Algae!! - How Do You Conquer The Green?

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tediumsdream

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 19, 2005
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Long Island
So here's the not-so-shocking predicament - I have always had trouble with algae.

My tap water's nitrates are at 5ppm so i'm starting off with a disadvantage.

I also leave my aquarium lights on for most of the day. I know this is the main cause but, when I've tried to cut down, my fish get more used to the darker setting and hide when the lights are on.

So what do all of you do to keep your tanks algae-free??

Any new products/media out there these days that help?

Does anyone else have this problem of skittish CA's when the aquarium lights are used less?


Thanks for any help/suggestions!



John
 
Adding a Bristlenose pleco and leaving the lights off more than you do now will help.

What size is your tank? I don't understand why CA cichlids would be so skittish...that doesn't sound normal.
 
is your tank in direct sun light? if so move your tank to a dark bed room and leave your tank lights on 10 to 12 hours .
 
i had massive troubles with algae when i didnt have blinds up! i keep half the blinds half open, so my fish get a full days light still and dont mind when the lights are on,also a pleco in each tank.
 
Well My 150G has only been up and running for a little over a month now so the algae is just starting on that tank.

I also have a 90 gallon and a 20 gallon and they are the ones I've had all of my past troubles with.

The 90 gallon has been a single-specimen tank (Flowerhorn, Escondido, and Grammodes) and this is the tank that give me the most algae problems.

I've tried plecos and they help for the most part but my flowehorn and escondido killed them rather quickly (my 150G is currently a vieja tank, will they tolerate plecos better?)


The tanks are also in my basement so, unless I leave a light on down there, no light at all gets to the tank if the aquarium lights are off. Maybe I should try leaving a light on down there throughout the day?

I also wonder if, because they were alone in the tank, they were more startled when the aquarium lights came sporadically than they would have been if they had active tankmates/dithers?


Do UV sterilizers kill algae that's on the glass and rocks/fake plants?


Thanks for the suggestions so far - keep em coming!!
 
tediumsdream;1876720; said:
Do UV sterilizers kill algae that's on the glass and rocks/fake plants?


Thanks for the suggestions so far - keep em coming!!
Click to expand...

no, the algae hasto be exposed to the uv light for it to be killed, (exposure time depends on the strength of the UV and the type of algae), so it will only take care of algae thats in the water.
if you physically scrape the algae of the deco and glass and remove the majority of the algae a UV will keep the algae from spreading. that is if you have a UV that is of sufficient strength and you have proper exposure
 
if you cover the tank with a big towel or blanket the algae will disappear. Leave it covered for a day or two and it will kill all the algae. Algae thrives on light, no light, no algae. I am guessing the reason you have this issue is the amount of light you put onto the tanks with your tank lights. I do not really understand why the fish would be so skittish. I leave my light off all the time right now, and the fish are out just as normal. Is the tank in a high traffic area? or is there a lot of noise or vibration down in the basement for any reason? Do you have cats or dogs that would bother the fish in the tank?

Other than those things not sure, maybe you just have skittish fish...
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by tediumsdream
The 90 gallon has been a single-specimen tank (Flowerhorn, Escondido, and Grammodes) .
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Ha sorry for the confusion, these fish all were in the tank separately at different times.


if you cover the tank with a big towel or blanket the algae will disappear. Leave it covered for a day or two and it will kill all the algae. Algae thrives on light, no light, no algae. I am guessing the reason you have this issue is the amount of light you put onto the tanks with your tank lights. I do not really understand why the fish would be so skittish. I leave my light off all the time right now, and the fish are out just as normal. Is the tank in a high traffic area? or is there a lot of noise or vibration down in the basement for any reason? Do you have cats or dogs that would bother the fish in the tank?

Other than those things not sure, maybe you just have skittish fish..
Click to expand...

Well I haven't tried any of this with my current fish but in the past they would be startled once I turned the light on and hide. I had to change to sinking food because they would not approach the water surface.

The tanks are in the basement so high activity is not a problem.
 
I keep a pleco and use a gravel vac to do water changes every two weeks. I also scrub the rocks every two weeks.
 
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