Too Much Green Algae: Tanganykian Tank

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stylEmon

BLAM sucka BLAM
Mar 11, 2011
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Hey all,

Is there anything I can do to get rid of, or slow down the algae growth?


I can appreciate the green algae, letting me know that my tank is balanced, but it's a little much lately.

I had two lamps over the tank, but knocked it down to one. That helped but the algae growth is still too fast for my liking.
 

stylEmon

BLAM sucka BLAM
Mar 11, 2011
72
0
6
it's a florescent PowerGlow 40W. I keep it on for 8 hours a day, and it is not near a window. It's on from noon till 9pm.
I already trimmed about 4 hours off the cycle, and that helped a little. Cutting back to just one light made the biggest difference so far.
 

Rbishop

Administrator
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Dec 30, 2005
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Phosphate levels? Any plants? Water change schedule and how much?
 

stylEmon

BLAM sucka BLAM
Mar 11, 2011
72
0
6
All my levels are where they are supposed to be. Although I don't have a phosphate kit.
I have lots of plants, and add water once every two weeks. It's about 3 gallons at a time.
 

Rbishop

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Dec 30, 2005
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What cichlids and what plants? Posting levels from a good liquid test kit helps us help you vice saying they are what they are supposed to be. :)
 

platytudes

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Nov 4, 2006
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Fast growing plants are what really suppress algae, not so much plants like Anubias and such which do not grow quickly. Najas aka guppy grass is a great choice, for example, and it can grow floating as well as rooted.
 

jpappy789

Plants need meat too
Feb 18, 2007
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Agreed, any of the common floating plants are good at sucking up nutrients...which sounds like a big portion of the problem if you are only topping off a few gallons every couple weeks. I'm sure there are a lot of built up solids feeding the algae growth.
 
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