Advice For Cleaning Tank And Handling Algae

HI there!

I recently created this thread to get some advice on dealing with some fin rot recently appearing on my fish. This has made me more carefully consider the conditions of my tank - something I've been unhappy with but largely unsure of how to handle properly.

I set up this tank in February this year, and added my betta to it about a month later. All was really great for about 2-3 months, but afterward, mostly this summer, I've seen a pretty significant algae bloom. I've attached a photo at the bottom of this post, in which it is pretty evident.

This is a 3.7G PetCo brand tank, and I use a pump in the back along with a heater, and their included filtration media (activated carbon, a mesh-like filter I'm unsure of the name of, and a sponge).

Is this algae/growth bad for the betta? Could it be causing the fin rot?

I typically leave the lights on for the fish whenever I'm awake - leaving them off for around 9 hours a day and on for the rest of the day (~15 hours per day). By my reading other threads, that's a fairly long time. Should I modify my lighting schedule? Would my betta mind?

Finally, are there any specific methods I should implement to clean the substrate? Is it bad to allow the growth to remain there?

Thanks for your time!

 

I would lower the lighting hours to 6-7 hours and do more water changes. The betta wouldn’t mind. Maybe you can add a horned nerite snail to help with the algae too.

You can also add some fast growing plants to out compete the algae for excess nutrients.

 

if you want to kill all of the algae, you can leave the lights off for a couple weeks. but I agree with lowering it to just 6 or 7 hours a day. your betta will be cool with it.

i'd get an algae scraper and scrape it off the walls of the tank if it bothers you. you can maybe take the plant out and scrub the algae off of the leaves, or stick your fingers in the tank and rub it off. suck up any floating algae with a gravel vacuum or turkey baster. I really have no idea how to clean the pebbles though. i'd get a snail lol.

I don't think the algae is causing any fin rot, but i'm not an expert. fin rot can be cured and avoided by keeping pristine water. do frequent water changes, maybe 25% every other day, until things clear up. it'll also lower your nitrates, which your algae is feeding off of. algae can use up the oxygen in your tank too, but since bettas breathe air from the surface, I don't think it's a big deal.

 

I would lower the lighting hours to 6-7 hours and do more water changes. The betta wouldn’t mind. Maybe you can add a horned nerite snail to help with the algae too.

You can also add some fast growing plants to out compete the algae for excess nutrients.

if you want to kill all of the algae, you can leave the lights off for a couple weeks. but I agree with lowering it to just 6 or 7 hours a day. your betta will be cool with it.

i'd get an algae scraper and scrape it off the walls of the tank if it bothers you. you can maybe take the plant out and scrub the algae off of the leaves, or stick your fingers in the tank and rub it off. suck up any floating algae with a gravel vacuum or turkey baster. I really have no idea how to clean the pebbles though. i'd get a snail lol.

I don't think the algae is causing any fin rot, but i'm not an expert. fin rot can be cured and avoided by keeping pristine water. do frequent water changes, maybe 25% every other day, until things clear up. it'll also lower your nitrates, which your algae is feeding off of. algae can use up the oxygen in your tank too, but since bettas breathe air from the surface, I don't think it's a big deal.

Thanks very much for your replies! As you both mentioned, I’m looking into getting a small snail or two to put in the tank to help with the pebbles; I’ll probably get one this week!

I’ve also set a timer to maintain 6.5hrs of daily light time, and I’ll continue working with my glass scrubber and algae scrub tool to prevent future build up. I’ll report back!

 

The algae in this case is cyano. It is a bacteria that occures when there is an imbalance of lighting (type) / CO2 / ferts.

In most cases you'll notice plants stop growing / will not thrive.

In my opinion it hasn't to do with lighting time, warerchanges etc. It is a search for the cause.

I've been there. Had cyano for years becore I changed lighting and fertilization (more in stead if less)