Algae Infestation in Cycled Tank

[vskscaper]

I have a five-month-old aquarium with CO2 injection. Two days ago, I replaced the hang-on filter with a canister filter with UV.

I am experiencing the following algae issues:

- Green algae and hair algae on Anubias
- Algae on other plants
- Algae on rocks

I use the Neo Helios Light for eight hours a day in conjunction with CO2 injection.

I have started spot dosing APT algae fix, which seems to be effective.

Please advise on how to resolve this issue.

 

[Fishfunn]

I found that high nitrates and light intensity cause algae growth.
1) Make sure you dont overfeed your fish or overfertilize your plants.
2) Floating plants like different varieties of duckweed remove excess nitrates.
3) Cut back your light intensity and duration to prevent excessive algae growth. I always experiment to get the proper lighting. I found that having a light that has different programmable intensities and duration periods during the day to be the best.

To remove the algae from the plants, I would do a plant dip of 30-40 seconds of 1:20 ratio of disinfecting bleach to water. After dipping, rinse well in water and place in a bucket of water with 5X the dose of a dechlorinator and let sit for 30 minutes.

 

[Colin_T]

Are you adding aquarium plant fertiliser?
If yes, what brand, how often do you add it, do you use a full dose?
If no, you don't need to add CO2 if you don't add fertiliser.

Did you keep the filter media/ materials from your old filter and put them in the new filter?
If no, you will be cycling the new filter and this can cause algae problems due to the ammonia and nitrite that will occur.

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?

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Your Anubias is in full light and it's probably too much for that plant. Anubias are slow growing when kept underwater and sitting in full light will simply cause algae to grow on its leaves. The rest of the plants will love the light.

The filamentous algae usually grows from excess nutrients or an imbalance in the nutrients.

The green algae on the rocks is normal. There are no plants in those areas to use the light so algae grows there instead. You can take the rocks outside and hose or scrub the algae off, then put the rock/s back in the tank.

 

[Sleeveless]

I found that high nitrates and light intensity cause algae growth.
1) Make sure you dont overfeed your fish or overfertilize your plants.
2) Floating plants like different varieties of duckweed remove excess nitrates.
3) Cut back your light intensity and duration to prevent excessive algae growth. I always experiment to get the proper lighting. I found that having a light that has different programmable intensities and duration periods during the day to be the best.

To remove the algae from the plants, I would do a plant dip of 30-40 seconds of 1:20 ratio of disinfecting bleach to water. After dipping, rinse well in water and place in a bucket of water with 5X the dose of a dechlorinator and let sit for 30 minutes.

I did a 120 second 1:20 bleach dip with great success on my plants. Only negative was my Crypts. The leaves melted a bit on those.

 

[Fishfunn]

I did a 120 second 1:20 bleach dip with great success on my plants. Only negative was my Crypts. The leaves melted a bit on those.

I never did 120 seconds. I didnt want to damage any plants. For the thick leaf plants ( Anubis, Swords), I did no more than 60-90 seconds, and for the delicate leaf plants, I did 30 seconds to 40 seconds max. The 1:20 solution was enough to disinfect and kill algae enough to clean them up when rinsing.

 

[vskscaper]

Are you adding aquarium plant fertiliser?
If yes, what brand, how often do you add it, do you use a full dose?
If no, you don't need to add CO2 if you don't add fertiliser.

Did you keep the filter media/ materials from your old filter and put them in the new filter?
If no, you will be cycling the new filter and this can cause algae problems due to the ammonia and nitrite that will occur.

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change?

---------------------

Your Anubias is in full light and it's probably too much for that plant. Anubias are slow growing when kept underwater and sitting in full light will simply cause algae to grow on its leaves. The rest of the plants will love the light.

The filamentous algae usually grows from excess nutrients or an imbalance in the nutrients.

The green algae on the rocks is normal. There are no plants in those areas to use the light so algae grows there instead. You can take the rocks outside and hose or scrub the algae off, then put the rock/s back in the tank.

