Completely cleaning gravel?

[Cloverleaf1985]

I have had my tank since the end of nov.
It's been stocked since the end of dec.

Everything is fine, water parameters etc, but i've noticed green algae growing on the gravel and the glass near it.

Can i move the fish into a temporary container, completely clear out the tank, scrub the gravel, glass and ornaments and put the fish back in?
Or will disturbing the gravel affect the balance?
The other reason i want to do this is that i've notice thin white thread-like worms which i believe is due to overfeeding (mother has been told to stop feeding them!)

Any help appreciated.

 

[BristlenosePleco]

What size tank do you have? How many and what kind of fish are in that tank? I'm assuming it was fully cycled concidering you waited a month to put fish in.

 

[OrangeCones]

Everything is fine, water parameters etc, but i've noticed green algae growing on the gravel and the glass near it.

What are the actual readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? How long are the lights left on? What is your water change schedule like?

Can i move the fish into a temporary container, completely clear out the tank, scrub the gravel, glass and ornaments and put the fish back in?
Or will disturbing the gravel affect the balance?

I would not do this complete scrub you mention. Most of the beneficial bacteria live on the hard surfaces of the tank. Doing what you describe will likely cause your tank to go through another cycle.

The other reason i want to do this is that i've notice thin white thread-like worms which i believe is due to overfeeding (mother has been told to stop feeding them!)

Sounds like planeria, which you are correct, is directly caused by overfeeding.

Algae needs light and nutrients to grow. The best way to reverse this is to lower the light period and to do several partial water changes while vacuuming the gravel, and cut back on feeding. Both the water changes and the reduced feeding will help to starve the algae out, and the lack of light will also. If its really bad, you may want to do a blackout, where you wrap the tank in a blanket or towel to prevent all light for a few days.

 

[Cloverleaf1985]

The tank is 54L, fully cycled. Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0 and Nitrate is 15. The light varies as generally i switch it off when i'm at work so most days the light would be on for say 5 hours and days off would be most of the waking day.
I do a 10% water change once a week with water treatment added.

In it i have a Red Tailed Black Shark, 2 Angels and 2 Sunset Platies. (I am aware they will need a bigger tank eventually and am looking at upgrading in the summer)

 

[bassbonediva]

Can i move the fish into a temporary container, completely clear out the tank, scrub the gravel, glass and ornaments and put the fish back in?

Don't do this! I did this repeatedly in my 46gal bowfront because I had severe algae (was caused by leaving my lights on too long and not having the tank cycled before I added fish). It just made the algae worse because it destroyed the beneficial bacteria that was needed to keep the balance in the tank and was a HUGE pain in the behind. Plus, I never actually got all the algae off all the decorations and gravel (it had a way of finding cracks and crevices that was incredibly annoying!).

 

[exhumed07]

I keep hearing about bad algea breakouts from to much light. I've never had a problem with it. my tank lights are turned on at 6:30-7am when I go to work, and I turn them off when I go to bed at 1-2am. I notice a slight film on the glass after about 2 weeks but thats it.

 

[blue_ram]

It is not just the lenth of lighting, but the quality and spectrum of the lighting. My 20g hood standard 18 watt flourescent does not grow algae.

I think the spectrum is most important because photosynthesis can only occur with certain wavelengths and without those wavelengths, no plant life.

 

[exhumed07]

I got dual bulb t5's on all my tanks. good quality lights. guess I'm just lucky.