# Algae Problem, PLEASE help!



## MikeAcc21 (Aug 7, 2014)

I have a 10 gallon that has been running for over 2 months now. Today I noticed that a lot of my plants are getting algae on them, the back wall has a really good amount of algae and the sides are starting to get some too. I also have brown algae growing on top of my substrate. I have 2 dwarf puffers, 2 bumblebee gobies, 1 otto, and 3 ghost shrimp.

I have a 20" Finnex Planted+ light that runs on a timer for 8 hours a day, Aquaclear 20, and play sand as my substrate. 

I started dosing 2 ml of Flourish Comp and 3.5 ml of Tetra FloraPride two weeks ago. The plants seem to be growing very healthy despite the algae problem.

I have no idea how to go about this problem. I plan on keeping my lights off for at least 3 days and possibly picking up 3 more ottos. What's causing this algae problem? What are some ways I can get rid of it? I really need help please! 

P.S. I've also started to notice a lot of tiny bubbles starting to build up at the surface. I'm not sure what that's from or if it's related to the algae problem.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

If the plants have algae growing on them then they are not healthy, that is one way to tell. The first thing you need to do is clean the tank and do a large water change. Vacuum up all the debris, wipe down the walls, clean the filter and change half the water kind of thing. Try to remove all the algae. Keep after it . 
Things you should consider. Are you overfeeding? Do the plants need more macro nutrients? Are the puffers going to eat their companions?


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## MikeAcc21 (Aug 7, 2014)

BruceF said:


> If the plants have algae growing on them then they are not healthy, that is one way to tell. The first thing you need to do is clean the tank and do a large water change. Vacuum up all the debris, wipe down the walls, clean the filter and change half the water kind of thing. Try to remove all the algae. Keep after it .
> Things you should consider. Are you overfeeding? Do the plants need more macro nutrients? Are the puffers going to eat their companions?


I may be mistaken, but isn't algae part of nature? Algae will always exist, you can only control it. I may be wrong..

I am not overfeeding since I feed them bloodworms with tweezers and they come up and grab the bloodworms themselves so no food ever is on the ground. I have all low light plants (anubias, wisteria, amazon sword, crypt, java fern, java moss). Puffers are not going to eat their companions. I've had them for a month and they show no sign of aggression. Regardless, it's a planted tank with lots of hiding places.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

What kind of algae is it? I am assuming the stuff you are asking about is not the brown algae that is in your next sentence. 

Brown algae is also called diatoms. You can do more research with that term. 
Diatoms incorporate silica in their body. Silica comes from glass (tiny amounts) and sand (a lot more). The cycle goes something like this: Diatoms move in, start assimilating the silica. 
Otos eat the diatoms, but have no use for the silica, so they get rid of it. More diatoms take in this recycled silica, and make more diatoms. 
Interrupt this cycle: Do some really thorough vacuuming, and keep it up. The goal is to remove the Oto waste, so there is less silica in the tank. Eventually the Diatoms will quit. You can also remove the diatoms yourself. Do not just wipe them off, leaving them in the tank, but actually remove them from the tank. That way you are removing the silica, leaving less for the next generation of diatoms. 



> Puffers are not going to eat their companions


You are right, Puffers do not usually eat other fish. They will just shred their fins and bite them, often killing them. Puffers are not community tank fish. But they do eat shrimp, and are very good, patient hunters.


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## MikeAcc21 (Aug 7, 2014)

Diana said:


> What kind of algae is it? I am assuming the stuff you are asking about is not the brown algae that is in your next sentence.
> 
> Brown algae is also called diatoms. You can do more research with that term.
> Diatoms incorporate silica in their body. Silica comes from glass (tiny amounts) and sand (a lot more). The cycle goes something like this: Diatoms move in, start assimilating the silica.
> ...


I'm starting to get green algae on plants and walls. The brown algae is on top of the sand. I will definitely do what you recommend.

As for the puffers, I have a friend who has them in with other fish for almost two years now and hasn't had a single issue with them. Every fish has a different personality. Dwarf puffers are known to be territorial, which is where they get there "aggression" from; give them plenty of hiding spots and each their "safe hideouts" and they will not be aggressive. I've had them for over a month and everyone's fins are 100% intact. As for the ghost shrimp, I thought the ghost shrimp would have been eaten by now and that I am 100% aware of. They are still alive though and it's not a big concern if they do get eaten.


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

Check this out to identify your algae: http://www.aquariumalgae.blogspot.com/. Also, you may have too much light hitting the plants, especially the ones that grow slowly. I think too much light will make plants stop growing.

I am at a point where I am thinking my tank may need NPK. I have a 10 gal. tank too. I have potting soil with sand on top of it. I think there should be enough Nitrogen, and hopefully Phosphorous and Potassium in the soil, but I'm thinking I may need to dose NPK if it's not getting into the water column from the soil to make the plants grow better. I'm thinking this would help with your algae.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

You might try this:
Keep cleaning the green algae off the front of the tank for best visibility, and leave the sides and back for the Oto. 

Alternate: Clean all the glass, and let the Oto take care of the algae on the plants. 

Usually Otos are quite good at cleaning up the algae. Perhaps you need a second one. 

