How to control algae in planted tanks

[MacGyver239]

i have a planted 70 gallon tank, with algae growing on the glass that i have to scrape off with a razor, and tons of hairy algae growing on the plants. i dont have any c02 injection and was wondering if i added co2 will it help the plants grow better to steal nutrients from the algae? i do a weekly 50% waterchange and water quality is good

[ellwa]

How long do you have your lights on for each day?

Are you fertilizing at all?

what are your water parameters?

Should be a sinch to solve your problem :)

[Phlipper]

And how much direct light through a window or door, and how many plants do you have in the tank ?

As a very general guide the more plants you have the less algae developes, Co2 will not necessarily diminish algae growth, but Co2 will make your plants grow quickly, and if you have lots of plants these will overtake the algae especially if you purchase fast growing plants. You could also try some algae eating fish as well, some Bristlenoses or Siamese Algae Eaters, Oto's or even smails will assist in keeping algae under control. Excel Flourish Carbon fertiliser may also be of benefit to help control it, the plants love it, but the Algae not as much.

These tactics will help, but get rid of as much algae as you can before applying any of the suggestions or you may never get on top of it. In the meantime cut back on light on the tank and maybe cut back on food as well.

[psamers]

Here is a topic that has become very near and dear to my heart.
Recently set up a similar sized tank which was to be my display tank in the lounge. To date I had three other smaller tanks, one with CO2, two without, and have felt pretty smug about my ability to grow plants successfully, and to not grow algae successfully.
Horror! New tank is already beginning to show signs of algae growth on the latex background. Why? I am sure the reason is it receives, unlike the other tanks some sunlight via a north facing window.
My response? I am placing a cover over the tank during the day when I am not there, to block out the direct light, and increasing the size of my colony of britlenose by two or three. I am hoping this will get things back in control, and turn my tank back into the showpiece I had hoped. It's a bit of a pain covering and uncovering, but I am sure this will solve the problem. In all other tanks, algae has been no problem, and the only varaible is the uncovered window.

[hootie2s]

I am hearing your pain, I have recently become the "proud" owner of a beautiful black beard algae garden in my 4ft planted :x


I am adding more plants, reducing light, and about to (hopefully) get my seachem flourish delivered.

I removed one rock and placed in our BN raising tank (has a little army of around 200 ATM.....and they have barely made a dint on it.

Best of luck with yours and if any of the above I try works I will let you know,

Regards,
Brett.

[marg]

You will find the Flourich Excel really works.

I have been using it for about 3 months now - prior to that I was using another fettilizer but was always having Algae problems. On the advice of others on the Forum when I was looking for a better quality Fertilizer than the one I was using, it was suggested that I try Flourish Excel, so I went ahead and purchased some from APW.

My plants are looking great and there has been the added advantage of no more Algae, even though I didn't purchase the Flourish for that purpose - what a pleasant surprise!!

Marg.

[MacGyver239]

thanks for al the help, right now my lights are on 8am-8pm, but i might change that to 9-7. i have 5 otos, and a lot of snails that take care of i guess the "common" algae, but as for the hairy light green algae on the plants, the dark hairy algae on the grass, and the other types, i will try to feed less food 3-4 times a day instead of 2-3 bigger feedings. it is not in direct sunlight, but sunlight could be a small factor too also, i used to use liquid ferilizer (no name brand) but i stopped once the algae started to grow because i figured the fert was helping to cause it. should i start up the fert again now that im only using 10 hours of light? and should i start up my diy co2 again?

[pbates]

I've been battling BBA (Black Beard Algae) for a few months after moving my 4' brought on an infestation of the horrible stuff.

I think I'm on the right track with regards to CO2, light levels and ferts which are what you need to manage to control algae long term.

I recently decided to take more direct action with the BBA. If you want to get rid of it from plants, wood and rocks here's what worked for me.

Buy some Hydrogen Peroxide (3% solution) from the chemist. Cost me $4 for 200ml.

Get some large 40-50L plastic tubs and fill them with warm water.

Add about 80ml of Hydrogen Peroxide to one of the tubs.

Remove BBA covered plants and other bits from your tank and soak them in the H2O2 tub for about 5-10min.

Rinse the plant in the other tub.

Place the plants back in the tank.

I did this last weekend, and so far all the plants are still looking good. The BBA has been reduced by about 50%, and what remains is looking very unhealthy.

I did this on Echinodorus, Anubias, Crypts and Vallisneria. No dead plants and no upset fish :)

I've heard of people directly injecting H2O2 into the tank, or double / triple dosing Flourish Excel, but the thought of putting that stuff in with fish strikes me as risky at best.

[Davo]

Trust me, the flourish excel treatment works fine and it will not harm your fish.

[Nathan]

there has been a thread where it has harmed someones fish, just remember this product is a chemical an you should only use as directed otherwise it wont surpirse me if we see some deaths

[Xtreme]

Try adding some of the algae eating fish, they are called Siamensis, or Siamese Flying fox (real). With the flourish, they work a treat.
Trust me they work, I have a 4000 litre tank, and I put 80 of them in there, practically vanished!

[ellwa]

Try adding some of the algae eating fish, they are called Siamensis, or Siamese Flying fox (real). With the flourish, they work a treat.
Trust me they work, I have a 4000 litre tank, and I put 80 of them in there, practically vanished!

you put in 80 of them! that is so cheating!

I long for the day that I could build something like that ecosystem you guys built.

To be able to put in EIGHTY of something, and it not be overcrowding, is amazing.

Do you have any newer pics?

I know where I am coming next year to buy a monster for my appartment.

I have 1 siamensis in my 40G, with a royal whiptail, a bristlenose, and a little team of corys, with my discus, and they are doing more than fine.

:)

not a spot of algae, just the occasional still water buildup

e./

[Xtreme]

Not cheating, I just had to get rid of it quickley!.
The tank will be receiving a good clean up and new plants within the next two weeks, so will post new pics then.

[Davo]

The use of flourish excel has been used by countless people in the US and to an extent over here and if not overdosed to the extreme should not affect your fish.

Obviously try other methods ie. SAE, Ottos, snails, shrimp etc but I have used most methods and nothing compares anywhere near to the excel method

HTH
Dave.

[Peaches]

I hate algae!!! :evil:

I'm looking at pics of our tank back in May and am fumming at the algae problem that developed. We just treated the plants last night as pbates suggests. Hopefully that will work.

I want it GONE! *cries in her green tea* :cry:

[pbates]

Hope it works for you.

It's been 3 weeks since I did it, and I haven't had anything horrible happen to the dipped plants.

My val went a bit sad looking, but it seems to be recovering. crypts look like nothing ever happened, as do my swords.