Easiest And Cheapest Way To Get Rid Of Algae?

I have a lot of algae in my freshwater aquarium and I don’t know how to get rid of it. All I’m doing right now is scraping it off every time I do a water change however the scraper I’m using doesn’t work very well. Is there any other way to get rid of algae besides scraping it off that’s cheap and easy? And if there’s not what would you recommend I use to scrape off the algae more efficiently?

 

Algae is caused by a combination of too much light and nutrients being present in the tank.
How long is your light on each day? Is there any sunlight from a window that hits the tank?
How high is you ammonia/nitrates before your water change? Are you gravel vaccing you tank during water changes? What is your substrate? Do you have live plants in the tank?

 

The light is on from when I wake up to when I go to bed typically 15 hours. There is no sunlight from a window that hits the tank. I don’t test my water because I don’t have a testing kit. Yes I gravel vacc during water changes. My substrate is the typical brightly coloured aquarium gravel. Yes I have one live plant in the aquarium.

 

Try changing your light time to 8 hours, 15 is much too long.

 

Try changing your light time to 8 hours, 15 is much too long.

Thank you, I will do that. Any other advice?

 

Break the 8 hours into blocks.

Algae grows from continuous light.

For example, 4 hours on, 2 hours off, and 4 hours on is a perfect schedule for lighting.

 

Break the 8 hours into blocks.

Algae grows from continuous light.

For example, 4 hours on, 2 hours off, and 4 hours on is a perfect schedule for lighting.

My light doesn’t have a timer and I’m not home to turn it on and off so it has to be on for 8 hours straight

 

Timers are extremely cheap.

$15 is the most expensive that I’ve come across.

 

Timers are extremely cheap.

$15 is the most expensive that I’ve come across.

Would a timer work on this kind of light?

 

View attachment 427480 View attachment 427481

Would a timer work on this kind of light?

Does the end of that light plug into the wall? A little tansformer? Plug the transformer or cord-cap into the timer; as long as one end is 120v it'll work just fine, and I'm not familiar with ANY fixture sold that isn't 120/240 compatible.

 

Does the end of that light plug into the wall? A little tansformer? Plug the transformer or cord-cap into the timer; as long as one end is 120v it'll work just fine, and I'm not familiar with ANY fixture sold that isn't 120/240 compatible.

Yes it plugs into the wall. Is there any timers you would recommend?

 

Yes it plugs into the wall. Is there any timers you would recommend?

One not made in China...

Good luck on finding one. lol

 

XD the elusive non-chinese timer. Good luck with that.
But yeah any el cheapo timer will work. I've got ones from walmart that cost maybe 4 bucks. Just plug the cord into the timer. Plug timer into wall. Set for time and go.

 

What kind of algae do you have?

 

Yes it plugs into the wall. Is there any timers you would recommend?

 

If you have 2 prong, less than 15 amps, and a home depot