infinicca
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Hi there, glad to be here - I've had freshwater tanks in the past, but it's been years, so I'm calling myself a newbie for the sake of accuracy. I feel like one, lol.
So late last year (November) I decided to get a very small tank - 5 gal - for a betta. It's been great; I have the heat at a comfortable level for him, a few decorations, two moss balls, a gentle power filter and until recently an air stone. I replaced the air stone with an undergravel filter a couple of weeks ago - see below. I do about a 25% water change weekly, feed him a few betta pellets once a day.
About a month ago I started noticing heavier algae buildup, and then it became much worse despite the cleanings. Turned into "black algae" (diatoms?) and it's been spreading all over the gravel and onto the décor.
I did what I thought was some good research and started by adding an undergravel filter. The airflow is being managed by a valve, and the water is still calm enough to not bother the betta. After a couple of weeks, there was really no change in the algae, so I decided it might be okay to introduce a SMALL algae-eater, like a bristle pleco or cory cat (but then learned that corys like schools, and I can't do that in a 5 gallon). I went to our local shop and they didn't have bristles, but recommended nerite snails. I got two. Introduced them gently, and they seemed happy enough, and started eating a bit of the algae.
Fast forward 2 weeks and the original snails have died. Definitely dead - their being so small it was hard to notice for a day or two, but I found them starting to decompose. Well... okay. They didn't like the tank. I scooped them up and did the water change.
In the meantime, the algae/diatoms are still spreading. No amount of filtering will change that.
And today... I was scraping some of the green algae off the walls, and noticed that despite the original snails not living, they managed to lay eggs. Which have hatched. I now have teensy tiny baby nerites lol! The betta seems not to notice them or care, and he's happy as ever, but now I'm concerned that the tank is going to be overrun with snail offspring.
Umm. So. I had just ordered a gravel vacuum/siphon, which I still intend to use, but I have a bunch of questions.
1. What can I do about this algae/diatom problem?
2. Should I think about live plants; would that help?
3. Any reason why the original snails might have died so fast?
4. Why, if they disliked the tank, would eggs have hatched? (Related question: I thought the eggs needed brackish water, and this is fresh. Is that untrue?)
5. Following up on #1 but taking a step sideways: Since I haven't really got a definitive answer from our pet store, are there any plecos or other algae-eaters which would live comfortably in a tank like this?
6. Will the gravel vacuum still be usable given I have tiny snail hatchlings?
I very much appreciate any advice. Thank you so much.
So late last year (November) I decided to get a very small tank - 5 gal - for a betta. It's been great; I have the heat at a comfortable level for him, a few decorations, two moss balls, a gentle power filter and until recently an air stone. I replaced the air stone with an undergravel filter a couple of weeks ago - see below. I do about a 25% water change weekly, feed him a few betta pellets once a day.
About a month ago I started noticing heavier algae buildup, and then it became much worse despite the cleanings. Turned into "black algae" (diatoms?) and it's been spreading all over the gravel and onto the décor.
I did what I thought was some good research and started by adding an undergravel filter. The airflow is being managed by a valve, and the water is still calm enough to not bother the betta. After a couple of weeks, there was really no change in the algae, so I decided it might be okay to introduce a SMALL algae-eater, like a bristle pleco or cory cat (but then learned that corys like schools, and I can't do that in a 5 gallon). I went to our local shop and they didn't have bristles, but recommended nerite snails. I got two. Introduced them gently, and they seemed happy enough, and started eating a bit of the algae.
Fast forward 2 weeks and the original snails have died. Definitely dead - their being so small it was hard to notice for a day or two, but I found them starting to decompose. Well... okay. They didn't like the tank. I scooped them up and did the water change.
In the meantime, the algae/diatoms are still spreading. No amount of filtering will change that.
And today... I was scraping some of the green algae off the walls, and noticed that despite the original snails not living, they managed to lay eggs. Which have hatched. I now have teensy tiny baby nerites lol! The betta seems not to notice them or care, and he's happy as ever, but now I'm concerned that the tank is going to be overrun with snail offspring.
Umm. So. I had just ordered a gravel vacuum/siphon, which I still intend to use, but I have a bunch of questions.
1. What can I do about this algae/diatom problem?
2. Should I think about live plants; would that help?
3. Any reason why the original snails might have died so fast?
4. Why, if they disliked the tank, would eggs have hatched? (Related question: I thought the eggs needed brackish water, and this is fresh. Is that untrue?)
5. Following up on #1 but taking a step sideways: Since I haven't really got a definitive answer from our pet store, are there any plecos or other algae-eaters which would live comfortably in a tank like this?
6. Will the gravel vacuum still be usable given I have tiny snail hatchlings?
I very much appreciate any advice. Thank you so much.