Too Much Green Algae: Tanganykian Tank

[stylEmon]

thanks for the tips. I have java fern, some sort of south American sword, and val that grows fast. The Anubis is painfully slow. I'll look into some floating plants, and try doing some more water changes.

I think I over-filter, so I've convinced my-self I don't have to clean as much. I run an XP3 and a DAS powerful skimmer that came with the tank (75G). Plus I have sand... it's hard to vaccuum.

I would use a python, except I've already had a bad experience with tap water, so I am treating all my water before hand, letting it sit, then pouring it in. I cannot go back to tap water with the amount of fish I lost with that method.

I'll look into the Olive nerites. I have noticed a pretty healthy snail population lately, and they seem to take out large sections of algae at a time. It's just growing too fast.

 

[blue2fyre]

I can't tell for sure by the pictures but it looks like you may have a cyanbacteria(blue green algae) problem. It looks like you have it on the sand. It's not an algae at all and nothing will eat it. Water changes will help. You'll have to start out slow though to keep from harming your fish. They aren't use to the water changes and have gotten use to the less than ideal water parameters. Research Old Tank Syndrome if you want to know more.

Antibacterial medications can help but usually it's best to find the source of the problem or it will just come back.

 

[platytudes]

I agree, that's not algae - that's Cyanobacteria. I don't know why it's called blue green algae because for me it's always been that same color, a really deep shade of dark green. It usually has bubbles in it, especially in the parts near the filter output.

Green algae grows differently, it covers areas evenly and doesn't detach. It's not patchy and random:

This is Cyano:

See how it looks like you can just peel that off? That's one really obvious difference.

Cyano is tough to beat, nothing eats it, it smells swampy and is just a general PITA...doing lots of water changes and cutting back on light is what helped me, I had it in my 10 gallon shrimp tank. I wasn't changing enough water because there were a lot of baby shrimp and I didn't want to suck them up, also I was overfeeding to keep them all fed.

The photoperiod needs to be consistent from day to day, and you should limit the feeding to maybe once a day while you are trying to eliminate it. It looks like you don't have it too bad, but you do need to do regular, small water changes of 20% or so. If your tap water is less than ideal you might try filtering it through a carbon filter (a simple box filter would work) in a tote, or using the largest Brita pitcher you can find, although your tank is a little big for this method (it worked well on my 10 gallon tank).

 

[stylEmon]

that sucks... thanks for the tips. I'll start treating it.

 

[platytudes]

I found this article really helpful when I was researching it:
http://naturalaquariums.com/plantedtank/0608.html

 

[Pittbull]

Just curious but how does your water suck Dallas water to me sounds like it would be safe for humans completely. If you are replacing too much water with out a conditioner like Stress Coat or Prime than yes you will lose fish if you do a 20 to 40% water change and add one of these conditioners to your water while filling it up should be ok, our water here in Louisville is great has a lot of stuff to make it safe and taste good for humans but not safe for fish i use Stress coat at every water change and no issues..

 

[jpappy789]

With sand you just need to hover the python over the surface.

I too am a bit curious as to why your water would be causing losses. You're on actual tap, not a well, correct? Matching temps? Using a good conditioner?

 

[efors]

I think I over-filter, so I've convinced my-self I don't have to clean as much. I run an XP3 and a DAS powerful skimmer that came with the tank (75G). Plus I have sand... it's hard to vaccuum.

There is no way that over-filtering can be a substitute for water changes. Do water changes as recommended here and as Jpappy said, with sand you just need to hover over its surface.

 

[stylEmon]

I think ya'll may have misunderstood. i just wont add untreated water anymore. I did it once and lost a couple fish.
If using the python to fill the tank back up, like suggested, it would be putting untreated tap water in my tank.

 

[jpappy789]

I'd say 99% of those using a python or similar product simply treat the tank shortly before adding the water...:huh: