alge in 2 week old tank

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mitchv10

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 27, 2007
93
0
0
chicago
I have alge in my 2week old tank. its green and hair like should i get a pleco or some alge chem's i have been wiping it off tha glass for a few days
 
It's normal to have an algae bloom in the first couple days/weeks. Don't get a pleco. You should never rely on another fish to solve a problem. To get rid of it just keep wiping it off making sure all of it is gone, don't leave your lights on for a very long time. Is it next to a window? You can buy a UV sterilizer and that will get rid of it very fast and keep it from coming back.
 
depends on what kind of pleco. some are fantastic algae grazers, while others won't even bother.

i wouldn't recomend using any chemicals to get rid of algae. truth is, you can simply buy one of those magnet things..
 
I don't really know if that can be answered. Most algae eaters are good ate eating one or two kinds, but will not eat all. I find SAEs to be quite diligent when they are small but tend to get lazy and just want to eat fish food when they get older. Otto's are great, but should only be put into an established tank since they tend to be a little on the sensitive side (they should be kept in groups too). Mollies, Platties and Swords are not bad at picking algae off of plants but I would not rely on just them. I have never had Florida Flag Fish, but hear that they are pretty good. Some Plecs are good but common plecs get too big and are poop machines and tend to get lazy with age.
 
snails will get to it where fish can't. otherwise, algae eaters (i have the golden one) will do great work in your tank. people blame the ?AE fish for only eating fish food as they get older, but there shouldn't be any fish food for it to develop a steady taste for it. feed your fish sufficiently and your AE will eat algae all its life.
 
Algae is something that is too broad of a name. You should post a pic, as your description could be one of many, and the treatments/fish that eat these types of algae can vary to opposite ends. Some alga need less light, some need more intense lights, some need certain nutrients, some need very little. A UV sterilizer will only work on a few types of algae, and based on your description, it won't work.
 
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