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Algae -_-

I Like Rare Fish

I Like Rare Fish

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I just want to get a second opinion on my black beard algae. I also need to do something for the diatoms. I want to get nerite Snails and a bn Pleco. But in the tank there is a Delhezi Bichir. And he is around 9 inches. So will these aquatic animals be ok? Also, I’m dosing for bba with Rid-X.

Tank size: 55g
Stock: 3 Congo Tetras, 1 Delhezi Bichir
How long has the tank been up: September
Normal Water Changes: every 5 days 80%
Wc now: every other day 50%
Lighting: 5 hours a day
Light type: StingRay
Filters: TopFin 75 and Sponge
Hardsscape: going to take out and spray with h2O2

This is a photo taken a week ago. The water looks cloudy on camera, but it is not, I assure you.
 

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Are those plastic plants that the black beard algae is growing on? If it is, you need to take them out of the tank, submerge in bleach, rinse thoroughly and repeatedly and then return to the tank.
Get lots of real plants and be sure to manage any fishy waste products, being careful not to overfeed.
(Real plants will out-compete algae, given the chance).
 
The bichir (Polypterus delhezi) can be expected to eat anything small enough to fit in its mouth.

Be careful with all these chemicals, they do affect fish--especially any added to the tank water, don't. Algae is not normally a problem in tanks without live plants, as it acts much as higher plants would, removing nutrients and producing oxygen. However, it needs to be under control, and that is the issue here. I know nothing about the light, but it is obviously intense enough to encourage algae. But the second half of the equation involves nutrients. What is the nitrate level in this tank (normally, i.e. before a water change which may be expected to reduce nitrates)?

It is standard to clean the inside of the tank glass at each water change, whether or not it seems to need it. This stops algae before it becomes noticeable, and algae will grow on any biofilm given the chance.
 
Byron said:
The bichir (Polypterus delhezi) can be expected to eat anything small enough to fit in its mouth.

Be careful with all these chemicals, they do affect fish--especially any added to the tank water, don't. Algae is not normally a problem in tanks without live plants, as it acts much as higher plants would, removing nutrients and producing oxygen. However, it needs to be under control, and that is the issue here. I know nothing about the light, but it is obviously intense enough to encourage algae. But the second half of the equation involves nutrients. What is the nitrate level in this tank (normally, i.e. before a water change which may be expected to reduce nitrates)?

It is standard to clean the inside of the tank glass at each water change, whether or not it seems to need it. This stops algae before it becomes noticeable, and algae will grow on any biofilm given the chance.
Click to expand...
I am not a noob - I know this. But I clean the glass, and it spreads to places I can’t clean - inside the filter, on the heater, on the plants. I, going to take the plants out and spray them with H2O2 instead of bleach. At the tie, I came back from a week and a half long trip, which is why the nitrates were high in the first place.
 
It looks like blue green algae.

Does the algae wipe off in a film/ sheet?
Does the algae smell musty/ moldy?
If yes, then it's blue green algae (Cyanobcater bacteria).

Stuff on the plastic plants can be hosed off outside and then dunked in bleach for 15-30 minutes like Bruce suggested. Then rinsed and put back in tank.
 
I Like Rare Fish said:
I am not a noob - I know this. But I clean the glass, and it spreads to places I can’t clean - inside the filter, on the heater, on the plants. I, going to take the plants out and spray them with H2O2 instead of bleach. At the tie, I came back from a week and a half long trip, which is why the nitrates were high in the first place.
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Is this how you thank people who are trying to help you? ,I agree with👆I would add real plants since you are “not a noob”, plastic plants do nothing but grow algae that all they do
 
I’m going to add duckweed. I didn’t have the lights before they broke to get real plants, and I’m not the best at scraping, so plants don’t usually work out for me. I took out decorations and plant as well as scraping what I can off the filter, heater, and walls. I’m going to get bleach as suggested. Do you think boiling would be good?
 
I would recommend against duckweed. It grows well and takes excess nutrient from the water but is very small and gets sucked into the filter, on the filter intake etc, ie gets everywhere. I have got some water lettuce and it grows quite fast and is easier to maintain. Again, there was nothing wrong with the duckweed other than its small size.
 
I Like Rare Fish said:
I’m going to add duckweed. I didn’t have the lights before they broke to get real plants, and I’m not the best at scraping, so plants don’t usually work out for me. I took out decorations and plant as well as scraping what I can off the filter, heater, and walls. I’m going to get bleach as suggested. Do you think boiling would be good?
Click to expand...
Get anubias or java fern instead they are Low light plants
 
Uberhoust said:
I would recommend against duckweed. It grows well and takes excess nutrient from the water but is very small and gets sucked into the filter, on the filter intake etc, ie gets everywhere. I have got some water lettuce and it grows quite fast and is easier to maintain. Again, there was nothing wrong with the duckweed other than its small size.
Click to expand...
The filter intake is 5 or 6 inches off the ground In a tall tank. The duckweed shouldn’t get sucked in. I don’t want duckweed either, but I’m gonna do whatever it takes to get rid of this nasty stuff. It looks relatively good right now:
 

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I Like Rare Fish said:
I haven’t looked into live plants That much, but the hardy ones are good for me.
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Any plants would be good and you begin a whole new journey when you start getting into plants for your tank. To be sure, some will die, but others will survive and you learn how to look after them. ..and its always better to have plants dying than fish. ;)

(Sorry plants).
 
I have duckweed and am treating it with rid-x. The bad news is that some new PITA Cyanobacteria decided to pop in for the party. So another different kind of algae to add to the list, and another reason to keep surface plants.
 
I Like Rare Fish said:
I have duckweed and am treating it with rid-x. The bad news is that some new PITA Cyanobacteria decided to pop in for the party. So another different kind of algae to add to the list, and another reason to keep surface plants.
Click to expand...

What exactly is Rid-X? I looked it up and got data about stuff used in septic tanks. Nothing like this should ever go into an aquarium.

Regardless of what it is specifically, never use chemicals of any sort to deal with "problems" because the chemicals will always have an impact on fish, no matter what they are.

Cyanobacteria is not an algae, is it a bacteria, and quite a different issue from algae.
 
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