# Algae Clean Up Crew



## nyrecruiter (Sep 19, 2010)

my guess is that you need more co2 for the amount of light you have. I would up that by a bottle or 2 and see what happens. I don't think ottos or more shrimp will solve your problem.


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## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

Otos might help...but curing the algae would be better than getting a critter to eat it. Otos wont eat all kinds, and if your tank is out of wack you are probably going to end up with more.


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## thefisherman (Oct 15, 2011)

+1 on the comments above...the reason increased co2 helps algea is because it allows the plants ou already have to outcompete the algea.

if you have the resources to do so, i would add floaters and other fast growing plants capable of sucking the nutrients out of the water, particularly free floating Fe. Don't reduce ferts or photoperiods. drive the plants hard!




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## rocketdude1234 (Apr 8, 2010)

thefisherman said:


> if you have the resources to do so, i would add floaters and other fast growing plants capable of sucking the nutrients out of the water, particularly free floating Fe. Don't reduce ferts or photoperiods. drive the plants hard!


If the needs of the plants aren't being met, adding fast growers and nitrate beasts are going to lead to other problems. 

Care for the plants well and algae shouldn't be a big issue. 


@ Michael: Are you dosing micros or macro nutrients? 

+2 for increased co2.

I run 3 bottles on a 36g (diffused at different locations) and 2 on a 29g.

If you're not supplementing the nutritional needs of the plants, I would strongly suggest cutting back on the photoperiod.

GSA - low phosphates
BGA - low nitrates
Staghorn - ammonia spike, imbalance of nutrients, poor circulation, low/inconsistent co2. 
diatoms - excess silicates (should go away as long as your not providing more silicates for them).
BBA - low/inconsistent co2


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## Michael Appleseed (Dec 7, 2011)

Wow, for a first timer to aquarium forums I'm blown away by all the feed back! Thank you guys sooooo much! I haven't started dosing nutrients because I assumed the EcoComplete would take care of that for a little while at least. The aquarium is only a month or two old and it used to look so good. 

So if I combine all the comments here's what I'll do to fix the problem:
1) Increase the photoperiod (to what though without letting the algae get the best of me?)
2) Increase CO2 dosage (by the way, what would a cotton like substance growing out of the CO2 tube and onto the bubble counter be? Yeast?)
3) Add micro/macro nutrients (what type of macro and micro nutrients would be best and would these promote algae growth too?)

For some reason, I feel like more light, and more CO2, with added nutrients would promote algae too. I mean they are in the plant family after all right?

I really appreciate all the help so far as this is pretty expensive for a college student to just let go to waste.


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## Eldachleich (Jul 9, 2011)

Apparently if you have a good balance algae is never an issue. I wouldn't know as I never dose or run CO2 in my tanks. But that is the wisdom I keep seeing on this site.
If you ever do want an algae team though. My vote would be for some oto's and nerites snails. Its like a dream team to me. 
Now commence balancing and whatnot!!


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

LMAO laugh my a%^(behind) off









sadly I've never learned to balance any of my tanks.

otto's are great little fish and I try to maintain 4-6 in each of my tanks. 
the glass I'll clean every 1-2 weeks and it's green dust more than anything else. plants stay clean except for older growth or damaged leaves.


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## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

wkndracer said:


> LMAO laugh my a%^(behind) off
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have a pair of Ots, lol....I'm not fully balanced. I only suggested trying to balance because he has a Pleco and apparently it aint keeping up, lool. :iamwithst


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## rocketdude1234 (Apr 8, 2010)

Michael Appleseed said:


> So if I combine all the comments here's what I'll do to fix the problem:
> 1) Increase the photoperiod (to what though without letting the algae get the best of me?)
> 2) Increase CO2 dosage (by the way, what would a cotton like substance growing out of the CO2 tube and onto the bubble counter be? Yeast?)
> 3) Add micro/macro nutrients (what type of macro and micro nutrients would be best and would these promote algae growth too?)
> ...


1. I would not increase photoperiod. Light and nutrients are the easiest variables to make "non-limiting." Increasing photoperiod would mean you would need more nutrients, including co2.

2. I would suggest adding another bottle or two (and make sure they're being diffused well - use a drop checker to check co2 levels). Or you could always switch to pressurized and save yourself some time and money. ; )

The "cotton-like" stuff is likely bacterial growth; I get it too. One way you can cut down on it is by running the tube coming out of the bottle into a secondary bottle before pumping the co2 into the tank. You can add some AC sponge filter to give those bacteria a place to colonize too.