Sorry for the delayed response. I got caught up in some issues.
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Are you adding aquarium plant fertiliser? -> I use APT complete
If yes, what brand, how often do you add it, do you use a full dose? -> Just the minimum dose Rarely
If no, you don't need to add CO2 if you don't add fertiliser.

Did you keep the filter media/ materials from your old filter and put them in the new filter? -> Yes, I did
If no, you will be cycling the new filter and this can cause algae problems due to the ammonia and nitrite that will occur. -> I put in the new filter to combat the algaie issues as it comes with UV

How often do you do water changes and how much do you change? -> Not quite often. May be in 2 weeks or so - Just 30% or so
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[Colin_T]

If you are adding plant fertiliser to an aquarium, you should do a big (75%) water change before adding more fertiliser. The plants don't always use up all the nutrients in the fertiliser and if you only do small water changes, the nutrients can build up and cause problems. Doing a big water change before adding more fertiliser dilutes any remaining fertiliser and reduces the risk of too much fertiliser. A big water change will also replenish minerals (assuming there is any in the tap water) in the aquarium.

 

[Fishfunn]

If you are adding plant fertiliser to an aquarium, you should do a big (75%) water change before adding more fertiliser. The plants don't always use up all the nutrients in the fertiliser and if you only do small water changes, the nutrients can build up and cause problems. Doing a big water change before adding more fertiliser dilutes any remaining fertiliser and reduces the risk of too much fertiliser. A big water change will also replenish minerals (assuming there is any in the tap water) in the aquarium.

I only add fertilizer when the plants exhibit signs of deficiencies; otherwise, I leave them alone.

 

[vskscaper]

Recently 3 Neon tetras died. Today when I checked the water parameters Nitrate was a bit high. So I did around 40 percent water change and manually brushed off some algae. Other parameters looks ok including Ammonia.

 

[Colin_T]

How long did you have the neon tetras for?
To lose 3 fish on the same day is not normal.

 

[vskscaper]

They were the first fish I introduced. It did not happen in a single day. I had 4 fish, 1 died after introduction in a few days. 3 were left.

 

[GaryE]

I'm good at algae - I grow it well. But I also control it with no algicides (dangerous for fish) or dips.

Here, I have 3 main culprits:
1) over lighting - too much or for too long
2) not doing enough water changes (it takes off in untended tanks, where I'm not doing 30% every week. It comes when I get really busy)
3) in rooms where sunlight from a window, not always direct light, is a seasonal issue. It causes me trouble in the Fall, not when I'd expect it in the summer.

When there's too much food for plants, either added ferts or decomposition from overfeeding, algae is delighted to step in and consume it.

it's always going to be present. if it isn't, the tank is dead. On rocks, etc, it's just part of life in a tank. When it begins to affect more complex plants, I first attack it with a reduced period of lighting. Since it will always be there, you can't go for a quick fix. You have time to try various approaches, and learn non chemical control.

 

[MuddyWaters]

Pretty much all above has applied to me- I fertilize pretty heavily (EI method) so, for my 75 gallon I change 25 gallons on Saturday and 35 on Tuesday. You're supposed to just change 50%-75% once a week, but I tend to over-feed, so I make sure I change the water more.

I also stopped adding the potassium nitrate for awhile because of my nitrates. I add it twice per week now instead of 3 times, but I also have floating plants (red root floaters) and I have houseplants growing outside the tank with roots in the tank to help eat up the nitrates. It's probably overkill, but I've finally gotten to where I don't get that much algae, so I'm happy.

I think mostly what has slowed the algae to a very manageable level (I don't have to wipe the inside of the glass often now) is just growing LOTS of plants and making sure I do big and regular water changes.

 

[vskscaper]

In early stages, the Amano Shrimp and Ottos used to take care of the algae and the rocks used to be super clean. I was away for about 2 weeks and had used an autofeeder. When I was back there was algae formed on the top of the tank ie: On the water's surface

 

[vskscaper]

Will try reducing the light duration and do regular water changes. Not sure if the APT Algae fix lead to 3 dead fish. Anyway not using it anymore.