Tazmiche

I've read lots about it ( have taken all in too) and have lots to share if anybody would like some!! Just wondered if anyone has any tips on keeping it under control? I clean it out all of the time by hand and as you know it is easy to remove but it must drive the fish mad having the chamber maid in all of the time!!
Tank not in direct sunlight, have long periods without lights on, i hoover and change water regularly, erm..... nitrites 0 ammonia 0 pH 7.4......50/50 live, artificial plants. Think that's all i can tell you!

0morrokh

What is your nitrate level? If that is fine, it could be your tap water. If it contains a lot of phosphates or something, it could be encouraging algae growth.

Tazmiche

nitrAte is 5 according to API master test kit!

0morrokh

Well, everything sounds fine. How long do you leave on the lights each day? If you have an algae problem, you don't want to leave on the lights for longer than 8-10 hours. Also, try to find out what's in your tapwater that could potentially be causing the problem.

Tazmiche

Only have lights on for 10 hours max. I will try and fin out tap water composite.

sgould

To get the algae under control, black the tank out for 3 days. NO light at all. Wrap it with a blanket or something to keep even ambient light from the room from getting in. After the 3 days, do a pretty hefty water change...at least 50%. As an ongoing practice, 10 hours per day lighting sounds like a lot to me and could be why the algae showed up to begin with. I am thinking more like 7 hours per day max, but I think a number of the older posts on this board cover that...might be worth some research.

Butterfly

Check this link out. http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9
Carol

Tazmiche

Thanks guys, i'm cutting down on the light time now. The Amamo shrimp i recently added is having a feast but i do need to get it under some sort of control.