Algae everywhere

[vacuumlad]

Hey I have a 10 gallon tank with five tetras a rubber lip Pleco and 2 otos. There is algae everywhere in this tank and I can't get rid of it. I've tried everything. I do water changes once a week the tank is cycled and the algae eating fish don't do anything. lights are on for 10 hours (I can't reduce that) I don't overfeed I keep on top of my maintenance and all the parameters of the tank are in check. The algae is all over the fake plants, decorations, gravel, and filter intake. Does anyone have any tips on how to get algae to stop growing growing and how to clean algae off fake plants because that's next to impossible task? Thanks for the help. I've attached some pictures of what the tank looks like a day after a water change.


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[Exigenn]

You are never going to stop algae, is the tank newly cycled? A pleco will get way to big for that tank even a rubber lip. i had a algae outbreak in my 30 gallon. I originally had 5 otos in their just for light maintenance. after getting in their with a toothbrush and scrubbing away all i could i purchased 4 nerite snails. Within a week they had the tank nearly spotless.

 

[bigsea]

I had the same assumption. Brown algae in a newly cycled tank. If you cant reduce the lighting could you possibly split the lighting into 2 light periods? Also is the tank hit with any ambient lighting?


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[Exigenn]

The breakout i had was a newly cycled tank with ambient daylight, needless to say but that tank has given me a ton of problems. Water changed will help but only so much until you figure out the main problem.

 

[vacuumlad]

I'll try snails. The tank has been set up for over a year so it's not new.


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[gilpi]

You mentioned fake plants... Why can't you reduce the light hours?


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[vacuumlad]

Beacuse I like to look at my fish during the day. I wake up at 7 and go to school. I like to see my fish in the morning and early evening so that's why lights are on for 10 hours or more.


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[TMRC Exotics]

Well for starters I would split that up with a timer, so maybe lights on at seven, I assume you're at school by 8:30 so maybe just run it for two hours. Then back on around 4 until you go to bed. With this method you also can manually turn them on during your desired weekend viewing time. Overall keep the total photoperiod to 8 hours.

Algae loves nitrates, plecos produce nitrates at a fairly high rate, even higher in too small of a tank.

Also that's not lots of algae, throw a high powered led on a nutrient rich environment, it will show you lots of algae.

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[sinibotia]

Set the lights on a timer so they're only on in the early morning and late evening, off during the afternoon when you're in class. That's how I reduced algae in my planted 10 gallon.

Also, a rubberlip pleco will outgrow your tank, as will glo-tetras.

 

[vacuumlad]

Ok cool. But will that mess up the fishes internal clock (if that's even a thing)? Also what should I do with my rubber lip pleco? I have one in my 36 gallon and he is always making sure there is not a speck of algae any where. And the lights are both on a timer. So why would my one tank have no algae and my other have a lot? Also does tank size have to do with any of this? Thanks


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[vacuumlad]

I thought glo theta only reached 2.5 inches. Also I got five because I thought that was the min for schooling tetras.


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[sinibotia]

Five 2.5 inch fish in a 10 gallon is a lot, and they're a little active for it.

 

[vacuumlad]

Ok.


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[jarrod0987]

I sent you a PM

 

[gilpi]

Ok cool. But will that mess up the fishes internal clock (if that's even a thing)? Also what should I do with my rubber lip pleco? I have one in my 36 gallon and he is always making sure there is not a speck of algae any where. And the lights are both on a timer. So why would my one tank have no algae and my other have a lot? Also does tank size have to do with any of this? Thanks


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One tank has more algae than the other... Different bioload, tank size, water change frequency, difference in lights etc.
Bottom line you'll have to reduce lighting time if you want less algae.


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[Patsy47]

Hi! i have had fake plants for yrs and i always put them in a bleach bath while i'm doing a water change, even the silk ones....actually, i use bleach baths for several things. when done, rinse VERY well and add chlorine remover just to make sure....the water conditioner is also added to the tank and i have never had a problem doing this in the last 40 yrs.
if you need a measurement, say 1/2 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of hot water...just be sure to rinse very well!
cheers...!