Algae Problem Again

[cmavrik]

My 55 gallon tank has had this algae for months. I have used a phosphate reducer pad, flourish excel, and live plants. Nothing seems to work on this algae. What can you recommend doing?


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[Mebbid]

How much is there and how fast is it growing? What lights are you using? How long are you running your lights?

 

[cmavrik]

There is only a concentrated amount in the picture, other than that there's not any. I have a Current USA Freshwater+ LED and I run it for about 6 hours a day, (used to be 8).
Thank you for the reply!


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[Mebbid]

I'm not seeing the issue then. All tanks will have some algae growth and we just have to get in there and clean it up once in a while to keep it under control. No amount of algae control methods other than daily scrubbing of everything is going to prevent algae growth.

When we start seeing it overgrow everything then it's time to worry about doing something to fix it.

 

[cmavrik]

Well the only other place that it gets is on the glass a lot. However, I've already cleaned it today. Tomorrow it will be there again.


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[BBradbury]

Algae Control

Hello cm...

Try floating some Anacharis (Elodea densa) in the tank. This is one of those floaters that takes in a lot of nitrates and phosphates through the leaves. It also gives off a natural toxin that most kinds of algae don't tolerate. I dropped some individual stems of this plant into my 55 G tanks about a year ago and the algae is nearly gone.

There is one problem, you have to thin it every couple of weeks, but I just moved it to some other tanks.

B

 

[cmavrik]

Alright I will try that. Any idea where I could get some?


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[NinjaTetra]

If the algae on the glass is brownish and you have some spare room in the tank, maybe consider a half dozen otocinclus- or even a clown pleco or bristlenose pleco. I got a clown a couple days ago, and despite most sources saying that they won't eat algae, it has started scraping off some diatoms. I also agree with floating either some anacharis or pennywort, pennywort won't work quite as well but looks a bit better in my opinion.

 

[Mebbid]

Alright I will try that. Any idea where I could get some?


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Whether it's floating or planted it will absorb the same amount of nutrients. I'd go with planted so it doesn't block all the light to the rest of your plants.

try AquariumPlants.com

 

[cmavrik]

Alright, I will look there. Thank you all!


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[BBradbury]

Getting Some Anacharis

Alright I will try that. Any idea where I could get some?


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Hello again cm...

Should be available at any of the chain pet stores. I get it at PetCo.

B

 

[NinjaTetra]

Online plants are cheap- and then you add 50+ bucks of shipping and the possibility some plants will die- so unless you can't get them within your county area, maybe avoid online.