recently i got some 10k lights and ever sice have had crazy algea. its all over. its not your typical green slimey algea. its like little things dengeling off of everything. i tried leaving the lights off but i like the lights on. is there any other solution. its a 55g tank with a pleco and a sucker looking stick to clean the algea.
algea problem
- Thread starter petergriffen
- Start date
Sounds like u just sent to much light to your tank. I would recommend you clean the tank the best you can. Keep the pleco and sucker fish in there. Add some Live plants to your tank. they will compete with the remaining algae in the tank and hopefully win. But keep your lights on too. I run mine 10 hrs a day. A timer will help.
If you didn't have any algae problem prior to your new light, then the answer is definetly excess of light. Reduce the time the your lights are turned on and see if that make any different.
True, excess nutriet can also create algae, but Iin this case I am strongly incline to believe the culprit is light given the evidence.
Rohn
True, excess nutriet can also create algae, but Iin this case I am strongly incline to believe the culprit is light given the evidence.
Rohn
There are other solutions to dealing with algae then just killing the light. Are there other higher plant forms in the tank to out compete with the algae? Also there are plenty of fish and inverts that will do a better job of eating the algae then a common pleco or the farlowalla you currently have. What are the current tank's inhabitants? I ask because depending on what you currently have in the tank, I'd probobly make some changes to the cleanup crew. Also with that high of lighting, I'd be sure that I had plenty of plants in the tank.
okay for fish i have a 7''pleco, a 2'' banjocatfish, 3 tiger barbs 2'', 1 guarmi 3'', 3 severum 4'', 2 fallacus? they are like stick algae cleaners, 4 snails, spotted pictus, another random cat, and a tbarb. its a 55g...i think i might have a bit too much fish too.....also the pleco tries to eat the algae but it doesnt look like hes doing anything too it. also i have one amazon sword but they always nibble at it so it aint looking so hot at the moment, but its still kicking after 2 weeks which is a record for these fish
Last edited:
The snails should just be eating dying plant parts.
Here's what I'd do...
Get rid of the Common Pleco and the 'Stick Algae Eaters,' which I believe are farlowellas, and invest in two or three bristlenose plecos. Common plecos aren't very good at eating algae especially once they get larger. The Farlowellas aren't real good at it either. Bristlenoses, however, will clean the whole tank in remarkable time. Another advantage of them is that they won't get very large probobly topping out at about 4 to 5 inches.
Another good step would be adding some fast growing stem plants to the tank. They will use the nutrients that the algae is currently using therefore choking the algae out. Your LFS should be able to point out a few fast growing plants that will work in your local tap water. The trick with adding plants is to use a lot of plants from the start. Otherwise there isn't enough of the to compete against the algae and it will eventually cover the plant leaves and deprive them of light.
Here's what I'd do...
Get rid of the Common Pleco and the 'Stick Algae Eaters,' which I believe are farlowellas, and invest in two or three bristlenose plecos. Common plecos aren't very good at eating algae especially once they get larger. The Farlowellas aren't real good at it either. Bristlenoses, however, will clean the whole tank in remarkable time. Another advantage of them is that they won't get very large probobly topping out at about 4 to 5 inches.
Another good step would be adding some fast growing stem plants to the tank. They will use the nutrients that the algae is currently using therefore choking the algae out. Your LFS should be able to point out a few fast growing plants that will work in your local tap water. The trick with adding plants is to use a lot of plants from the start. Otherwise there isn't enough of the to compete against the algae and it will eventually cover the plant leaves and deprive them of light.
love your name!
http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9
This link has pictures for algae identification and solutions: chemical, fish, etc.
Good luck!
http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9
This link has pictures for algae identification and solutions: chemical, fish, etc.
Good luck!
do i really need co2 injection. it is a 55g tank with about 6 large plants. how much money would i be looking at to set this up. recently i got about 6 plants and got rid of the two serverum that were eating them all before. http://cgi.ebay.com/CO2-Natural-Pla...7725152268QQcategoryZ3212QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
is this pretty much the same thing as the co2 in a bottle?
is this pretty much the same thing as the co2 in a bottle?
Last edited: