john&jen

My 75 gallon freshwater tank is consistently growing a flourescent green algae, especially at the base of the glass where it meets the substrate. I limit the tank light to 8-10 hours a day and the curtains in the room have been drawn all summer to keep the house cool. My wife thinks the piece of driftwood in the tank has something to do with it, I don't... or this that my natural ability to disagree with my spouse? HAHA Any thoughts? The fish eat Boyd's Vita Diet and there hasn't been any death in the tank for a long time. The tank is well established and well maintained. I don't like the thought of chemicalling up the tank. Any thoughts?

Shawnie

I find that the algae in my 75 gal which is in the same place, is from leftover food I missed while vacuuming that sinks to the bottom....it builds up and is a great food source for algae..so I just make sure I really clean the gravel once a week and it seemed to have helped...goodluck!

john&jen

Thanks, Shawnie...you always seem to be there! The Boyd's seems to sink quick too. What food do you recommend?

Shawnie

your welcome...and it depends on what your feeding? for my cichlids, I get the the floating pellets...for my ohters, chunks of bloodworms, brine shrimp, and I only feed my pleco wafers 3x a week instead of every night...it makes him keep the leftover food eaten instead of waiting around for his wafers

pepetj

Hi John (& jean too):

What are you stocking your tank with? My wife is also involved in fishkeeping with me. Are you keeping Boesemani Rainbows are you avatar shows?

The only helpful idea I have for (controlling at least) algae (floating ones, before they attach to the walls) is UV sterilizer. There's a range of water-flow that works well for algae control.

Other than that, maybe adding some cleaning crew? (e.g. Otocinclus, Apple or Nerite Snails)

Pepe
Santo Domingo

Butterfly

Consistently growing flourescent algae is most likely cyanobacteria/blue green algae
Here is an article written by our own Sirdarksol on that very algae.
http://www.fishlore.com/aquariummaga...nobacteria.htm
Carol

dking271

It sounds to me like you may have Blue/Green algae, based on your description (florescent and where the glass meets the sbstrate). Is there any on the substrate, and does it scrape off in sheets from the glass? If so, it is not actually algae, it is Cyanobacteria. I'm dealing with this currently in one of my tanks. It is often a sign of poor water, but also appears in tanks with low nitrates. Sometimes it goes away on its own, but often needs to be treated. I am currently treating with API Erythromycin. Here is the tricky part, Erythromycin will kill your cycle if you follow the dosing on the box. I use one packet per 30 gallons, once a week for three weeks, doing routine water changes the day before a dose is due. I have not crashed my cycle, and the problem is all but gone after the 1st - 2nd dose depending on how bad your problem is. It will also not harm your fish or your plants. There are other treatments available but most have more serious side effects. As a precaution, I always have cycled media in my other tanks in case the cylce were to crash in your tank.

john&jen

Wow, dking. The cyanobacteria sounds scary and it fits your description. I am very concerned of a fishkill.. is your dosing safe? To the rest of you...
2 Bosemani Rainbows
2 Angels
2 Otos
6 glowlight tetra
3 Buenos Aires tetra
Pictus Cat
Betta
3 Glasscats
2 Longfinned rosy barbs
3 snails

john&jen

Boy do I sound stupid. I just read the article and realize cyanobacteria and blue/green are one in the same. Would there be any symptoms on the fish? Like I said before, all seems well, except for the growth. There is plenty of current in the tank and the fishlore description BRIEFLY describes cyanobacteria as a saltwater issue. I will vac the tank, add arythromycin, (remove charcoal?), and see what happens. Is the low dose okay. Thanks guys, I'm getting somewhere. Also, if some one could officially tell me I need a cannister filter, so I can explain to my wife we NEED it....

john&jen

dking...3 packets in and I removed the charcoal. I'm waiting a week for the next dose. Thanks. I was tempted to follow your advice, but apply the second treatment the next day, like API says, but I'm holding off a week, at your advice, to keep the cycle up. Seems to be doing something?!

dking271

Yes, wait a week before you do the next dose or you may crash your cycle. You will probably see it dissappear within a few days. The medicine will not harm your fish, but pay close attention to your water parameters. It sounds to me that you caught this before it was a big problem. Please let us know how things progress.

john&jen

Second dose of three packets in, after a water change, vac, and scrubbing decorations. Everyone is still alive.