# Algae has a stranglehold on my tank



## ekierk (Feb 11, 2013)

Everyone will have a algea bloom. Its normal. My recommendation is to buy an algae eater like oto cats,SIA,shrimps, or snails


----------



## FishyFishy89 (Feb 11, 2013)

Ditto...get an algae grazer. Amano shrimps help keep my plants free of algae.


----------



## KevinVA (Feb 11, 2013)

An algae bloom that lasts for 5 months?

I can't have Nerite snails or Amano shrimp, due to Killifish and Assassin snails. I've tried both and they were both eaten. =/ 

I bought a small school of Siamese Algae Eaters (4 of them) recently and they've put a dent on driftwood algae, but they've got a lot of work ahead of them.


----------



## The Dude (Feb 8, 2011)

I had a massive problem with algae when I redid my 75g recently. I added 2 DIY C02 containers into the intake of my canister and add 8cc of Metricide per day. Plants are doing much better and the algae has decreased substantially. It looks to me that you have the same problem as I had. Not planting densely enough


----------



## FishyFishy89 (Feb 11, 2013)

bristlenose or rubberlip pleco?


----------



## KevinVA (Feb 11, 2013)

I've thought about a BN Pleco. Maybe I should just get one and be done with it. That'll give me a pretty good algae eating team. :icon_conf

I'm still going to attempt the EI method and see what happens. lol


----------



## AlyeskaGirl (Oct 6, 2011)

You have a ton of light with no injected CO2. This is your problem.

I would run only 2 bulbs for 6 hours a day.

Scrub, trim and get out as much algae as you can and double dose Excel for a week. Not sure about CO2 Booster.

Do not limit nutrients. 

I would look into purchasing an injected co2 setup. Then start EI Dosing.

Algae eaters will not fix the root causes.


----------



## KevinVA (Feb 11, 2013)

I've been thinking about dosing more CO2 per day, but I don't want to harm the fish. Do you think they'll be fine?


----------



## AlyeskaGirl (Oct 6, 2011)

KevinVA said:


> I've been thinking about dosing more CO2 per day, but I don't want to harm the fish. Do you think they'll be fine?


Yes, you can double dose just fine.


----------



## KevinVA (Feb 11, 2013)

Great! Thank you AlyeskaGirl, I appreciate it. =]


----------



## hisxlency (Jan 26, 2013)

Kevin - being a novice I have understood that loads of light, fair amount of plants with no co2 can lead to algae issues. I plan on co2 for my tank, is this something you can consider adding?

btw im down the road from you on 66 in Centreville.


----------



## KevinVA (Feb 11, 2013)

I used to live in Centreville! In fact, I'm renting out an apartment (my old condo) there, right off of 29, by the 66 ramp (in Willoughby's Ridge). =]

A pleasure to meet you. 

I've thought about CO2 via canister, but not sure I'm ready for it yet. That's why I've been dosing the liquid variety (though, I guess I need to increase the dose). Have you tried Excel or anything of the sort? If so, any success?


----------



## hisxlency (Jan 26, 2013)

Kevin - I cant speak in terms of liquid co2 as I have read its a dead end street most of the time. Excel and Flourish as ferts seem to be the way to go. I have had success but algae was always an issue. 

As far as c02, im starting off simple. I only have room for a 20oz paintball tank so im going with a simple system based on that. My tanks isnt big enough to justify a full blown setup yet but im sure the more senior members will chime in. Always a learning process for me


----------



## KevinVA (Feb 11, 2013)

That seems like a pretty good idea. I'm running out of usable room in my basement, as it is. I could probably work with that. The only thing I'd be worried about is having the drip malfunction and flooding my tank with co2, possibly killing my fish with an overdose.

I've learned, in the short time of being a fish keeper (less than a year), that this will always be a learning process. I don't think you'll ever stop learning new things.


----------



## hisxlency (Jan 26, 2013)

Very true pal. I have ready stories of tanks going nuts and over dosing and killing the livestock. As a paintball player this happens when the tank is near being bone dry and it cycles itself and dumps the last remaining co2. This can be avoided by having a few tanks on hand and being proactive before it happens. I have 2 tanks already for this purpose


----------

