Algae problem

[jwitty]

Hey guys. So both of my tanks are super clear. Never had a problem with algae. My girlfriends parents got a tank that I’ve been helping them with. At first it was going good, but then wouldn’t stay clean. I told them to get an aqua clear 50 (it’s a 37 gallon tank and that was the biggest filter that could be on it due to the lid). This helped, but then algae came. Also got a power head to help move water around. I vacuumed it and cleaned all the plants, looked great for awhile. (About a month) now it has algae again. I’ve never had a problem like this. What can I do to help get this under control? I know uv light would prob work and I have one laying around, but is there anything else I can do?

 

[Piscavores:)]

Get a few snails of different species that aren’t asexual and don’t eat the plants that you mentioned or a like 3 nerite snails as they need special conditions to breed although they will lay eggs. Or you could test the water for nitrates and see if they are leaving the light on

 

[joe jaskot]

In a planted tank, algae is a result of an imbalance of light, nutrients, and CO2. Try reducing the amount of time that the lights are on. Make sure they are not over feeding the fish causing excess nutrients. Do more water changes. As to the UV sterilizer, it will only kill free floating algae (green water).

 

[jwitty]

There isn’t any real plants. All fake. Would just leaving the light off for a week or so kill off the algae?

 

[Rocksor]

How long is the light on?

 

[jwitty]

How long is the light on?

Just during the day. I mean I leave the lights on in my tanks all day from wake up to right before I get in bed and the only algae I ever get is on the lids

 

[Rocksor]

Just during the day. I mean I leave the lights on in my tanks all day from wake up to right before I get in bed and the only algae I ever get is on the lids

Well unless their tank is in the same spot as your tank, and everything is completely identical to your tank, they need to reduce the amount of time the light is on over the tank as a first step. Even ambient sunlight can cause algae to grow.

 

[duanes]

How often do they do water changes?
It could be (in combination with too many hours of light, and some slight) be a build up of nutrients like nitrate.
The smaller the tank, the faster nitrate can overwhelm, and create algae, and normal filtration doesn't remove nitrate, only water changes do. Real plants could help, but their number must be significant to compete with algae.