10 Algae Busting Tips

[ergo sum]

Joergen

I suspect you need to raise the nitrate levels and most likely the phosphate levels. I read what the claims are of that fertilizer but they are wrong. Many people thing there is a relationship between iron and staghorn algae. Try upping the NPK and adding less of the traces and more carbon. Seachem excel would be helpful right now.

 

[Joergen.Schoppe]

Hi
Thanks for the tip
Will try NPK, have some but didn't use as the warning on it reads only for the experienced, and I'm not.
The carbon, do you mean CO2? I steer my ph with that, works wonder. Are between 6,6 and 6.8, changes during daytime. But cannot add more, have 0GH and 4Kh only. ph will drop too deep.

 

[loaches r cool]

Many let thier co2 drive thier pH much lower than that, into the 5's with no problems. Fish dont seem to care much about the pH shift due to co2 alone.

 

[Joergen.Schoppe]

Tristan, when testing PH with the Tetra test kit, it shows the same values as the digital meter I have installed.
I'm not sure, but I believe it is the same Ph that is measured. Too low, on long term might harm the fish and the plants. Like too high.

 

[loaches r cool]

Unless your going into the 4's its not going to harm most fish or plants, unless you have some that are particularly sensative. pH readings are the result of whats in the water. Its these things that could harm fish, dissolved solids, not necesarily the pH value alone since many things can effect that. Like I said, many have run into the 5's w/o problems. I usually run mid 6's myself. Alot of plants will do much better in soft and acidic conditions. This thinking became more popular when ADA aqua soil came out, since it has the effect of softeneing the water and reducing the KH down very low. With KH values very low, like around 1* or less, 30ppm co2 usually causes pH values to be at 6.0 or less.

 

[rogerramjet69]

my only successful method of getting rid of algae

I have always had algae problems in my tanks, whether I had real plants or those plastic things. The worst of it was the dark green hairy stuff that would cover the leaves and filter tubes completely. I tried pluckies, otocinclus, chinese algae eaters, shrimp, stringray pluckies and every other kind of fish I could find. They all did nothing for this nasty algae. While surfing the web, I came across an aquarium shop that had different fish, plants etc. They had snails called "olive snails". They cost $.89 ea and they recommend 1 per gal of aquarium. Well I bought 50 for my 55 gallon and within 2 days there was hardly any algae left. They mowed down the green algae like my wife devours chocolate. Here is a link: http://www.azgardens.com/aquarium_snails.php.
Hope this helps someone.

 

[loaches r cool]

I have had similar experience with snails, but in my case the common red ramshorn that came from nowhere (probably on a plant from lfs) and multiplied like mad. I have a snail breeding tank and I used to pull out algea infected plants and just toss em in the snail tank. I had some exceptionally bad cases of bba and a couple other algeas on some anubias and they were stripped clean of algea in about 3 days in my snail tank. Practically inconceivable lol. But I cant include snails in my display tank since I have loaches. I do throw them in every once in a while to feed to the loaches. They dont last long.

 

[persephony]

Hey Hally/Steve!

I also have those plants with one stem and the 2" leaves, i love them.
When i bought them the guy told me they were "like little bamboo shoots" but did didn't know the name. :huh:
I looked in all kinds of books and web sights and never found the name, If you ever find out please let me know.

Mine also are the only ones to get covered in algy, but it wipes off so i just clean them when i do a water change.

The only prob is they take up a lot of room planting them so that the leaves are not covering eachother, and they tend to block out the light to any smaller ones underneath.
It tends to be the top ones that get most algy though so it is a bit confusing.
Does this sound like what's happening with yours?
And did you find a solution?
If you know anything please let me know.

Thanks, and good luck.

 

[loaches r cool]

Persephony - Welcom to AC:hi:. This is a really old thread, I'm afraid Hally hasnt been online here in nearly 2 years. Not sure who Steve is though. Might be a good idea in situations like this to start a new thread. Perhaps a photo of the plant in question will atleast be able to identify it quick I'm sure.

 

[lovesfish]

Alge Eater

Does anyone recognize this fish? The store I bought them at says they are algea eaters. They do eat algea like no other algea eaters I've ever seen. The pic isn't that clear, hard to catch them sitting still for long. They kind of resemble an otto, but they don't have a black stripe, it looks like a checkered line down the side of their body and have a sucker mouth.