Sick of Algae

Please help me! I've been dealing with algae in two of my tanks for so long! I keep doing "black outs" and then cleaning everything in the tank, but it comes back! Since doing a blackout on my 3.5 gal, the algae hasn't come back as badly, but it's all over the rocks. I originally bought 3 otos for my 20 long to help with the algae, but two died, so I put the one remaining one into the 3.5, and I'm hoping that will help a bit.

In my 20 long, the algae got INSANE. I just finished doing a 3 day blackout, and ended up losing 3 fish. I took out all my plants and ornaments, rinsed them, did a 40% water change, and the water looks 100% better, but I DON'T want to deal with this again. It's a huge headache (literally) and I don't know what to do. During the cleaning process, algae was EVERYWHERE in the water, clouding and polluting it, and I'm sure it really stressed out my fish. I don't want to lose any more of them.

What CAUSES algae? I know the light has a lot to do with it. My 3rd tank doesn't have a light on it, and has never, ever had algae. My other two tanks w/lights are the ones with the problem. What else contributes? I've read that overfeeding can have an affect, so I'm now feeding about half of what I was before (I was def. overfeeding). Is there anything else? Any preventative at all? Is there something I can put into the water if it starts up again to kill it before it gets out of hand? It's becoming a serious problem, and I know there's no way that EVERYONE'S tanks are like this. I wish I had a before picture, it was crazy. Green everywhere, stringing from each and every plant, and even beginning to grow across the surface of the water.

Thanks so much in advance for any responses, I really need a solution to this! I'm afraid to do a blackout on my 3.5 because it's currently housing guppy fry, and I don't want them to die since they're young and fragile.

ETA: I found a picture of the algae before it got very bad. It was 3x this bad by the time I finally broke down and did a blackout.



You can see how it's growing on the surface of the water, up toward the light.

 

Sorry you're having so much trouble. You might want to test your water source for nitrates and phosphates. I learned these two contribute greatly to algae growth. Water changes won't help much if your source is already loaded with algae nutrients. Cutting down on light and feeding will certainly help combat the issue but it might not fix the problem all together.

 

Thank you! I'll check it out.

Also, can someone fix the title? I forgot the "L" in Algae, lol!

 

No prob. Good luck to you. I hope the rest of your fish pull through.

 

Thank you, everyone seems to be doing fine today. Everything's clear of algae, but I don't know how long that'll last.

 

Ah, sorry you are having a tough time.

The thing about algae is that it will come back if the root problem is not fixed. When algae starts to take hold this means there is an imbalance with lighting, fertz and co2. How much light do you have? How long are the lights on? Do you dose fertz?

 

I would add some floating plants to suck up excess nutrients.....najas grass or frogbit are great ones

-j

 

Excess nitrates, phosphates, and other nutrients do NOT cause algae. I really wish this myth would go away. Limiting nutrients in planted tanks will ALWAYS make things worse.

Can you tell us a little about your lighting? Wattage and type? Length of time the lights are on? Pics of the tanks? Can you describe the algae? (Each type of algae has its own cause) I can't tell from your pic what type of algae you have there. How is your plant growth...poor,good,excellent?
Cleaning schedule? # of fish in the tanks? Do you tend to over feed?
Have a look at this link and see if it helps. Remember each type of algae has its own cause and treatment!

Regards,
Nate

 

well excuse me nate mcfin. I was just trying to help.

6 of my tanks are planted, and I use frogbit in all of them, and do not have algae. so either they do help.....or I just have the right balance of things. but I personally believe they help.

 

well excuse me nate mcfin. I was just trying to help.

6 of my tanks are planted, and I use frogbit in all of them, and do not have algae. so either they do help.....or I just have the right balance of things. but I personally believe they help.

Sorry JerI if I came off as a jerk. I did not mean to. Limiting excess organics is a good idea but the idea that nitrates and phosphates cause algae is an old fish tank belief that continues to be held onto for some reason. I do EI dosing in my tank... I add 25 ppm nitrates, 19 ppm phosphates, and 35 ppm potassium per week(plus fish food and poo). I have more than enough nutrients for algae and it doesn't grow. I can point you to many many other people doing the same thing.

I am glad your Frogbit is doing well but it has nothing to do with your lack of algae.

