help me

[zilla870]

here is my question i have 3 wisteria in my tank and about 1/4 of the plants leaves are cover with algae but my bannana plants,etc. arent. why is this?

 

[zilla870]

HELP

 

[mattrox]

I'd get 2 otocinclus to eat the algae...... I don't know what causes it. Maybe the algae is a similar colour to the banana plant leaves so you don't notice it? Older leaves also get algae, that have been in the tank water longer to have algae settle and grow on the leaves... Maybe shorten the length of time the lights are on.

I don't fuss much about algae, it is natural, and as long as I can see the fish and it isn't blanketed on plants, I don't mind it being around.

 

[zilla870]

i dont have room for more fish in the tank. you can see the algae in my pic. i may just be picky

 

[Felf]

i agree with mattrox, you probably only notice it on those leaves because they're either old or the color allows it. i had a brown algae outbreak that really blanketed everything so i got 2 otos and they took it down to almost nothing in a week. you could always inject co2 or scrape/scrub weekly :|

 

[zilla870]

lol sorry everyone if you dont know which one are wisteria they are the ones in the back left corner and the one in the middle back

 

[malkore]

the photo is too small and grainy to see the algae, but it looks like brown diatoms to me, which ottos will eat. Otherwise it'll go away on its own once the silicates in the water are used up.

Is this a fairly new tank setup? Less than 4 months old?

 

[zilla870]

its working on 5 1/2 months

 

[shantyt]

I had a lot of problems with cyanobacteria covering everything. I have a little school of 9 baby mollies that have recently taken it down to almost zero. They're always hungry, and really effective at removing a lot of algae. I know you have no room for more fish, but it's worth remembering for the future.

 

[zilla870]

thz shahtyt i will keep that in mine for my 40 gallon i am getting so it will be a semi-planted tank also

 

[shantyt]

Cool. Yeah, my algae problems have been coming under control lately with the combination of those hungry little dudes (mollies), 50% weekly water changes, and the addition of CO2 to the system. I have part of the tank sectioned off for baby fry, and that area maintains a lot of cyanobacterial problems despite the general trend of cyano control. I think the baby mollies are making a huge difference. Good luck man!