Algae Wont Go Away

I posted a few weeks ago about having algae issues and ended up shortening the time the light is on to 7 hours and getting an Anubias Nana. That seems to have solved the brown algae problem, but now (3 weeks later) there's green hair algae (I think) growing on the outside of the filter. Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0, and Nitrate is 5.
The tank is 3.5 gallons and there are 3 Marimo Moss Balls, 1 Anubias Nana, and 1 Betta. Should I get another plant to use more of the Nitrates or should I get a snail (I wouldn't mind having one so it wouldn't be there solely to serve a purpose)?? What will get rid of it?

 

Snails, especially nerites or ramshorn snails, are great for this purpose. Just be wary of using Ramshorn snails, though- they multiply like crazy. Nerites, however, don't really breed in freshwater. They might lay eggs, but the eggs won't hatch unless they are in brackish water.

Good luck!

 

Most snails won't eat green hair algae. Stuff your aquarium front to back with plants and starve that algae out.

 

Maybe you are feeding the fish too much and the excess nutrients are contributing to the algae growth.

 

Maybe you are feeding the fish too much and the excess nutrients are contributing to the algae growth.

It's my betta so he gets 2 little pellet things and always eats both of them :/ so I don't think it could be that, thanks though!

 

I had this kind of algae in my 10gal betta tank. I ended up getting tired of removing it manually and just kept the lights off for a little over two weeks. All of the algae is gone now! The fish don't really need the light, its for us and our viewing pleasure, so I say just turn it off.

I don't know if your tank is planted, but my 2 java ferns were completely fine throughout it all.

 

I had this kind of algae in my 10gal betta tank. I ended up getting tired of removing it manually and just kept the lights off for a little over two weeks. All of the algae is gone now! The fish don't really need the light, its for us and our viewing pleasure, so I say just turn it off.

I don't know if your tank is planted, but my 2 java ferns were completely fine throughout it all.

Thanks, I ended up going out and getting 3 different plants and 2 nerite snails (mostly bc they're cute and bonus that they miiiight help lol). Hopefully they solve the problem but no lights is up next if they don't

 

Are you fertilizing? If yes, you might be overdosing ferts.

 

You could stick some Pothos roots into the water (with the leaves out of the water). It will eat up some nitrates (if that's the problem) and provide your betta some cool roots to swim through.

 

Are you fertilizing? If yes, you might be overdosing ferts.

I'm only doing 3 drops of Flourish for a 3.5g tank so I don't think so but that'll be something I'm more careful of. At first I had 3 moss balls, no ferts. A few weeks ago I got 1 plant and dosed 3 drops of Flourish once a week. Today I got more plants, did a water change and dosed 3 drops, added the plants, and my plan was to continue 3 drops once a week. Does that sound good? You most likely know more than I do about that lol I'm just going off the label

 

I'm only doing 3 drops of Flourish for a 3.5g tank so I don't think so but that'll be something I'm more careful of. At first I had 3 moss balls, no ferts. A few weeks ago I got 1 plant and dosed 3 drops of Flourish once a week. Today I got more plants, did a water change and dosed 3 drops, added the plants, and my plan was to continue 3 drops once a week. Does that sound good? You most likely know more than I do about that lol I'm just going off the label

I doubt 3 drops once a week would be the problem, particularly with flourish. are you water changing frequently?

 

Maybe too much light and not enough of the right nutrients? I almost always get Green Hair Algae in a tank when I first start it and it almost always goes away as things balance out.