Friend with algae problem...

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toehead11183

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Dec 4, 2006
3,538
21
68
Memphis, tn
My friend's got a 150 tall with a 6" oscar, 2-3", 3-4" JD, 6-7" Tx, 2 3-4" cons, a 3-4" CL and a 6" pleco. she feeds 1-2 times a week, does weekly 25% WCs and the lights on a timer for 12 Hr/day. Shes says she's gopr green algae on her glass really back and her mag-float dont cut it. she's removed all decor from the tank and vacced really gooda and its still a problem. i discouraged her from using an algae killer product and recommend her to use a razor blade and cut all the algae off, do a 50% WC and use a phosphate removing pad in her filters. She doesnt want to have to cover and starve the algae like i reccomended if all else fails. She wants to know if another pleco will help or what else she can do. i figured more heads will bring better info.
 
ok 12 hours is a lot fish only need 6 to 8 hours tops... mag algea scrapers suck so just get used to sticking ur arm in and doing a good job once or twice a week...as long as the water isnt green and she not overun by algea dont worry too much... dont use chemicals just cut the light... how much surrounding light is there... do you have sun shinging in the room? are thier house lights on a lot... if all else fails get a uv to solve the problem scrub the walls with ur pad or razor change the filter media 8 hours later black the tank out for 1 day and do a 25 percent water change... repeat those steps a day or two later and do another large water change cut that 12 hours in half n watch what happens...along with the surrounding lights
 
algea eaters are not the way out... they crap all over and will make you clean a lot more than just maintaing ur algea.... i really dont know why people feal the need for them so much! algea is not bad for your tank to a certain extent other than being an eye sore... check for phosphates and ur other usuals and see whats happening behind the scenes u probably just have too much lighting
 
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