stupid algae

[StuG]

So my little 10g tank has been in the same spot ever since I set it up earlier in the year, and the sun has never really been an issue.
Of course, I didn't consider that once the sun stays lower in the sky, that may change!!!
It is now being blasted by the sun for a good part of the day, and single cell algae is taking over.
So what's the best method (apart from moving the tank) to combat this?

Don't clean the filter sponge as often, and see if it will trap more of it?

Get some kind of fast growing plant to suck up the nutrients?

keep doing large water changes?

Put some carbon in the filter basket?

Any and all ideas are welcome!!

 

[FishEggs]

how about putting a piece of cardboard on that side of the tank to block the sun?

 

[jackie443]

Hi

I had a BIG problem about 2 weeks ago with green water/algae. I tried everything, algae remover from the pet shop, changing water daily, buying a product called chemi-pure elite and nothing took it away. I was at my wits end I couldn;t see the fish. I then twigged that the water started to turn green when I changed from live plants to artificial. So I bought a few new live plants and after a couple of days the algae had cleared up. So it was either the plants or the chemi-pure product.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

how about putting a piece of cardboard on that side of the tank to block the sun?

Quite. Or drape a thick towel over it.
Ultimately you'll have to move the tank.

 

[StuG]

Yes, the problem is, the side that the sun is coming from is the "viewing" side. I had a feeling it was going to be a "move the tank" scenario.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Something as simple as just sticking A4 sheets of paper over the tank is going to mitigate the problem in the short term.

But yeah, unless you think of something ingenious with blinds etc, then the tank is going to have to move.

 

[JohnPaul]

What kind of algae is it exactly? Greenwater? Or algae physically growing on various surfaces?

I agree that moving the tank is probably going to be the best bet, but I might be able to think of a couple possible alternative solutions if I knew exactly what sort of algae you are dealing with. So a good description of exactly what you are looking at would be helpful.

Pictures would be even better.

 

[StuG]

Yes, green water is what I'm talking about.
When it first started I thought it was cloudy water (as in bacterial bloom) which I really didn't understand, as my water\parameters are in good shape. Once I put it in a white cup I learned otherwise though.
I'll see if I can work on pics

 

[becrac16]

PLANTS! That's the answer, I swear. Here's the answer to a green water (from sunlight) question I had a while ago...

Basically, the kind of algae you have needs two major things to grow: sunlight and nitrates. The plants will be competing for the same things and will happily suck up nitrates, thus leaving the algae with little food (making it hard for them to grow).

I'd say give some plants a try.

 

[StuG]

ok, here's the best I could do as far as pictures go.This was just before a water change.

As far as the water parameters go:

Ammonia - 0

Nitrites - 0

Nitrates - also pretty much 0. I'm guessing the nitrates are so low because of me doing so many water changes trying to clear this (40% twice a week) and also because the algea is eating up whatever is there.
Those are live plants by the way, 2 anubias, 2 creeping jenny, and aponogeton. They're all pretty much just living though, not really growing.

Ugly looking tank isn't it?!?!?

 

[ChizerBunoi]

Are you still having a green water attack?