Any Ideas how to get rid of algea in a brackish tank?!

[tanis]

Hello! I was wondering if anyone knows how to permanatly get rid of the aglae in my brackish tank? My tank is a 10 gallon, and only has a leopard puffer (I can't get another fish because he will attack it). I have had this tank & fish for over a year now, and for about 6 months there was no algae at all. However, right after X-mas last year, the tank has been growing aglae (bloom, I believe) at a tremendous speed. algae completely covers the rock, plastic plant, and glass. I have been fully cleaning the tank about once a week. I have also tried leaving the light off for weeks at a time, but the algae still grows (much much slower, but still is there none the less). In addition, my puffer seems to really enjoy the light. Is there any suggestions of what I should do to cure this problem? Thank you very much! ~T

 

[William]

buy an algae mit, scrub the walls with it.

Limit nutrients [ less feedings ]

and avoid sunligh.

 

[madasafish]

Sometimes you can't find an appropriate natural solution... An algae mitt, as William said, or an algae magnet, should work fine. Kind of a pain in the butt... Look up American Flag Fish (Jordanella floridae), though. I saw on some sites that they prefer mildly brackish waters--they're from the Everglades, btw. They eat filamentous algae. I know of no brackish equivalent to the pleco, though.

But let us know what the algae looks like. Is it a mass, or filaments?

As William said, limit nutients. Do you gravel vac (vacuum) your tank? If not, get one right away. They really bring down the levels of nutrients in a tank.

If your problem has to do with green water (diatomaceous, floating algae), they you can solve the problem with a diatom filter. They cost ~$70 at www.bigalsonline.com, which has the best prices, but you might be able to rent one from your LFS. Most LFSs have them to clean up algae and parasite problems in their tanks. I just bought one, and it has done an absolutely marvelous job cleaning up my green water. Somebody recently asked on a thread "how clear is crystal clear?" Crystal clear is what you get after using a diatom filter (I've got the Vortex D-1 model). I'll post some pics another day.

Good luck!

 

[cdawson]

Hello! I was wondering if anyone knows how to permanatly get rid of the aglae in my brackish tank? My tank is a 10 gallon, and only has a leopard puffer (I can't get another fish because he will attack it). I have had this tank & fish for over a year now, and for about 6 months there was no algae at all. However, right after X-mas last year, the tank has been growing aglae (bloom, I believe) at a tremendous speed. algae completely covers the rock, plastic plant, and glass. I have been fully cleaning the tank about once a week. I have also tried leaving the light off for weeks at a time, but the algae still grows (much much slower, but still is there none the less). In addition, my puffer seems to really enjoy the light. Is there any suggestions of what I should do to cure this problem? Thank you very much! ~T

You need a test kit, your water parameters are obviously not good. Algae feeds off of phosphates and nitrate in large quantities. Which is caused by lack of water changes. You also should be using synthetic sea salt, not aquarium salt (if you were you'd be getting brown algae). Also, your puffer needs a larger tank. A green spotted puffer (also known as the leopard puffer), gets to sizes in excess of 6" and requires at least (and I do stress at least) 30 gallons per fish, and become extremely aggressive with age. You should not make an exception just to keep the fish, you'll stunt it's growth and lifespan.
In order to get rid of the algae you're going to have to change your water (after, or before you get a nitrate test kit). Your tank is obviously cycled by now so you shouldn't have any ammonia or nitrite. I would get those test kits as well.
You're going to have to monitor all these very carefully because puffers have no gill covers and are scaleless fish, thus making them very sensitive to ammonia, nitrite and large quantities of nitrate (over 30ppm).
Also, why are you leaving the light on during the day? unless you have plants in the tank you don't require them to be on. Puffers generally don't even like the light that much they prefer dimly lit and shaded areas.
BTW do you know the specific gravity of your tank? (your salinity level) and do you have a hydrometer?
I hope I'm not overloading you with all these questions and answers, I'm just trying to get to the solution as quickly as possible. =)

 

[guppylove]

you can get some thing to put in the tank it looks like a teabag i can not remember what the name of it is but it works realy well i have got one in my tank it has got carbon in and some more thing to kill off elga and all the stuff you dont want in your tank it does 55gallons it last up to 3mouths go to your fish shop and ask them about it they should know what i am on about it cost about £4.50. hope you get it sorted good luck with your fishkeeping

 

[guppylove]

i found out what it is called CLEANWATER prevents growth of algal advanced filter material specially designed for marian and freshwater filtration works with or without a filter unit. up to 40 gallon not 55 gallon so it will do your tank no prob..

 

[cdawson]

That won't get rid of the algae problem though, because the algae is caused by over abudance of nutrients. Which can only be gotten rid of through water changes. Eventually the algae will return after the algae killer wears off.

 

[TankGirl]

I had a similar problem in my 10-gal and I did tiny water changes and gravel vacs every day (yes, every day) for about a week and that solved that. Once that was done I moved up my routine to about every 3 days and no more algae. I put my lights on a timer, as well. Gotta agree with William that algae needs nutrients, so remove them and you will have no more algae. Sometimes the food contains high phosphates, which can stimulate algae growth, so check the food, if it is commercially prepared (which, come to think of it, it probably isn't because you are likely feeding live or frozen with a puffer). Feeding less often might help, as well.