SUPER ALGAE FROM H E double L!

Got Plants?

I hated reaching into the tank and scraping it off with a algae pad or razor blade so I bought this magnet-cleaning thingy. I didn't have a pleco in my Malawi tank (my last one got killed) so I bought one of these to clean off the algae that had built up pretty bad.

(Btw, the magnet cleaner is only recomended for glass tanks; I dunno what would happen if you use it on an acrylic tank).

EDIT- lol, I forgot that the tank I used it was acrylic, but it was pretty scratched up when it was given to me for free (small scratches you can't see unless you look at it close and the right angle) and it doesn't look like the magnet cleaner scratched it any more, so I dunno how much damage it can cause. If you use one, use it on the back of the tank or some place that doesn't stand out to see if it causes much damage.

What kind of algae is it? If the tank is in direct sunlight, i would strongly recommend moving it.

I got rid of my algae problem by 1) adding floating plants -- no need to change the substrate and 2)cutting way back on the light. I don't add extra co2.

The plants are doing great, and there is only a very small amount of algae. I leave some on the back of the tank.

Figuring out why you have algae is the best solution. Over feeding is frequent cause, as is not frequent enough cleanings. I am not an advocate of adding fish and shrimp to deal with a simple imbalance of nutrients.

So--cut back feeding, unless you have fry. Get on a regular cleaning schedule. Manually remove--not just scrape, but scrape AND siphon off the algae, or clean the mechanical filtration right after scraping. Just scraping it off and leaving it in the tank rearranges, but does not kill, most algae.

Identify what kind of algae you have, and see if lights will impact it. Try reducing your photo period--the fish won't care, so if it's unplanted, the lighting is pretty much all for your benefit. If planted, check your ferts, rate plant growth.

Adding plants isn't always a solution--unless you want plants anyway. They will compete for nutrients, but require maintenance to remain attractive.

Now I am certainly no aquatic gardener but I have found if I put in a sword or a java that I can get them to live about five or six months without doing anything (I guess that wouldn't even be considered gardening). By then the nutrients have evened out and a nice carpet of "good algae" grows on the driftwood, I can remove the exhausted plant and never have a problem. Just my experience.