Algae Problems

TONO

AC Members
Jan 5, 2005
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My tank is almost done its cycle, and there seems to be alot of algae growth. There are five plants in the tank right now with 1.3 wpg. There is brown spots by my filter and heater. Then there is this green stuff coating the back of my tank how do I get rid of it? oh yeah the nitrites spiked today so the cycle is almost done.
 
well, the brown stuff is probably diatoms. don't worry too much about that, you usually get it right after a tank cycles. you can hand remove it and cut down on it with water changes. after a while it should go away on its own as the tank matures.

the green stuff is a little more worrying, though. is it dark green, slimy, and is it growing in a sheet or mat? if so it's likely cyano bacteria (a.k.a. blue-green algae) and it's a pain to get rid of. try to identify it first.

any more details on your water params? and what about tank size and type of plants, etc.?
 
the green algae is not dark its light green and it's growing in sheets on the back of tank. not like the brown stuff that that grows like dots. I started to notice it a few days ago and it has almost completely covered the back of my tank.its an 80 gallon tank; amonia .5ppm, nitrites 5ppm, nitrates are around 10ppm. I have crypts and java fern, today Im going to go pick up some java moss. (5 plants right now)
 
2 80 watt no flourecents, aquaclear 200 and a magnum 350, sand substrate not silicate sand.
 
It definetly is blue green i am going to run a diatom filter to try and remove some of it; and do a 3 day blackout.
 
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