Killing Algae with darkness? How Long, does it work?

[chesspupil]

Not sure this is true, so let me get your opinion:

I recently saw a blog post that reccomended taking care of an Algae problem by use of double layered black trash bags with an air supply present to ensure oxygenation during blackout.

The stipulation was no light... not even to feed the fish... treat darker than a film dark-room, and to do so for at least five days. Feedings occurring in darkenss!

The reason for total darkness was that the algae only need a tiny amount of light... like a peak to check on the fish or a water test or a feeding with some side light spilling in was like a man dying of thirst... a little bit of water would extend life for a few days. The end result was some whiteish debris where you algae use to be if you did it right.

So my question is:

Have you tried it?
How effective is it?
Does it need to be done longer?
What did you use to cover up the tank?
How long did the treatment appear to be effective?

 

[mfdrookie516]

we call those blackouts. and yes, they are very effective. But, that's usually only a final last attempt at clearing algae. Are you having an issue? Typically, algae can be taken care of with a few simple adjustments.

-Up the water changes. Clean water is, IMO, the first thing to do for ANY issue in an aquarium. I do no less than 50% weekly and I really think this is a big reason I have never (knock on wood) had any major issues with fish health, algae, etc.

-Limit the feedings. I feed every other day. There's no reason to feed any more than this unless you are feeding fry or select fish (typically juvies) that need multiple feedings to grow in to big, strong, healthy fish.

-Limit the light. Even in a planted tank, more than 8 hours of light is typically more than necessary. In tanks without live plants, aquarium lights only need to be on when you want to see the fish (as long as there is some ambient light in the room). My non planted tanks never had the aquarium light on unless I was taking pictures or needed to look at them during feeding time.

 

[EndlersEatGuppies]

+1

 

[chesspupil]

Fishman,

Why"+1"?

 

[EndlersEatGuppies]

+1 means i agree

 

[20GT]

would it not be better to pump your water to a box that has total light 24 hours a day and back to the tank because Algae needs a certain amount of darkness to photosynthesize?

 

[Gubernaculum86]

would it not be better to pump your water to a box that has total light 24 hours a day and back to the tank because Algae needs a certain amount of darkness to photosynthesize?

Yes algae does need some darkness but it is actually undergoing respiration not photosynthesis, the same process we go through to turn O2 into CO2 and sugar. Plants and algae usually undergo this process at night so they can focus on one process at a time. However, they can do both respiration and photosynthesis at the same time. So if u provide them 24 hour light ur gonna end up with an algae explosion!