Green tank every two or three days

[jubei]

ok,

first I'll give all needed water info, ph 6.1, ammonia ppm 0, kh 2*, nitrate ppm 15ppm
next equipment, tank 96g @48x25x18, filter eheim 2217, lighting 3x 96w @5000K and 1x 65w @1000K, co2 regulation yes

problem - green slimlike algae will not go away!!! I don't know what to do, I tried a four day blackout, wow that worked for like five days then the algae came back. I tried playing with the light i.e less light, that didn't work I tried turning off the co2, didn't work.

can someone please help?

 

[Guest]

Where is the algae appearing? You say it's slime like. To me that makes me think it's BGA, and if that's correct it can be a bear to get rid of. Many people end up dosing the tank with antibiotics to get rid of it.

 

[talenzmeier]

Plant to Algae Ratio

How heavily planted is your tank? Typically, a heavily planted tank means that the plants consume the nutrients that might otherwise be available to the algae. So if there aren't many, the algae will thrive since it's getting everything it needs; namely, food. Now where does the algae appear? On the glass and sides or top or both? How many fish are in the tank?

 

[jubei]

well, the algae covers anything that recives light, that means the front and sides of the aquarium, my bogwood, substrate, and leave on my plants. ok as for plants, I would have to considered my tank a heavily planted tank. most of my plants are fast growing stem plants, but I do have some slower plants. as for fish I have alot 40 small fish .5"-1" 10 medium fish 1"-2.5" 2 large fish both discus one about 5" and the other 3.5".

 

[Allivymar]

*agrees with Rex*

I grabbed this from http://faq.thekrib.com/algae.html:

"Blue-green, slime or smear algae
Grows rapidly in blue-green, slimy sheets. Spreads rapidly over almost everything and usually indicates poor water quality. However, blue-green algae can fix nitrogen and may be seen in aquariums with extremely low nitrates. Sometimes seen in small quantities between the substrate and aquarium sides. Will smother and kill plants.
This is actually cyanobacteria. It can be physically removed, but this is not a viable long term solution as the aquarium conditions are still favorable for it and it will return quickly. Treatment with 200 mg of erythromycin phosphate per 10 gallons of water will usually eliminate blue-green algae but some experts feel it may also have adverse effects on the biological filter bed. If erythromycin is used for treatment, ammonia and nitrite levels should be carefully monitored."

You mention ammonia and nitrAte levels, but what about nitrIte levels?

 

[oscarbreeder]

I had a similar problem in my tank a while back.
I was told to use algae-fix and only use my lights about 5-6hrs. a day.
It worked!

 

[jubei]

nitrite ppm 0, and when you say "the algae smothers plants" that is exactly what it's doing. becaues of this I feel like my plants aren't taking the nutrients and the algae is.
for the past two days, this being the third I've been doing 1/10 water changes and clean all the algae I can. so far it's slowed I guess, but I've just noticed a huge increace in little "white line things" in the water when I say little I mean like as thick as the edge of a peice of paper and as long as this - so basiclly thats what they look like except white. I would turn on my uv sterilizer but I fear taking any more nuterients from my plants. would you recamend continuing the water changs?