20 Gallon Tank Algae Eater Options

[Kirahn]

I recently got a new Beamswork FSPEC light for my 20 gallon tall to help my plants and now I'm starting to get some algae issues. Some green algae on the glass and some white stuff on my drift wood. I'm looking for options I could add with my current stocking or methods to control the algae while also getting some big healthy plants in there. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Current stock
1 x Bristlenose Pleco
2 x Fancy male guppy
3 x Endlers hybrid males
6 x ruby tetra
10 x cardinal tetra
4 x peppered Cory catfish
3 x nerite snails

 

[Kameron]

Well usually you have too much light if green algae is the issue. Cut down on hours it is on. White film on driftwood is normal with new pieces of driftwood. Nerite snails are my favorite algae eaters

 

[Kalyke]

You have algae eaters in your stock already. I hate to say that adding more stock might not be recommended. You have quite a large stock for a 20 already. Putting the plants in now while the algae problem is smaller is a great idea. Plants compete with algae for the nutrients. (the opposite is true too)

Hopefully, you also have wood. Plecos stop being as interested in algae as they get older, and start eating a lot more wood.

 

[Kirahn]

You have algae eaters in your stock already. I hate to say that adding more stock might not be recommended. You have quite a large stock for a 20 already. Putting the plants in now while the algae problem is smaller is a great idea. Plants compete with algae for the nutrients. (the opposite is true too)

Hopefully, you also have wood. Plecos stop being as interested in algae as they get older, and start eating a lot more wood.

Yes I have a big piece of driftwood in there, it is getting the most algae growing on it, which is part of the problem I'm trying to fix.

I'm planning on getting some Amazon swords, from what I read they should like my new bright light, the plants I have in there now are struggling, I was hoping the new light would bring them back but so far no luck so I'm planning on replacing most of them.

 

[Kirahn]

Well usually you have too much light if green algae is the issue. Cut down on hours it is on. White film on driftwood is normal with new pieces of driftwood. Nerite snails are my favorite algae eaters

I had the light going for 14 hours but yesterday I changed that to 12. What would be a good amount? Is three snails a good number for a 20?

 

[Kalyke]

Nerite snails are awesome algae eaters. Laying eggs everywhere is a problem though. I do not know how much per gallon. Unless you do not have enough they should be eating that algae up.

What are the plants you have now? Do you have fertilizer? Swords are heavy root feeders. In my experience with plants if the old roots are sunk (mush or whatever you want to call it) they will come back from the node at the bottom (if rosette plants) or at another area. Old leaves are going to be waste, you have to wait for the new growth. So in other words, don't throw them away, just trim the nastiest pieces. What kind are they? That would make the explanation easier.

 

[Kirahn]

Nerite snails are awesome algae eaters. Laying eggs everywhere is a problem though. I do not know how much per gallon. Unless you do not have enough they should be eating that algae up.

What are the plants you have now? Do you have fertilizer? Swords are heavy root feeders. In my experience with plants if the old roots are sunk (mush or whatever you want to call it) they will come back from the node at the bottom (if rosette plants) or at another area. Old leaves are going to be waste, you have to wait for the new growth. So in other words, don't throw them away, just trim the nastiest pieces. What kind are they? That would make the explanation easier.

I'm not positive what they all are. I bought them before doing any reading on plants and plant care. I've been reading on this forum and I am using osmocote+ DIY root tabs, Aqueon liquid feet, and liquid CO2 supplement. I'm planning on getting Thrive fertilizer when the aqueon runs out.

Let me get some pics maybe that will help.

 

[Kirahn]

Here's some photos

 

[Kameron]

I had the light going for 14 hours but yesterday I changed that to 12. What would be a good amount? Is three snails a good number for a 20?

I’d stick with 8-10 hours a day. 3 is good. A couple more wouldn’t hurt too bad. Add some more live plants and you will be fine

 

[Dave125g]

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but you already have a full stock. This is only a 20 gallon? Algae eaters are not the answer. You have 3 nirites and a BN pleco. You have an imbalance of light and neutrents if your getting too much algae. More often then not the lighting is too intense or the photo period is too long.

 

[Chaory]

Less light and or scrub off the algae. No algae eater will actually clean it for you. They sometimes eat it, but not like you would want.

 

[Kalyke]

Well I just saw the photos. There are a very small number of plants. 1) ludwigia 2) anubias 3) it looks like bolbitis, and 4) picture of wood? 5) Java fern. If you are doing all that dosing already, it is really overkill for the amount of plants you have. This may be feeding the algae. The black algae on the anubias means there is too much light, I also think this is the case on the bolbituis. One problem I see (and read) is that you have a high light and 3 out of 4 plants (I did not count the wood) is a low light plant. When they grow really slowly and like low light, then high light will cause algae on the leaves. So, can you turn down the light? The Ludwigia is a medium light plant. That will not go bushy unless you cut it off at a node and plant the cut off part, which will root.

The stock is pretty high as others have said. I do not know how much this helps but algae eaters will start forging more if you cut down on feeding severely. This means when you are feeding they go for "easy" food, but if you don't feed they have to seek out food themselves, and they will eat the algea.

Water changes and hand scraping the algae off the glass might also help.

There is also something called new tank syndrome in which diatoms take over your tank for a while. This is a kind of brown algae kind of stuff. It can totally destroy bolbitis or other feathery leafed plants.

 

[Kirahn]

Well I just saw the photos. There are a very small number of plants. 1) ludwigia 2) anubias 3) it looks like bolbitis, and 4) picture of wood? 5) Java fern. If you are doing all that dosing already, it is really overkill for the amount of plants you have. This may be feeding the algae. The black algae on the anubias means there is too much light, I also think this is the case on the bolbituis. One problem I see (and read) is that you have a high light and 3 out of 4 plants (I did not count the wood) is a low light plant. When they grow really slowly and like low light, then high light will cause algae on the leaves. So, can you turn down the light? The Ludwigia is a medium light plant. That will not go bushy unless you cut it off at a node and plant the cut off part, which will root.

The stock is pretty high as others have said. I do not know how much this helps but algae eaters will start forging more if you cut down on feeding severely. This means when you are feeding they go for "easy" food, but if you don't feed they have to seek out food themselves, and they will eat the algea.

Water changes and hand scraping the algae off the glass might also help.

There is also something called new tank syndrome in which diatoms take over your tank for a while. This is a kind of brown algae kind of stuff. It can totally destroy bolbitis or other feathery leafed plants.

I included a photo of the wood to show the fuzzy stuff on it that I'm assuming is algae. I have a timer on the light so I can limit the hours but I don't think I can adjust the intensity. I got this light as I wanted to have a heavily planted tank but I didn't realize that it might be too much for the plants I have until after I bought it. The only ones that seemed to be doing ok with my old light were the anubias.

I'd like to get some plants in there that would do well with this light, which is why I was looking at the Amazon sword as an option. Do you have any suggestions?

Several have said my stock is pretty high. Does that mean I'm over stocked or just maxed out? I do weekly 25-50% water changes and I scrub the algae off the glass and wood.

 

[imba]

Stick with 50% was water changes weekly as you are pretty heavily stocked.

As for the light, in really think 5 to 6 hours is sufficient for your tank