# Algae upon plants



## Matty 007 (Dec 5, 2002)

Algae has started to grow upon my plants. There seem to be two main types, short fluffy tufts, and lond black looking growths which look similar to small ferns or hairs. I would like to add some algae control solution to the tank, (King British), but having not used iot be4fore am a little concerned that it may kill the plants aswell as the algea, is this so??????:fire::fire::fire::fire:


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## Buck (Oct 13, 2002)

How To's
I have been battling it for years...
Good Luck...


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## cousin it (Nov 1, 2002)

I use a mixture of controlling the levels of nutrients and Live bearers, flag fish and pencilfish, and mbs to combat red and bb algaes which works very well for me.
so far the best fish I have found to remove it are the flag fish and I'm currently setting up a breeding tank to increase my stock.
I was using swordtail's to control it but recently my stocks have reached 30+ of these and I'm really loosing interest in them (they are good for removing any surface film though) so I after reading that several people had found flags good for the job I purchased a few to try and they are more effective than the 30+ sword tails ever were they eat it like it is the best fish food available my Bolbitis Heudelotii is now virtually free of any algae.
the other one I have found helps is upping the co2 levels to 35mg/l as when my tank was running at about 15-20mg/l red and bba were quite a problem now I hardly notice them.


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## m.lemay (Jul 28, 2002)

I agree. If you can get your lighting to about 3watts/gal and increase the CO2 to 30-35 ppm, the plants will starve the algae by out competing it for nutrients. Siamese algae eaters are great little fish for eating the algae off the plants. Swordtails work good to keep the surface scum unnoticeable when your trying to keep surface agitation down to conserve CO2.


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