Algae.

Hi All.

I have been having a problem with green algae on the glass of my 64 litre - 60cm tank.

This has only started since I removed my Bristlenose Plec and put him in one of my bigger tanks. Is there another fish that would do the job and is suitable for this size tank or is there something else that I could do?

I have seen tiny Bristlenose Plecs for sale at my local Pets at Home. Could I get one of those and then transfer it to a bigger tank when he gets too big for the small tank? 

Many thanks for your continued help. x

Thanks Colin.

That seems quite a good choice. There are no problems with it on the Community Creator.

I'll probably wait to see if Guru Sue replies. If she agrees with you, then I think I will get one.

Thanks Sue. I knew you wouldn't let me down. 

Looking at that guide, I think it is Green Dust Algae that I have. I was rather hoping to get a fish to do the work, instead of having to resort to elbow grease.    The Community Creator doesn't mention a minimum number for Otos, but I am sure that you are correct.

Is there another fish that would do the job and earn his keep, so that I can remain my usual lazy self? lol.

Thank you. x   

I was rather hoping to get a fish to do the work, instead of having to resort to elbow grease

Doing that does not solve the problem - only masks it. It would be a good idea to identify the cause and rectify it.

I dont know about green dust algae, but algae can be caused by overfeeding which would definitely need to be rectified, or it could be that the lights are on for too long which is easily rectified, and so on.

Finding the cause and rectifying it does not mean you cant have algae-eaters in your tank. If you like a fish and it is compatible to your setup & its inhabitants then you can go ahead and get it/them. Otocinclus are a slight exception in as much as they generally NEED brown algae in their diet. Supplements (algae wafers) on their own do not usually suffice. By the way, Otos should be in a shoal of at least 6.

 



EDIT: Another afterthought - have you tried cleaning the glass with a kitchen scouring pad? Make sure it is a new one and rinse it under the tap first. Use the scourer side, not the sponge side. You may find your algae cleans off very easily - no elbow grease needed!

Tip: Do this right before a water change. I do the inside of both my tanks like this every week when doing a water change, though I never clean all the glass - I have algae eaters!

Kitchen ones are fine as long as they aren't impregnated with detergent etc. I have the ones that look like a ball of knitted brightly coloured plastic thread. These

Some people even use these as biological media in external filters 

Hi Jesnon,

No, its not necessarily a problem like I mentioned in my previous post (overfeeding, etc).

I always get a little more algae in the summer because the sun is higher in the sky and so hits the tanks for a longer period when it comes round in the afternoons. Algae loves direct sunlight. And with the heat we've had recently, your tanks are likely to be warmer than usual anyway. Ive struggled to keep mine below 27.5 degrees, even at night, and I have a fan on each of them. They're usually 24 and 25. The warmer water will also aid algae growth.

"Problematic Algae" that needs addressing, is excess algae under normal conditions.

 

Thanks Sue, I'll get some of those, way cheaper than the ones specially for aquariums.   

I have been using to kitchen scourer to keep it under control. However, I have just ordered some snails from eBay. Hopefully they will do the work for me. 

It might be that I have the lights on too much. Normally 18 to 20 hours a day. (I don't sleep much). Not sure about over-feeding. They seem to eat it all within 2 or 3 minutes. 

I do 13½ hours on the lights.... but I'm not too fussed about algae. I take it as natural and just clean it off the glass. Dave the Dinosaur is growing lots of interesting stuff on him. 

Quote from: jesnon on July 16, 2013, 11:41:17 AM

I have to say I'm not looking forward to moving my tank!

Ah, I warn you that moving the tank will be as stressful in itself as the house-move! Sorry, but it is  When the time comes, you just have to do your best and pray. Think about how you're going to do it, go through it methodically in your mind. I found it helpful to write a basic "plan-of-action" and made sure I had everything I needed at the ready before I started (a list of "tools" is also helpful - buckets, nets, etc, etc. May sound daft, but its surprising what you may forget when stressed out).

The first time I stripped down one of my tanks, I discovered that it would have been better to have uprooted the plants a day beforehand. Trying to catch fish in dirty water is not funny 

Thanks for this Chucklett! Yes I have a feeling it's going to be one of the most stressful aspects of the move! Good idea about the plan of action. I think what I'm hoping to do is move almost everything except the fish tank, and then move the tank on a separate day where I'm not going to be distracted by everything else that's going on. The problem is the stand for the tank is quite big too so this might be a problem from the outset!