Again sorry if I came off the wrong way.
Nate

 

thank you nate....I appreciate it. I forgive you

I do the dose whatever I want, whenever I want method....which I don't recommend, since obviously it could cause issues. I dose nitrogen, flourish comp and root tabs...and very rarely iron. my plants are great, and no algae. the frogbit is so crazy, i'm going to have to sell off some soon.

one tank even gets pretty good, direct sunlight in the morning (when we have sun), and still, no issues.

 

I believe that's the type of light I have. It's for a 20 gallon long tank, so whatever dimentions those are, that's the size I have. I don't know the wattage, I don't think I still have the box for it, but I can look.

I don't have live plants, just fake plastic ones. I have 2 guppies, 6 neon tetras, 4 glofish, and 3 zebra danios. I have a HOB marineland biowheel filter. I believe it's for like 50 gallons.

I will check out the link you provided, Nate. Thanks to all who've replied!

 

Phosphates and nitrates most definitely do not cause algae. I have far too much phosphate in my tap, and little to no algae in 7 tanks.

How many hours are your lights on? Non-planted tank need very little light. Are your tanks near a window?

Without pictures to ID each algae form, and knowing you have standard lighting in an unplanted tank, and overfeeding, here's where I'd start:

*Leave the lights off for 7 days
*Do 50% daily water changes for a week
*Do deep gravel cleaning in a small area. Shove the tube completely through to the bottom glass plate. And don't move it until all debris is lifted. At the end of a week, every inch of gravel should be cleaned, even under all decor where it likes to collect
*Feed half the amount of food, if not less. Even going so far as to feed every other day.
*Check water parameters to ensure no ammonia or nitrite exist. Try to keep nitrate at 20ppm or lower

Then, let us know how it's going in a week.

 

Thanks catsma! The tanks aren't near a window. I leave the lights on from the time I get up (around 8am) to the time I go to bed (around 10pm).

I wish I'd taken pictures of the algae before I got rid of it, but some of it was growing on the glass like a green slime, and that same algae was on my fake rock, and some of it was what I would guess is "beard algae" and it was growing like a beard from my fake plants.

 

If it was a green slime it may have been cyanobacteria (also callled blue green algae even though it isnt) and not algae at all. Did it come off in sheets and very easily? Did it come back within just a day or two?
I agree with Catsmas recommendation for a deep vac. The general cause of cyano is overfeeding or under cleaning filters etc.

Beard algae is usually caused by low or unstable Co2 levels and LOW nitrates. Low filter flow can also cause issues with beard. I would tend to look at Co2 first.

 

You leave your lights on for 14 hours. Wow! I'd reduce your lighting time to like 6-8 hours a day after you follow Dena's instructions. She's great.

Edit: I just found this info below...

"Lighting. You shouldn't switch the aquarium light on for hours. Switch the light off after you finish enjoying your aquarium, too much light in plain-tank will only be used by aquarium algae for photosynthesis."

Source:

I find this thread to be very interesting.

 

Also, doing long blackouts could really hurt your fish. Plants consume oxygen when they aren't photosynthesizing, and release CO2, which could lead to both an oxygen deficiency and an unsafe drop in pH. That may be the reason you lost a few fish. Good luck taking care of the algae!

 

Also, doing long blackouts could really hurt your fish. Plants consume oxygen when they aren't photosynthesizing, and release CO2, which could lead to both an oxygen deficiency and an unsafe drop in pH. That may be the reason you lost a few fish. Good luck taking care of the algae!

Its a non-planted tank, just plastic ones.

 

Ahh. Oops, my bad

 

Definitely far too much light. In a non-planted tank, you need as little at 4 hours a day. After cleaning up the tank, I'd recommend leaving the lights off while you are going about your daily business and then turning them on for a few hours in the evening when you'd want to enjoy your fish. They can get enough light from the natural room lighting.

 

Its a non-planted tank, just plastic ones.

I thought it was planted as well.....sheeesh

It still sounds like Cyano to me. (the green slime)

As far as the beard algae goes I would remove as much possible and stay on top of it. Beard algae grows quite slow so it is pretty easy to get rid of. You can spot treat it sometimes as well.

 

Thanks guys! I'll reduce the amount of light to 4-6 hours a day. The tanks are in my bedroom, so I really only get to enjoy them for a bit in the mornings and evenings, so it makes sense to have the lights off when I'm not up there. I always just thought it was average to turn the lights on when you get up, off when you go to bed.

Thanks for ALL the advice, I'll follow everything, and hopefully I'll get rid of this algae.