need advice on algae

[DEAN BARNES]

i seem to be getting strands and balls of algae in my tank and its also starting a fine cover on my ocean rock.
i know the tank is ok but it does'nt look great ant ideas how to get rid without using chemicals?

 

[RoK]

What's the wattage of the light(s)? Does the tank get sunlight also? How often do you do PWCs?

 

[DEAN BARNES]

i did a water change 1 week ago
talnk does get sun light and i use a 30 watt tube light

 

[Blucat]

sun light is prob the cause of the algae. how many gal/L is your tank? What is the nitrate level?
to outcompete the algae you could put some live plants in.
To block sunlight you may have to put some backing on the sides of your tank or on the windows, keep you curtains closed.

 

[DEAN BARNES]

thanks for the help
do you think by washing the rocks and cleaning the sand/gravel it may help clear the algae ?
and how many plants/ and what types should i put in as i have 3 unknown plants in now but the fish seem to keep eating them.
oh the talk i have is 120 litres its a jewel record if thats any help

 

[chasgood]

High amount of Phosphate in the water could be the cause too.

Pasted from another site.
Whenever anyone complains that they cannot win the battle against algae, phosphates immediately come to mind. Phosphates serve as a nutrient for algae, and elevated levels will certainly add to your algae woes. Although it's rarely discussed, a leading cause of increased phosphates is dry fish food - particularly overfeeding with lower quality foods that are high in phosphates. If algae is getting the better of you, test for phosphates. There are filtering materials available that remove phosphates. Consult your fish shop for help in testing for, and eliminating, phosphates.
From here. http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/waterchemsitry/a/watertesting.htm

The nitro bacteria need phosphates to so we do need some in our tanks.

 

[malkore]

You can scrub the rocks, but if conditions exist for algae to flourish, it'll simply come back. Direct sunlight should be blocked from the tank...its much too strong and is likely the primary driver of algae in your tank. 120 liters is something like 35 US gallons (very rough math there).

 

[RoK]

^More like 31-32 gallons. The artificial light isn't the problem, it's most likely from the sunlight and maybe overfeeding.

 

[DEAN BARNES]

im still having problems with the algae
never mind ive put the fish on less protien food and am going to do a 50/50 water change
could this help do you think

 

[chasgood]

It cant hurt to do a big water change.
If there is to many nutrients in the water causing the algae then a pwc should help.
Scrape all the algae off the glass before the change. Gently Rub the algae off the plants. Let everything settle to the bottom or get filtered out of the water before starting the water change, maybe a hour or 2.
Be sure to vacuum the gravel. Push the syphon down into the gravel all the way to the bottom of the tank. Slowly pull it out of the gravel. This will deep clean it. Pull everything out and clean it before filling the tank back up. This includes the filter and heater.
Some may say this is going to far and may cause the tank to cycle. Yes this is extreme but should help slow the regrowth of the algae.

See if a lfs can do a phosphate as well as nitrate test or buy the test kits.
Did you find a way to keep direct sunlight from hitting the tank?
Did you limit the time the tank light is on? 8 hours should be plenty. I use a timer on my tanks so I cant forget to turn them off.
If any flake food hits the bottom of the tank you are overfeeding. This is a very common new tank owner mistake. The uneaten food will break down and become food for algae and or pollute the water.

Good luck.

 

[DEAN BARNES]

thanks all