I feel bad, but I need help/advice

[SharkBait]

Ok, as I've previously stated we bought a small little 3gal Eclipse system as the girlfriend wanted some fish (as did I) but we don't have the room for my 20gal tanks I've previously used.

I do expect people to be angry and upset with the follow, but I just have to post this.

Now a buddy of mine said Guppies were pretty hardy fish (as did the LFS rep) so we bought 4 of them and brought them home. Mind you, I did not do a fishless cycle and I'm expected to be yelled at from this point forward

Previously I've used feeder fish (those little gold fish) and never had an issue. I actually eventually gave them to a friend who kept them for a long time too. I ran my 20gal tanks without issues, with out any fish dying etc. I have had gourmies, various tetras, barbs, angel fish and some bettas. In fact my angel's actually bred and had babies (weird eh?)

But.. eventually (and slowly) putting the guppies in the 3 gal tank, killed them all within about 12 hours. Now I feel horrible but that's not what this post is about.

I am having a crazy algae bloom in the tank without any fish in it. The tank is situated in a bright room and all I've been doing is water changes. I cleaned the tank previously (a few days ago) but the algea went insane this past day.

Why would Algae just suddenly develop? I just noticed it happened when the fish all died, before that the tank has been empty for almost a month, just cycling the water itself.

Now I know I cannot put many fish into this small tank, but the girlfriend really likes guppies. I was told that mollies eat algae, but then I don't have much room to put a variety of fish in.

a) What is the best way to clean all the algae? Just do a 50% water change and wipe the algae off the sides?
b) What fish would be best suited for such a small tank? Could I still go with guppies. Could I do like 3 guppies and 2 mollies? Should I look for a snail to eat the algae?

A larger tank yes would be great, but since we're not moving any time soon we won't have space really for anything larger for at least 4 years

 

[Squeakfish]

Algal blooms in new mostly uncycled tanks are very common, especially the brown diatoms. There isn't much you can do for it, usually it clears itself up. However, if you have any sunlight hitting the tank, well, move the tank.

 

[SharkBait]

There is no direct sun hitting the tank. The tank is actually in front of a window that it's curtain is always drawn closed.

 

[ToeJam]

Test the water source....see what Nitrates and Phosphates are at.... algae blooms yes are common in new cycle......but after that cycle... the source of most algae outbreaks is the phosphate...

Phosphate can be removed with GFO media..but you have to keep your tank PH buffered in the break in of the media...

Cleaning is just what you stated....but this is in a established tank... if you are cycling let it be....dont add fish....the algae will eat the food source and die off ..when cycle is done your parameters should show stability.

I advise using liquid test kits to... quick dips are only good for ballpark range checks on tank conditions...

anyway... IF you are still cycling just wait it out.

 

[Hebily]

As for the stocking Q, I think that 3-5 guppies in a 3 gal would be fine, but you WILL have babies. Have a plan for that.

 

[excuzzzeme]

At this point waiting out the cycle process is the best advice that you have been given. Keep in mind that the smaller the tank the more severe a minor mistake can cost.

Guppies are indeed hardy but still susceptible to bad water conditions as any fish would be. Hardy doesn't mean bullet-proof.

If you start adding chemicals and buffers you will open a Pandora's box and forever have problems. Do yourself and GF a favor and take the long road. It's a lot less headache prone.

 

[SharkBait]

Thanks for all the replies so far! I'll leave any fish out for now and just do the fishless cycle. Trying to explain to the GF that its better to have a fishless tank for a while, than to keep killing fish She understands but thinks the little tank looks ugly without little colourful fish swiming around in it. Think it might also the brown algae that's bugging her as it does make the tank look pretty ugly.

Tried to explain the cycle to her over the phone. Ammonia->Nitrite->Nitrate = safer for fish! lol So we'll see how this goes.

 

[Deanthoreu]

if I were you i would get all male guppies.......if u want them for color///cause if u have 2 females anda male u going to be finding room for a 40 gallon fast...or if u have two males and one female poor girl going to die of exhaustion.

might want to add about a 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt to the tank when u first get the guppies....and for that size tank 1 drop of aquarisol as a good lil tonic for the guppies.
guppies actually like salt....and they seem to stress out easily almost like the things if they last 24 hours they will live for couple years but first 24 hours are the most crucial... so i try to introduce them to the new water chemistry slowly...u know the sit in the bag with the light off in the tank for 20 minutes, add some water to the bag...and do that every 5 minutes (I will get hollered at here) and i keep doing that till the bag is full and sinking and the fish swim out on their own..then i just pull the bag out and toss the water that was in it down the commode. I seem to not loose guppies or neons that way....after an hour os so,,then i toss in the aqauriasol or if i dont have any i toss in methalyne blue or malachite green 1/2 the recomended dose and i dont do a temperature raise....i use it more as a tonic..preventative with guppies and neons whether i am putting them into quarantine from the store..directly into a tank..or moving form quarantine to their new tank....just seems i dont have a mortality rate...or sick fish that way.

mollies dont seem to need as much delicacy and if u want them to eat algae (guppies will as well) then only feed them every 2 days.....u feed them more than that they will have no need to nibble on the algae.

just my 2 cents

 

[red_wall]

You probably want to move the tank from the window.
Even if the shades are closed, you're still getting a little sunlight directly on the tank. I'd move it to a desk/small nightstand, or something similar right to the side of the window.

It might just be my over-suspiciousness of windows, it might not even have too much of an effect, I'm just wary about those things.

 

[ToeJam]

You probably want to move the tank from the window.
Even if the shades are closed, you're still getting a little sunlight directly on the tank. I'd move it to a desk/small nightstand, or something similar right to the side of the window.

It might just be my over-suspiciousness of windows, it might not even have too much of an effect, I'm just wary about those things.

No, you have good reason to avoid the sunlight... most FW users are using tap water and I bet most don't even bother worrying over Phosphates. Add sunlight...bamn !...algae explosion.