algae?

[erich_7719]

I have a 15g that has, many-Pouch snail, 5-Neon Tetra, 5-Dwarf puffer, 5-flame tetra, 4-red eyed tetra. I added 5-oto's and the algae still seam to be out of controle, (confesion, I am lazy when it comes to scraping algae off of the glass) it's evan on most all my plants.

Would you say 5 oto's are enough or would you sugest more?

 

[erich_7719]

or evan any other sugestions would be sugested. knowing that I don't want to over populate this tank.

 

[tyl089]

kind of worried about the puffers since they like and need brackish water, and tetras are usually need at the minimum neutral water to thrive. Also, your tank does sound overcrowded, and i think five ottos are enough, since your snail should also be a big plant eater. Don't be too suprised if you lose some fish (esp. the ottos) since they seemed to be on the delicate side. How much water changes do you do? Because if i have the fish that you do in the 15, i will do one every weekend.

 

[erich_7719]

I have my tank set with 1/2 the salt needed to be brackish (per my understanding) and every one seems to be doing just fine and very active here are a few pics.

 

[erich_7719]

Full view of the tank. be for I forget my snail population has been steadily dropping over the last couple of weeks.

 

[erich_7719]

I do about 5g a week of a change w/ 1 tbsp salt added to the 5g's

 

[wangster11235]

dwarf puffers are fresh water puffers

 

[tyl089]

it does look like a good set up, and if you are doing 5g water changes, then you are not lazy since you have a pretty good planted tank. Algae will grow on slow growing plants; i noticed there doesn't seemed to be any algae on the elodeas. I did see the algae on the back, but it's normal. I usually leave it on the back and sides of my tank so my plecos can feed on it, and on the front if there any any, i take a old credit card, and scrape the algae off. Works really well. Five ottos should be enough, but like i said before, ottos seemed to be on the delicate side, so don't be too suprised if some don't make it; acclimate them well.

 

[Bucko]

Those look like veritcal blinds behind the tank, a background on the tank may help reduce the light from the window which may help in keeping the algae down. That is unless ya need the light for your plants....

 

[erich_7719]

Well "Bucko". The light that you can barly see in the last pic is a 5W light that came with a 1gallon tank, and thats not to adiquite for a 15g planted tank. that is 1 reason I don't have a background on the tank. the second reason is I personaly don't like how most of them look.