Green algae growing

[howmanyds]

There's algae growing in a few spots in my empty tank. Should I leave this for the pleco who will hopefully arrive next week? Is it a problem?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

It isn't a problem at less water quality isn't good or you don't like the look of it or it covers the whole tank. How long do you have the lights on for? How does the water test?

 

[Mogurako]

That looks more like cyanobacteria to me but I could be mistaken.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

That looks more like cyanobacteria to me but I could be mistaken.

It does to me too and can be a pain to get rid of as far as I know. It feeds on nitrate levels and I'm assuming light has a little to do with it too. You can probably explain it a little better than me

 

[Mogurako]

Black out and chemicals are the only way to get rid of it that I know of. It's likely that the lights are on for too long.

I'd remove that rock carefully scrub the rock with hot water then let it dry out before placing it back in to the tank.

 

[Coursair]

Does the water smell ? If you bring algae out of tank does it smell ?
Cyano stinks. And it's slimy.

Blackout tank for 3 days or Large PWCs and reduce lighting to 4-6 hours if you have plants. Manual removal.

Cyano is not an actual Algae it's a Bacteria. Some use antibiotics ( Maracyn ex) if they have a tough strain.

Fixing the cause is best.

 

[Mogurako]

Cyano is not an actual Algae it's a Bacteria. Some use antibiotics ( Maracyn ex) if they have a tough strain.

That's the stuff I was trying to think of thanks bud.

 

[howmanyds]

Thanks! It is slimy! I'll fix my light timer, it's just so hard to do because the tank looks so good lit! Should I factor the colorful LED evening lights into the hour allotment? They cycle through the rainbow, but are pretty dim.

 

[howmanyds]

Is this cyano and diatoms? After a blackout for three days and a good scrubbing a month ago, there was nothing visible. But it has all come back!

Now that I have fishies I'm hesitant to blackout the tank again. Should I?

 

[snowman17]

I was having this problem also not too long ago, I had some green stuff on my Texas rock that looks similar to what you have in the first pic it looks like green stains more than algea

 

[snowman17]

Forgot picture

 

[aquariumlover10]

I would get 2 otocinclus not a pleco they get huge and they don't eat that much during the day

 

[Freakgecko91]

I would get 2 otocinclus not a pleco they get huge and they don't eat that much during the day

Otos in a tanganyikan tank is a recipe for dead otos lol not all Plecos get huge, and typically when you see someone (at least someone really involved in the hobby) refer to a Pleco, it's a bristlenose, which only get 6" at best. I do agree a common would be a bad idea, but knowing this member, it's a bristlenose.

I had a minor issue with Cyanobacteria on the top of my driftwood, closest to the surface. I added two whiptails cats(whose Latin name is escaping me) and they cleared it up quick, I was unaware that anything ate cyano. So maybe the bristlenose will help? But I'd just shorten your photoperiod and a blackout will not hurt your fish

 

[howmanyds]

I have a white LED light for seven hours and a blue low light LED for two. What should I cut these back to?

A blackout with a blanket for three days will not hurt the fish?

Or should I just keep the lights off until the green goes away?

How about the brown?

 

[howmanyds]

Oh, and I have three juvie dwarf petricola and they're no help at all.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Oh, and I have three juvie dwarf petricola and they're no help at all.

Synos are not algae eaters, so that's why you're not seeing them do much a BNP will help a lot

 

[pcdebb]

my tank had the cyanobacteria really bad. I was cleaning deco/plants and it kept coming back every time. treated it with erythromycin and it has cleared up completely.

 

[howmanyds]

Where do I buy erythromycin?

 

[Freakgecko91]

Where do I buy erythromycin?

A pharmacy lol it's an antibiotic for humans to treat a wide range of infections, from acne to STDs

 

[mikem691]

Where do I buy erythromycin?

If you are in the US petsmart or a good LFS