Algae in sand
- Thread starter belmont0182
- Start date
i was under the impression that if i did that it would decompose and make harmful gasses that would kill my fish....i havent mentioned this but i have a common pleco in a different tank; would it be worth it to catch him and throw him in the 20 long?
Plecos will not eat algae off the sand--they eat by swiping a 'tongue' across the surface and scraping off the algae, which doesn't work in sand. You could try getting some cheap ghost shrimp--they might help, and if they get eaten, no big loss. Some snails will go through the sand as well--MTS most notably. You could try them, though some cichlids will eat snails as well, so they might not last long either.
Could be Cyanobacteria
Bel…
I saw your post yesterday but did not have time to respond. I have a 75g planted tank that has been up and running for about a year. It has gone through several different algae species as it has become balanced.
What you are describing sounds as if it may be a strain of cyanobacteria, which can be really nasty stuff. It will kill plants, smells awful, and defies conventional treatment.
I would recommend a search of BGA (blue green algae) or cyanobacteria and read about this stuff.
I would encourage you to never use an off the shelf algae killer as they will kill everything in your tank, maybe not the first dose, but it will happen regardless of what it says on the label.
To get rid of cyanobacteria, if that is what you have, you may need to resort to antibiotics, a controversial step. I have used them once with great success, but not without a lot of research and even a consultation with my physician ( gram – gram + bla bla bla). I decided on a procedure, duration, and strength etc. that seemed right for my tank and did it. I came thru it bio filter intact and cyano gone.
Good luck
Bel…
I saw your post yesterday but did not have time to respond. I have a 75g planted tank that has been up and running for about a year. It has gone through several different algae species as it has become balanced.
What you are describing sounds as if it may be a strain of cyanobacteria, which can be really nasty stuff. It will kill plants, smells awful, and defies conventional treatment.
I would recommend a search of BGA (blue green algae) or cyanobacteria and read about this stuff.
I would encourage you to never use an off the shelf algae killer as they will kill everything in your tank, maybe not the first dose, but it will happen regardless of what it says on the label.
To get rid of cyanobacteria, if that is what you have, you may need to resort to antibiotics, a controversial step. I have used them once with great success, but not without a lot of research and even a consultation with my physician ( gram – gram + bla bla bla). I decided on a procedure, duration, and strength etc. that seemed right for my tank and did it. I came thru it bio filter intact and cyano gone.
Good luck
