Sorry if this is in the wrong place, and the question is at the bottom for people who don't want to read a short essay on my life...
So, my 2ft (120ltr) tank has become overrun with algae of various kinds due to my laziness with the water changes over the past few weeks. It went from daily 50-60% changes to weekly 60-70% changes when my betta died and boy did the algae bloom.
I've been looking into ways to reduce the algae and I've cone across a few different ways to do so, but most of them are not possible in my situation, or just plain fiddly.
1. Cut the light back. This would be a great idea if not for the fact that my light is only on for eight hours a day and I have plants in the tank that barely scrape by with the light I have, so that's out of the question.
2. Change more water! Another great idea, change more water more frequently to lower the amount of nutrients available to the algae. If I do this I'm worried my plants will start to die because they weren't doing very well with the daily changes and I don't want them to die. I don't use any ferts or co2 so my plants dying seems to be a real possibility.
3. Co2. Apparently dosing co2 will cause the plants to out compete the algae for the nutrients - but co2 kits are expensive as is the liquid stuff, and DIY ones look fiddly and I don't want to mess around constantly with a DIY system.
4. Manual removal... Nuh uh. Nope. Not happening. I've tried and its a lost cause..
Which leaves us with the final option, algae eaters!
I've been reading a bit about different algae eaters and think oto cats would work nicely, and not outgrow my tank, but I don't know their compatibility with my cae, mostly I'm worried about the cae harassing the otos and mistaking them for others of his kind and turning aggressive. What are the chances of this?
Other tank residents (beside the tiny cae) include x3 kuhlli loaches, x6 white cloud minnows and one upside down catfish.
Any help would be great! And before someone mentions shrimp, I've never seen freshwater shrimp down here and don't think I'm allowed to keep them.
Overall I want to know the chances of my cae harassing the otos if I were to get them, or if he'd leave them alone and continue doing his own thing?
Thanks in advance, if anyone has other suggestions, I'd love to hear them!
Post Script: my cae was rescued a couple of years back from my mums "friend" who kept him in a 30ltr with HEAPS of other fish, he hasn't grown since I took him in, but is healthy and seems to be happy, please don't jump down my throat about keeping him in a 120ltr, as he's only 3-4" long.
So, my 2ft (120ltr) tank has become overrun with algae of various kinds due to my laziness with the water changes over the past few weeks. It went from daily 50-60% changes to weekly 60-70% changes when my betta died and boy did the algae bloom.
I've been looking into ways to reduce the algae and I've cone across a few different ways to do so, but most of them are not possible in my situation, or just plain fiddly.
1. Cut the light back. This would be a great idea if not for the fact that my light is only on for eight hours a day and I have plants in the tank that barely scrape by with the light I have, so that's out of the question.
2. Change more water! Another great idea, change more water more frequently to lower the amount of nutrients available to the algae. If I do this I'm worried my plants will start to die because they weren't doing very well with the daily changes and I don't want them to die. I don't use any ferts or co2 so my plants dying seems to be a real possibility.
3. Co2. Apparently dosing co2 will cause the plants to out compete the algae for the nutrients - but co2 kits are expensive as is the liquid stuff, and DIY ones look fiddly and I don't want to mess around constantly with a DIY system.
4. Manual removal... Nuh uh. Nope. Not happening. I've tried and its a lost cause..
Which leaves us with the final option, algae eaters!
I've been reading a bit about different algae eaters and think oto cats would work nicely, and not outgrow my tank, but I don't know their compatibility with my cae, mostly I'm worried about the cae harassing the otos and mistaking them for others of his kind and turning aggressive. What are the chances of this?
Other tank residents (beside the tiny cae) include x3 kuhlli loaches, x6 white cloud minnows and one upside down catfish.
Any help would be great! And before someone mentions shrimp, I've never seen freshwater shrimp down here and don't think I'm allowed to keep them.
Overall I want to know the chances of my cae harassing the otos if I were to get them, or if he'd leave them alone and continue doing his own thing?
Thanks in advance, if anyone has other suggestions, I'd love to hear them!
Post Script: my cae was rescued a couple of years back from my mums "friend" who kept him in a 30ltr with HEAPS of other fish, he hasn't grown since I took him in, but is healthy and seems to be happy, please don't jump down my throat about keeping him in a 120ltr, as he's only 3-4" long.