3. If lighting need are met, then the limiting factors could be nutrients and/or co2. Nutrients are easy to take care of. You can simply pick up one of the many lines of plant fertilizers at the LFS or you can save yourself some money by going with dry ferts (there are many options with that as well). To give yourself an idea with ferts though, you may try just picking up some Flourish Excel (glutaraldehyde - a liquid carbon source) Flourish Comprehensive (a micro solution), and Flourish Nitrogen (and potassium and phosphate if you want to spend a little more) - but for the price of the NPK and Comp. you might as well buy dry ferts. 

In reference to your original post. In my aquariums, hair algae seems to disappear on its own. Same with the diatoms; diatoms being common with new set ups. The other seems to indicate something is going on.

I don't know who to cite for the saying but, "Grow plants, don't fight algae." roud:


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## Snowflake311 (Apr 20, 2011)

Balance is key getting balance easier said then done. Even in the wild algea grows it's just natural. It would be unnatural to have no algea. 

I like rams horn snails, shrimp, and otos. 

I had my planted tank pretty much algea free till I slacked off on my DIY co2 and then slacked off big time on ferts. To make things even better my light was on too long too. Since I am using ferts when I should and not slacking off. My light is on less, my co2 is kept strong. I find my algea problems going away.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Daximus said:


> ...I'm not fully balanced.


you don't have to tell me that :hihi:

(sorry OP had to do it)


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## firefiend (Sep 3, 2009)

wkndracer said:


> you don't have to tell me that :hihi:
> 
> (sorry OP had to do it)




Bah-HAHAHA!

I laugh only because after cruising these forums for a while I respect the feedback you both give to members.


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## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

wkndracer said:


> you don't have to tell me that :hihi:
> 
> (sorry OP had to do it)


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA...


My secret is out...


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## thefisherman (Oct 15, 2011)

http://aquariumalgae.blogspot.com/

As a first timer, Dusko's blog helped me ID common algae and possible steps to deal with it... enjoy!


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

It's a new aquarium so your going to have some algae problems, but you could try to reduce your photo period from 10 hrs to 8 hrs and that should help a bit, with no ferts you should be doing water changes every 2 months, and Otocinclus are good in any tank one per 10 gallons of water and you will never have to feed them, Amano shrimp are good cleaners in large numbers and Nerites are good in numbers too.

Some times thread algae is from a lack of Micro nutrients with Iron being in short supply.

don't forget to put some work in keeping your filter clean, cleaning the glass, and removing any dead plant debris, good tank hygiene helps too.


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## Michael Appleseed (Dec 7, 2011)

By the way, should I keep my CO2 running even when the lights are off? I mean I don't want to unscrew the caps of the DIY CO2 bottles and then let the pressure build again in the morning but if it'll help the plants I'll do it. Water changes every 2 months?? Wow, I've been doing them just about once a week. Maybe that's the culprit? When I don't change the water for longer than a couple weeks though it gets covered in algae. I appreciate the help!


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

thefisherman said:


> +1 on the comments above...the reason increased co2 helps algea is because it allows the plants ou already have to outcompete the algea.
> 
> if you have the resources to do so, i would add floaters and other fast growing plants capable of sucking the nutrients out of the water, particularly free floating Fe. Don't reduce ferts or photoperiods. drive the plants hard!


plants don't out compete for nutrients. 100 ppm nitrates or 10 ppm nitrates 1 ppm phosphorous- 10 ppm phosphorous.. it doesn't make algae grow.

unhealthy plants and an unbalanced tank make algae grow

plants secret chemicals when healthy which helps reduce algae growth as well. ADA is trying to sell this extract now. i'm not sure how well it works BUT it follows the plant's own protection principal

driving plants hard only makes mistakes more noticeable. it doesn't cure any problems..

having healthy plants does fix problems

decent light, good c02, stable ferts and good water circulation are the basic key points to a good healthy tank




DIY c02 needs to be left on at night and an airstone added if fish look stressed. turn airstone off about an hour or two before lights come on so c02 can build back up into the water

don't slack on water changes. large weekly water changes are key to stable water chemistry. if u are adding ferts. change water. if u are trying to keep things simple. reduce lights and change less water. HOWEVER it is much easier to add ferts and do big water changes than to try and keep low light low water change tank's water chemistry balanced


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