Survey: How often do you remove algae off your tank walls?

[Kramer]

I have to do this every couple weeks with my current setup before it really starts to look bad.

I have less than 1 WPG with very little co2 being diffused right now. I'm using a diy reactor that is at like 1 bubble/min and a 'stairway' bubble diffuser. My drop checker is.. blue. I might go back to hooking up my diy inline powered diffuser.. its just so unsightly.

Anyway I think my tank gets too much algae, I don't want to be removing algae from the walls so often.

So, I'd like to take a survey, everyone please tell me how often do you have to scrape algae from your tank walls.

can you tell me about your water parameters/lighting/co2, etc.. especially those of you who rarely have to do this, so that all us algae attracting experts can once and for all solve our biggest problem!?

thank you

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Are you getting mainly GSA or GDA on the glass. Or do you have other algae in the tank?

Are you using any ferts?

 

[Peyton]

I have a 30gal hex with 1wpg that I have to scrape once every week. It is WAY overstocked right now though and thats the main problem. My other tanks (2 med-light and 2 high-light) maybe once every two weeks or so.

 

[Kramer]

Im not really sure what kind of algae it is, it looks mostly like GDA, and there is what appears to be a little bit of GSA.

I recently stopped using ferts as I discovered it was the cause of a major hair algae problem I've had. The fert I was using had iron and potassium, and the Iron encouraged the hair algae. I would dose 10ml in my 33gal every week.. i dont know whether I should continue but with a lower dosage.

 

[DallasFish]

In my 55g and 30g, my plecos take care of the algae, i haven't had to scrape.

 

[Purrbox]

If it's GDA (Green Dust Algae) then it should brush of the walls easily. This algae should be left alone for about 3-4 weeks, afterwhich you can brush it off and remove with a water change and it shouldn't come back. It has to run it's life cycle before you remove it, or it will keep coming back. If it's GSA then it takes some effort (scraping with a razor blade, scrubbing, etc) to remove. This algae is caused by Phosphate levels being too low. Increasing your Phosphate dosing should greatly reduce it, and possibly get rid of it all together.

 

[Kramer]

I didnt know you should keep the GDA alive for a few weeks before scraping for the first time, ill wait an extra couple weeks before removing it.

 

[fijiwigi]

I have a saltwater which is a bit different but I don't scrape algae of the tank wall at all. Except some Coraline algae I scrape with a razor ever month or so. Gotta love my cleanup crew.