algea and sand substrate

[PuppyFluffer]

I've fallen off the tank cleaning wagon due to our newborn baby. I'm doing water changes but not cleaning the glass and such like I need to be.

I am having green algae growing on the glass, driftwood and now the sand in my 10 gallon tank. Cleaning the glass and scrubbing the driftwood is no problem but how to clean up the sand?

I am certain I am not overfeeding this tank. It has 3 platys and one guppy, all males.

I can come back in a bit with test results.

[Davy]

a snail haha

[Riiz]

Sometimes just by turning over the sand, you kill it from lack of light basically. And MTS will love grazing through the sand as well.

[PuppyFluffer]

I do wish to get a nerite snail but have not located any yet.

I have had concerns with the MTS and overpopulation....but I keep hearing how good they are for turning the sand and eliminating any anaroebic (spelling?) pockets.

I have some java moss in this tank and one artificial plant and have an order out for more live plants so it will be a fully planted tank soon.

[birdman7389]

Mine does the same in my 55 gallon. I have several plants, shrimp, snails, loaches, cory......it never stops. Dunno why? Everything else is healthy though.

[jm1212]

i usually just turn my sand over every week with the water change. it kill off any algea growing on the grains.

[PuppyFluffer]

ok, thanks. I'll try that.

Can a snail actually eat algae off of the grains of sand or is it too small? I would think it would be hard for them.

[arjun]

An oto would be nice if there is algae consistently growing.

[Preeths]

I remove the fish to a bucket stir up the sand do a 50% WC and put in extra power filters that have sponge. most of the dirt is filtered by the sponge in the power filters. Whole thing gets done in under one hour for a 30 gallon tank. the more filters you have the faster it is. You can use multiple filters. I always keep spare filters at home as I have multiple tanks now and i have found that this is the simplest way.

[Draal5]

I remove the fish to a bucket stir up the sand do a 50% WC and put in extra power filters that have sponge. most of the dirt is filtered by the sponge in the power filters. Whole thing gets done in under one hour for a 30 gallon tank. the more filters you have the faster it is. You can use multiple filters. I always keep spare filters at home as I have multiple tanks now and i have found that this is the simplest way.

what about triggering a mini cycle?

[Reddog80p]

Just stir the sand a little bit, no need to remove the fish. The tank may get sightly hazy, but it will go away. I stir my sand weekly when I do my waterchange. How may hours do you keep your lights on?

[Riiz]

ok, thanks. I'll try that.

Can a snail actually eat algae off of the grains of sand or is it too small? I would think it would be hard for them.

No but as they move through it looking for leftover food and other wastes, they turn the sand over, killing algae by removing 2 sources of nutrients, light and rotting food.

[krytan]

Just stir the sand a little bit, no need to remove the fish. The tank may get sightly hazy, but it will go away. I stir my sand weekly when I do my waterchange. How may hours do you keep your lights on?
:iagree:

[PuppyFluffer]

Lights are on all day. Probably about 10 hours a day, more on some days. The tank is near a window but it's a north facing window with no direct sun exposure. I really should get a timer for the lights.

I don't know much about otos. Are they social and how many for a 10 gallon. I have three male platys and one male guppy. I don't anticipate the guppy lasting long as I have never had them last. This will be the last one I ever intentionally get!!!