algae not diminishing

[tolkienapostle]

I have been slowing adding plants to my tank over the last 3 weeks. I am up to about 6 plants and may or may not add more after I move in three weeks. My question is this, arent the addition of live plants supposed to inhibit algae growth? I had virtually no algae before I added live plants, now i have, while not an unmanageable amount, a significantly larger amount than 3 weeks ago. Should I be more patient?

[rich311k]

How much light do you have? Have you increased it since you added the plants? Are the lights on longer? What size tank? What kind of plants? You need a good density of plants if you are running a lot of light.

[jpappy789]

The plants may have brought in the algae.

Any idea as to what kind it is?

[jones57742]

tolkienapostle:

Something is wrong here.

Have you done anything different since you have been adding plants?

TR

[tolkienapostle]

Alright, its green algae, i dont know if there are different kinds o green. I have gone from less than one watt a gallon to just over 2 watts. the lights are 36 inches long. I have T6 bulbs. I am planning on adding more plants after i move, am i right in thinking that more plants will help.....and what can i do in the mean time.

[bluekrissyspike]

increasing your light and adding plants are both things, imo, that will add to algea. i find in my tank by adding a moss ball(which is actually algea) that it helps keep algea from growing. the algea wont hurt your tank and should settle down when your tank adjusts to it's new lighting. if not just add some shrimp or something to clean it up. i wouldn't suggest snails to a planted tank though, they might eat all your plants.

[Cory Keeper]

actually that is not true of the more common snails, pond, mystery and MTS. Most if not all plant eating snails have been banned from being shipped by the USDA, and are almost impossible to get.

[lovemybarbs]

I just did the same thing with my lights. The excel I am adding is slowing my algae down considerably.

[bluekrissyspike]

thanks cory, i didn't know that. i thought that snails would eat the plants

[tolkienapostle]

ok, cool, i am already waiting on a moss ball currently(what a coincidence), i bought it on ebay and should be getting it within a few days. I have also been using excel, which i thought was adding to it, isnt it basically fertilizer? shrimp is a great idea, hopefully my FH parrot doesnt suddenly get over his clumsyness all of a sudden or he will be getting a tasty snack!

[Cory Keeper]

Oh, I forgot to add, snails won't do that much against algae, otos and shrimp seem to do a better job.

If you want to get snails though, you must feed them, they won't survive on just algae, and may resort to eating the plants if they cant get food.

[DarrylR]

Would Phos-X do any good?

I seen it being sold at Petsmart, and heard it fights algae. I was wondering about using it everyday than to just fight off algae and high phosphates, but unsure of the effect.

[bluekrissyspike]

i wouldn't try a chemical unless i had to, although when i was cycling my first tank i did use some anti-algea stuff and it worked.