Need a good plant to beat algae in a 10g

[99RedSi]

I have a NON-planted 10g tank that I'd like to keep that way except for the algae growth that accumulates on the decorations. It takes about a week (I do weekly water changes) for the algae to get grow enough to get on my nerves.

I have a simple "bring out the fish colors" aquarium bulb (Flourescent). I have my light on a digital timer for 2 hours per day. I have the tank placed 1 foot below and 6 inches to the right of a window that is covered by a thick, black cloth.

I had the lights off completely for one week and the algae does NOT grow - it was great! But I couldn't enjoy the tank as much and I'm sure it's not ideal for the fish.

Anyways, to beat this, I've decided that I should probably get a floating plant that will suck nutrients. I don't want a plant that needs to be rooted. Can't moneywort grow on the surface of the tank? That is my ideal - a floating plant with lily pad-like leaves.

What do you all think - is it possible? If so, give me the million dollar plant name!

 

[FMJnaX]

Anacharis will grow quickly so that you can get a good jump on beating the algae. Plus, it's a low/mid-light plant and is an oxygenator. Lilies are one of the best at out-competing algae, though they're really for ponds and usually need good light. I've used a dwarf variety in an aquarium once (way back in the day). It wasn't pretty, but it beat the algae pretty quickly.

Anyway, all plants will out-compete algae so anything is better than nothing. The more you have, however, the faster it will happen. My final suggestion is anacharis for cheap price, fast growing, low maintenance, and effectiveness.

 

[99RedSi]

Am I required to plan Anacharis or will it work floating?

Has anyone tried Moneywort? I think Anacharis is really ugly and would prefer a floating, surface plant that looks like Moneywort...

 

[travis simonson]

My favorite fast grower is Hygrophila difformis (Water Wisteria). It grows extremely quickly in just about any conditions, rooted or floating, and is a nutrient hog of the first order

 

[FMJnaX]

Anacharis can grow planted or floating. It's my eperience that it grows better floating anyway. I've tried moneywort with nothing more to note. About the same as anacharis.

 

[czcz]

Check out Brazillian pennywort - Hydrocotyle leucocephala. For a long time I thought mine were some sort of lily. When I googled it some people claimed success growing it submerged under low light, so floating it should be good under your flourescent. I can only say it grows fast submerged under high light.

 

[Guest]

Anarchis is supposed to be really good for oxygenating the tank and keeping the algae down. I have NEVER had an aglae problem in my tank. I have 2 pleco's and i dropped a couple of those lily bulbs in when i first got it, and now of course i have a planted tank.

Have you thought about getting a pleco?

 

[wabyrd]

My vote would be for the floating anacharis for one other reason other than the fast growth. With the stuff floating on top, it will block some of the light getting to the surfaces below...another effective way to contol the algae.

 

[Zezmo]

Anacharis is easy. Water Primrose also grows fast.
You might also try some "Algone". You put a pouch in your filter and it helps keep algae in check.

http://www.algone.com/

 

[BillD]

Hornwort is another inexpensive possibility. It does not root, ever. Water sprite is another possibility.

 

[99RedSi]

Hi All -

Nitrates: 10mg/l
Lighting is a flourescent "Aqua-Glo" 12,000K bulb for fish color - 15W
20-25% weekly water changes
Temp=76F

The tank has been setup since Oct 2004 with 4 Pygmy Cories. I added 6 Panda Cories to max out the tank on Friday afternoon (last week). I then changed the digital timer on Sunday afternoon to turn the lights on from 9-4 every day. I also bought 2 Anacharis plants that day to help absorb the nutrients. They are currently floating on the surface and will remain that way as I do not want to plant them.

So it's day 2 with the changes and I'm getting brown "diatom" (is that correct?) algae in a somewhat significant amount (but I wouldn't call it "out of control" just yet). It's on the ornaments and on the walls of the glass.

I can't turn the lights down without affecting the plant. Does Anacharis need 8 hours of sunlight per day to maximize it's "nutrient sucking" behavior? If not, I can turn it down to the minimum. But I've done this before (when I didn't have the plant) and only turning the light off COMPLETELY causes the algae not to grow.

What should I do? I'm down to 3 pygmy cory's now.. should I just go out and buy a single Otto to keep it clean and live with it? I'd like to beat this stuff at its own game..

I also have Phosguard in the filter - I put this in on Monday night. The filter is an AC Mini running 2 sponges inside the filter and one covering the intake tube (so I don't suck my pygmy's into the filter!).

Edit: (picture)

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[99RedSi]

Bump - anyone?

 

[FMJnaX]

I would tend to think that you can turn down the hours a bit. If you're getting algae, then it means that your anacharis are getting all that they need and the algae is taking the rest. This may be because of the excess of light. My tank has been up and running for about 7 weeks now and I didn't get any brown algae at all. My daily setup consisted of my planted anacharis and 4 hours of light per day. As the anacharis grew, I increased the lighting slighty. Before my latest venture in lighting, I was up to 10-12 hours of light a day; still without any algae at all.