Algae, Algae and more algae while cycling

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Squealor

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Jun 30, 2005
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Boston, MA
I know that some algae is normal in a tank, but we are on day 20 of cycling with fish and our tank seems to be getting more and more algae. We have four live plants in the tank with our three tetras. First we saw blue algae growing on the leaves of one plant. Now, our gravel is growing green "fur". The driftwood just got a nice tuft of white fur and another plant is sprouting brown fur. With the regular water changes (every couple of days when levels get high), the algae seems better. I can also wipe some off the leaves... But how much algae is too much and how do I get rid of it? My cycling is going great but I don't want to mess up anything with gross algae!
 

Squealor

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Jun 30, 2005
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Boston, MA
Nope, water is very clear...
 

Squealor

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Jun 30, 2005
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However, I did go use the magnet scraper thing and there was some algae on the glass in one corner down the bottom. I scraped it off and now the glass and water are clear... just on the plants/rocks/driftwood. Don't get me wrong, it's not one big furry tank :) , it's just starting to grow fur, but I don't want it to overtake the whole tank! It's two of the four plants, the gravel and a little on the driftwood.
 

norm3000

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Sep 11, 2004
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Clawson, MI
That's pretty quick for that much algae in a tank. I've never had much algae show up in the first 20 days. I would test for phosphates in your tap water, you can test for phosphates with a test kit from Big Al's. If your phosphates are high (anyone got a number here?) then look into removing some of the phosphates. There are lots of commercial products for this including poly filters and reverse osmosis.

Algae is always going to grow in a tank. You'll definately want to get some algae eaters but you'll likely have to wait until after your tank is cycled. I like Ottos although they're fairly delicate. Siamese Algea Eaters seem to be the favorite but hard to come by.

Lots of thriving plants will also help reduce algae. Once algae's taken over it's hard to get the plants thriving, but if you can manage it they can outcompete the algae for nutrients. Lots of light and CO2 is typically required for this.
 

Squealor

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Jun 30, 2005
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Thanks for the advice! I ordered a plant testing kit from Big Al's... just waiting for it to come in now. I'm wondering if I bought some dud plants. The first three I bought from Petco and within a week or two one of them was really covered in algae and not doing well. I ended up tkaing it out and throwing it away. I bought two more from a really great fish place. Now, out of the four left, only the two from Petco are the ones with algae. Could it be that I brought in the algae from Petco or that those plants just aren't that healthy to start? I plan on getting some algae eaters, but of course don't want to do that until the cycling is done so they don't die. Right now, my ammonia has been gone for almost two weeks and we are battling the nitrites with frequent water changes.
 

daveedka

Purple is the color of Royalty
Jan 30, 2004
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Columbus, ohio
Ammonia typically is the culprit in new tanks, but either way a lack of balance in nutrients will enhance algea growth. I would get through the cycle before I did a lot of changing things, but I would definately read up on macro and micro nutrients in the plant forum, and try to get a handle on what needs balanced.

Another suggestion is red ramshorn snails. they will eat your algea, clean you tank, they are fun to watch and the cycle won't effect them at all.
Dave
 

z28onmethane

The fish man
Jul 19, 2005
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Burlington,Nj
I own a plako and i dont know if he,s doing so well . He has this white stuff on his left side of his body it start at his top fin and goes back a little bit on his back. He swimms around in my fifty five gallon tank. what is it on his back?
 

greendeltatke

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Mar 28, 2005
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Chicago
You should probably post that question on your own thread- and people will ask your about your water parameters and the other fish in the tank.
 
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