The Algae War

[Fishguy1111]

Hi all, I have been experiencing a problem with algae on my glass for months now. My amazon sword has not grown since. I have just added 3 crypts, to help fight it. I have an algae scraper, but I want a permanent solution. I was thinking a bristle nose pleco, or a snail. I would rather a algae eating fish, than a snail. So, any suggestions? Note: the tank size is 10 gallons, but I am expanding soon to a 30 or 40B. Also, I have the seachem plant pack, but I am running carbon. If I dose them, will it go to waste to the carbon, or will it help the plants develop?

 

[Fishguy1111]

You think the crypts are to close to anything? In the right spot?

 

[BillD]

BN plecos will clean the glass, as will otos. However, when the algae is gone you have to feed them. Crypts, being slow growers aren't much help with depleting nutrients to curtail algae growth. Better to have fast growers like hornwort, or perhaps Hygrophilia. Hornwort doesn't root, so needs to be left floating.
Why isn't the tank full?

 

[Fishguy1111]

Ok, thx for the help. I'll try to get some hygro or hornwort, and a BN.

 

[Fishguy1111]

Anyone think the plants are too close??

 

[Ckhawk]

Hi , what kind of bulb do you have ? What is your light cycle 12 hours on 12 off or 10 hours on 14 off etc?
Do you use a timer or manually try to turn them on each day ?
How much sun is hitting the tank ?

Personally I would insist on an under gravel filter , clean the glass and add some Plecos or Chinese algae eaters or snails and using timers for your lights .
Some algae is good , as it's an oxygen exchanging plant but it looks bad all over .

 

[Fishguy1111]

I have a current-USA Sattelite freshwater led+ on full spectrum mode. The lights are on a timer set for 8.5 hrs.

 

[Rivercats]

Your plant spacing is okay but whatever the grass plant on the left is they would be better if you split each one into smaller pieces and plant them about 1" apart in a checkerboard fashion so they fill in nicely.

UG filters are pretty much obsolete and are not good for planted tank where plant roots can clog them along with other issues.

How long do your run your lighting daily? What type light fixture and bulbs are you using? When battling algae you only want to run lighting 6 hours daily until it's under control. Do you know your nitrate and phosphate levels? Are you using a liquid carbon such as Excel daily?

Once you get your tank balanced you will have very little algae on your glass. Nerite snails are quite well with keeping small amounts of algae under control (depending on the type of algae) and have a very low bio-load. Oto's do well but should be kept in groups and in a mature tank since much of their diet is bio-film. I do not suggest Chinese Algae eaters as they grow quite large and aggressive with age and will tend to lose their appetite for algae as they mature.

 

[Fishguy1111]

Your plant spacing is okay but whatever the grass plant on the left is they would be better if you split each one into smaller pieces and plant them about 1" apart in a checkerboard fashion so they fill in nicely.

UG filters are pretty much obsolete and are not good for planted tank where plant roots can clog them along with other issues.

How long do your run your lighting daily? What type light fixture and bulbs are you using? When battling algae you only want to run lighting 6 hours daily until it's under control. Do you know your nitrate and phosphate levels? Are you using a liquid carbon such as Excel daily?

Once you get your tank balanced you will have very little algae on your glass. Nerite snails are quite well with keeping small amounts of algae under control (depending on the type of algae) and have a very low bio-load. Oto's do well but should be kept in groups and in a mature tank since much of their diet is bio-film. I do not suggest Chinese Algae eaters as they grow quite large and aggressive with age and will tend to lose their appetite for algae as they mature.

Some of your questions are answered, because I posted at the same time. The plant on the left is fake decor. I do dose excel daily. Nitrate is less than 1.5. Phosphates, I don't test for cause there not in the liquid test kit I use. Will a bristlenose eat algae? Sounds like I'm gonna order some nerites.

Thx

 

[Fishguy1111]

Wait... Did you mean the plants to the left on the second pic? Those are crypt Wendtii.

 

[Luananeko]

Personally I would insist on an under gravel filter , clean the glass and add some Plecos or Chinese algae eaters or snails and using timers for your lights .
Some algae is good , as it's an oxygen exchanging plant but it looks bad all over .

As mentioned by a previous poster, an under gravel filter doesn't work very well with live plants. Not only do the plant roots clog it, plants don't usually grow very well when there's a UG filter. My guess is that it's because the filter is stealing all the nutrients away from the root system.

Also, I would avoid Chinese Algae Eaters. They turn into really mean slime coat eaters when they mature and tend to wipe out the other tank inhabitants. Stick to Siamese Algae Eaters instead, they eat algae their entire life and won't harm the other fish. Smaller plecos (bristlenose, rubber lip, clown, etc), Ottos, Amano shrimp, and snails are other good options that eat algae their entire life. Plecos require driftwood for their diet though and can be quite the poop machines.

Hygrophila, Hornwort, floating plants, Rotala Indica, etc are all good nitrate sponge plants to deprive the algae of its nutrients. Just make sure to keep them trimmed back so they don't take over the tank.

 

[Fishguy1111]

Ok good to know