I have a lot of tanks, and they are in bright light on down to fairly dim, and none of them grew the sort of algae that Otos liked until I got one tank. I have no idea why that one grew the green algae on the walls that they like and none of the others did. Mostly I fertilize at the low end of the range, use gluteraldehyde for carbon, have VERY low stocking levels. Most tanks have a LOT of plants. I have other algae (blanket weed) but only one tank grows food for Otos. And now, they have eaten it all. :-( I want my green algae back so my Otos will have something to eat!


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

You have high light with that Finnex Planted Plus. But, you aren't treating the tank as a high light tank. High light tanks need CO2, and non-limiting fertilizing, as well as very good tank maintenance. Your plants are low light plants, so you don't need that much light to grow them well. Too much light with no CO2 or irregular CO2 will generally cause algae problems. Plants not growing as fast as the light is driving them to grow will generally attract algae.

It sounds like you have green dust algae on the glass and plants. That seems to always go with high light, never low light, as I recall.


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## MikeAcc21 (Aug 7, 2014)

Hoppy said:


> You have high light with that Finnex Planted Plus. But, you aren't treating the tank as a high light tank. High light tanks need CO2, and non-limiting fertilizing, as well as very good tank maintenance. Your plants are low light plants, so you don't need that much light to grow them well. Too much light with no CO2 or irregular CO2 will generally cause algae problems. Plants not growing as fast as the light is driving them to grow will generally attract algae.
> 
> It sounds like you have green dust algae on the glass and plants. That seems to always go with high light, never low light, as I recall.


What would be a good light for my tank? I plan on sticking to low light plants for a long time. I was told that the Finnex Planted+ would be enough for low light plants, but clearly it's too much.

Bump:


Diana said:


> You might try this:
> Keep cleaning the green algae off the front of the tank for best visibility, and leave the sides and back for the Oto.
> 
> Alternate: Clean all the glass, and let the Oto take care of the algae on the plants.
> ...


I wish I could give you some of my algae lol. Im thinking of picking up 2 more ottos. Do you think this would do the trick?


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## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

+1 to Hoppy's diagnosis. 

The Finnex light is a great light but it sure is powerful. Too bad there's no adjustment.

Things you can possibly do is to put something between the light and the tank like some of that cross stitch plastic or raise it further up to cut down the intensity. Alternately, you can cut the lighting period down even further. Also, don't discount the possibilities of ambient light like sunlight, room lights, even light from a TV hitting your tank during the dark periods.


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## MikeAcc21 (Aug 7, 2014)

ipkiss said:


> +1 to Hoppy's diagnosis.
> 
> The Finnex light is a great light but it sure is powerful. Too bad there's no adjustment.
> 
> Things you can possibly do is to put something between the light and the tank like some of that cross stitch plastic or raise it further up to cut down the intensity. Alternately, you can cut the lighting period down even further. Also, don't discount the possibilities of ambient light like sunlight, room lights, even light from a TV hitting your tank during the dark periods.


Would it be easier and better to just get another light? I just want a low light tank. Do you have any suggestions on what light to get? Or could I just reduce light time? I had it on a timer for 8 hours.


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## Roshan8768 (Mar 18, 2009)

MikeAcc21 said:


> Would it be easier and better to just get another light? I just want a low light tank. Do you have any suggestions on what light to get? Or could I just reduce light time? I had it on a timer for 8 hours.


You can try either raising the light off of the rim of the aquarium or adding a couple of layers of window screen to lower the light output


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## MikeAcc21 (Aug 7, 2014)

Roshan8768 said:


> You can try either raising the light off of the rim of the aquarium or adding a couple of layers of window screen to lower the light output


I would feel better just getting a new light.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

You could get a new (larger) tank to go with the light!


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## MikeAcc21 (Aug 7, 2014)

Diana said:


> You could get a new (larger) tank to go with the light!


Haha that would be another project! Maybe down the road..I like my nano tank :smile:


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## MikeAcc21 (Aug 7, 2014)

If I don't raise the light, how long should I keep it on for?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

A Marineland Double Bright LED light would give you about the maximum light intensity that you can use without CO2. If you use Seachem Excel with that, you should be able to do very well with your plants.


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## MikeAcc21 (Aug 7, 2014)

Hoppy said:


> A Marineland Double Bright LED light would give you about the maximum light intensity that you can use without CO2. If you use Seachem Excel with that, you should be able to do very well with your plants.


What do you think about running the Finnex for 4-6 hours? Or will that still be too much?


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## Django (Jun 13, 2012)

I think it's not recommended to run lights less than 6 hours per day. I have a 10 gal. tank (12" high) with lights raised and photoperiod 8 hours. So I also recommend raising the lights. If you decide to buy a new fixture, you might try looking for one that's dimmable.


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## MikeAcc21 (Aug 7, 2014)

Django said:


> I think it's not recommended to run lights less than 6 hours per day. I have a 10 gal. tank (12" high) with lights raised and photoperiod 8 hours. So I also recommend raising the lights. If you decide to buy a new fixture, you might try looking for one that's dimmable.


What do you guys think about a Current USA Satellite LED+? I've been hearing really good things about it..


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