Friend in Desperate Need of Algae Help

[Opicana]

My friend has a severe algae problem, but I have had little experience with this type of algae and I don't know what advice to give.

Situation: Severe algae. It regrows within 24 hours of being removed; and triples in a weeks time. Based on the pictures I have seen, and his description, I am guessing cyanobacteria.

Tank:
30g
Standard Hood & Lightning

Stocking:
6 Danios
5 Neons
2 Cories
2 Bolivian Rams

((I've already suggested changes to his stocking; that's not the point of this post. ))

Water Parameters:
PH: 7.6
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 30ppm

Tank Maintenance: Good. I know he is diligent about regular tank maintence and weekly water changes.

Any additional information on parameters that you think may be of use let me know and I can ask him for it.

How do you think he should go about getting rid of it?

 

[jpappy789]

That looks to be cyanobacteria (blue green algae)...I'll let someone else suggest a solution though.

 

[Opicana]

That was my guess. So I researched methods to get rid of it, and it says it grows in low nitrate situations....his tank clearly doesn't lack nitrate, so the treatment I read of doing a 3 day blackout, and then adding N to the 20ppm range, doesn't fly...

He has cleaned it out to the best of his ability more then once- including the gravel- nothing has worked.

 

[Opicana]

Oh, I should mention the plants are real, all low light.

 

[Zaffy]

Whats the wattage of the light? How long during the day is it on? how old is the bulb?

 

[jpappy789]

Stock lights for the 30 gal. (36") tanks are 20w I believe.

 

[Zaffy]

I think so too.

 

[Opicana]

He said:
32 watts
It's a year old
And 7 hours

 

[Zaffy]

Any direct sunlight? Any chance at a phosphate test?

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

All my occasional diatom and algae blooms including algae growth has become almost non-existent due to a great UV sterilizer called the Green Killing Machine (GKM). A U shape 24 Watt UV bulb housed is a special baffle and matched with a specific slow 25 GPH power head.

I have one GKM in each of my 5 aquariums, 2 of which are facing direct window light that I deliberately direct at my tank for my bare root Pothos plants growing out of my HOBs. My biggest aquarium is 244 and I only use 1 24W GKM on it and its working perfectly. I have them all on timers and they come on only 12 hours at night. The only algae I have is a tiny bit on the glass that takes forever to grow (1/4 inch a month) and very thin.

The success and failure with UV sterilization is that most people miss match the UV bulb to the pump which has to be slow to be effective. By buying a matched system your buying a winning formula, and the GKM is very reasonable.
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2750628