Controlling All Algae With Little Maintenance Question

So during my exam period for a couple of months I basically completely abandoned my 20 gallon tank apart from weekly water changes because I simply had no time. But it looked disgusting with so much algae everywhere. And now the person who I live with has told me that if I’m going to keep them, it has to have no algae. But there will be periods where I have no time for algae maintenance. Is there any way of reducing algae growth without doing much more? I am going to put loads more live plants in and I thought about a uv light but I don’t know if they actually work. Any suggestions? And sorry I know this topic will have come up allot

 

I've never had bad problems with algae, so I personally don't understand how it can get out of control. I mean, I do understand, but... I don't.

If you're:
Leaving your lights on too long,
Putting too much fertilizer in,
Have lots of nitrates that aren't being used,
Have the tank by a window,
Algae will grow.

That kind of looks like a poem. Anyway, algae is very opportunistic and will appear anytime it can grow. Having an excess of nutrients that it feeds off of or too much light will create algae.

 

Something like this will help keep algae under control.....it should be available wherever you are in the world

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Envii-Aqua...ds=anti-algae&qid=1563785379&s=gateway&sr=8-5

 

Algae eaters.

Unsure what your stock is and what the current condition of the tank is, aside from being algae bombed, however if you really can't dedicate too much time to cleaning I'd get some Nerite snails, and possibly a Bristlenose for algae cleaning.

Before you get those, you need to go in and clean the tank. You don't need to clean ALL of it, but just enough to where it isn't a complete and total disaster. Then introduce them.

If you're at full stock, then I'd just get 2 nerites. Even in a crowded tank, they usually don't take up much room. They handle the algae extremely well. Never had a major algae issue in my 10 gal.

Just make it a point to do a water change AT LEAST once a week. Get a gravel vac, it makes the process so much easier. You can use it to get algae out of the substrate, WHILE draining water. It's a beautiful invention.