What is the best way to get rid of plant algae?

clownloach · Post by **clownloach** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 7:56 pm

Whats your opinion?

Erik · Post by **Erik** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:40 pm

More options please.
A hydrogen peroxide dip for 3 mins will kill any algae including BBA.
A 1part bleach 19 parts water will also do it.
Both require very good rinsing after btw.
Co2 and lighting is the best way to avoid it.
Erik

Fat Albert · Post by **Fat Albert** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 2:53 am

I added more plants, changed the lighting and introduced some cleaner fish (Sucker Mouth Loach, Otocinclus, Juv Plec) I don't really have a problem with algae anymore.

The Juwell anti-algae filters are semi-successful as well.

mikev · Post by **mikev** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:08 pm

After losing the war with algae in a 10g, I had to call in the professionals:

Looks like I will not have to feed these guys for a couple of weeks. The green tint of their stomachs is not eggs....And the vent seems to be working full time too...

Now, about the use of digital photography:I was certain they are too young to be sexed (1.5")...but look what was revealed on the 2nd picture.

shari · Post by **shari** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:15 pm

Is that eggs? And what are they in? Or is it bubbles?

mikev · Post by **mikev** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 9:23 pm

Shari wrote:Is that eggs? And what are they in? Or is it bubbles?

No eggs. The picture is heavily magnified. It is the tip of a thermometer with very small bubbles....over the algae.

(This tank was impossible to deal with: if I scrap the algae, it ends up on the ground, making the things only worse... and for reasons unknown the khulis in the tank are pretty active, any time I put my hands into the tank, they try to jump out...)

----

Probably should note that sexing this fellow would have been impossible until you guys improved my photo skills

fusQer · Post by **fusQer** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 3:59 am

what kinda pleco is that? i have hte same problem in my 55 planted, algae on walls, scrape it, its on floor. i have never ever ever ever ever in my history of fish keeping ever had success with any pleco. all they ever do is sit on driftwood and chill, and demand algae wafers. meanwhile the glass and plants are filthy with algae. currently i have a bristlenose and a ancistrus albino or something. they SUCK (but dont)

i also have 4WPG, and injected co2. wtf am i doing wrong!

JoeKuhlii · Post by **JoeKuhlii** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 4:44 am

The stuff on the heater looks like cyano and is commonly caused by no nitrates or poor water flow. I've beaten it with blackout, but I believe one could use some anti-bacterial medication to kill it. I do not think any animal eats it.

Algae problems in a planted tank is almost always due to insufficient CO2 for the lighting level, nutrients (especially macros -- nitrogen, phosphate, potassium) bottoming out, or trace ammonia (which can be prevented by appropriate stocking and increasing plant mass with fast growers). The higher the light, the lower the margin for error, but for those who prefer steep learning curves, high light is the way to go, and there are many people in the planted community that will help you troubleshoot.

HTH

mikev · Post by **mikev** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:55 am

fusQer wrote:what kinda pleco is that? i have hte same problem in my 55 planted, algae on walls, scrape it, its on floor. i have never ever ever ever ever in my history of fish keeping ever had success with any pleco.

Albino bristlenose (regular are IMHO prettier, but I could not find them).

The two shown above almost finished the tank.

all they ever do is sit on driftwood and chill, and demand algae wafers

True. My regular BN cleaned his tank, but no longer maintains it ... algae wafers are easier. BN's seem to be enthusiastic workers for about two weeks, until they discover welfare...

The solution is a welfare reform (cut down on algae wafers). Or get one more BN, who does not know how to trick the system...

shari · Post by **shari** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 11:04 am

Or never encourage the welfare mentality in the first place

...as long as there's enough algae in the tank.

mikev · Post by **mikev** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:58 pm

Oops, forgot to mention, there is one possible problem with BN's:

(not my picture and not my plecos -- this is the steel teeth sub-species)

The other problem is that starving BN into work habits would not be possible if the tank contains khulis or like; BN would eat khulis food, rather than work.
(this is one reason why I had to get two news ones...but i also like plecos).

JoeKuhlii wrote:The stuff on the heater looks like cyano and is commonly caused by no nitrates or poor water flow. I've beaten it with blackout, but I believe one could use some anti-bacterial medication to kill it. I do not think any animal eats it.

If this is in reference to my tank, the stuff was the film form of algae, and BN happily ate it. But you right: the tank had 0 nitrates and almost no water flow (intentionally). I tried blackout, but was hurting the plants more than the algae.

flamingonhot · Post by **flamingonhot** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 9:31 pm

My way to get rid of algae :

big water change and the mighty otto! lol

JoeKuhlii · Post by **JoeKuhlii** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 3:09 am

If this is in reference to my tank, the stuff was the film form of algae, and BN happily ate it. But you right: the tank had 0 nitrates and almost no water flow (intentionally). I tried blackout, but was hurting the plants more than the algae.

It was in reference to your tank. Interesting the bristlenose will eat it. You may find it interesting that those sheets are commonly referred to as BGA -- Blue Green Algae -- but is actually cyanobacteria.

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