Substrate Algae Problem

fishboy7

Amazonian Specialist
Jun 12, 2010
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My grandma has a 10 gallon aquarium with 5 Java Ferns and 1 Oto cat. She has a Tetra Whisper 10i Internal Filter and a Top Fin 10 HOB. Her water's Gh is 7, the Kh 14, the temp 77*F, and a pH of 8.3. She plans on getting a Betta, 10 Neons, and 4 Otos. I don't why but this green algae keeps growing on her sand and it's very difficult to remove and keeps coming back. We tore down the aquarium and set it all back up and it still comes back. What is the algae, and If we got a total of 4 Otos will that solve the problem or is there something else we should do?
 
Ditto. Unless the lighting is just way to high or on too long it is most likely cyano bacteria/blue green algae.
 
Can you get an ammonia/nitrite/nitrate reading? Whats her lighting and photoperiod like? What is her maintenance schedule? Pics help tremendously.

Otos do well with soft algae on surfaces. If it's BGA, which there is a good chance if it's on the substrate, then nothing will consume it...
 
Without pics to confirm, yes, that is a decent website with tips on attacking BGA.

The thing about all nuisance algaes though is that getting rid of it isn't curing your tank. There is still something there promoting its growth.

My suggestion.

1) Manually remove all you can.

2) Back off on any lighting schedule you are doing. I would also examine if the tank gets alot of sunlight from a window as well.

3) Before adding fish, do the marycn anti-bacterial treatment. Normally, I would say no chemicals, but without a huge bioload, I think we will be okay. And treating a 10 gal tank is not a huge amount of drugs. Do the full treatment per the directions.

4) Before adding fish, get either a) a larger HOB filter, or better b) an additional sponge filter. Something like this: http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/204192/product.web

Set it up in the corner opposite to where the HOB is. It is going to do a few things. It will improve the flow. It will add oxygen to the water. And it will increase the biofiltration that you will need with the additional fish you plan on adding.

As an aside, I would not add all those fish at once. Going from 1 oto to 16 fish will cause a spike in your nitrogen cycle. Do it slowly over time. Even though those fish aren't large and messy, you are going to be pushing the capacity on a 10 gal tank. The sponge filter will help.
 
if there's no fish and no ferts, there's no nitrates. the perfect environment for cyano as it's a bacteria with nitrogen fixating capabilities and thrives in such environments.
 
Okay thanks! I think we will clean it up as best we can, kill the lights for several days, and then add some fish. Do u guys think that'll work?
 
if there's no fish and no ferts, there's no nitrates. the perfect environment for cyano as it's a bacteria with nitrogen fixating capabilities and thrives in such environments.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Is the tank cycled for fish?
 
No, the tank is not cycled. So if we add fish that should help immensly right?
 
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