries!

 

[frog girl]

I just scrape one pane of my hex tank so I have a good view & let the ottos work on the other 5. They keep it all mowed down to an acceptable level & I think they like the fresh food better than if I was trying to feed algae discs.

 

[e burna]

Speaking of the algae and stuff that the bottom cleaners eat, I just shuffled around my gravel a bit, (installing a bubble wall) and their was a little sediment stirred around. Is this edible to cory's, clown loach, and pleco?

 

[mattrox]

Some might be (algae clumps). But I suspect most won't be (detritus).