Algea Growing On My Plants

[mart70]

Hi,

This is my first attempt at keeping tropical fish and my tank is still in its infancy. I have had the tank running about 3 weeks now and added some hardy fish (as recommended by the shop) after a week of fishless cycling. The fish seem fine however I have a problem with algae especially on the plant leaves. I cannot introduce an algae eater yet as the Nitrite and Nitrate levels are too high for them and I dont really want to become overrun with snails so what can I do?

The tank is a 64l and I have the lights on for 14 hours a day seeing as its a planted tank.

If I step up my water changes will I be removing bacteria I need to mature the tank ready for adding more fish?

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks,

 

[sebn]

What are you current Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate readings?
What lights do you have on the tank?
What fish are currently in the tank?

I would say the main culprit is the 14 hours a day of light, that, in my experience is too much. I tend to stick to around 7 - 10 hours of light.

 

[mart70]

I can't remember exactly what the readings were, the ammonia was negligible, nitrite was about 10 ppm and the nitrate was only slighly higher than safe.
I have two Interpet 15w day bulbs.
I have Leopard Danios and Albino Corydoras.

I wasnt sure how long I should leave the lights on but I read somewhere for planted tanks, 14 hours was about right otherwise the plants dont get enough light. The glass itself isnt too bad at all, I clean that quite regularly but the plant leaves have this green hairy looking algae on them. It'll end up killing the plants right unless I deal with it?

 

[garethp]

to be perfectly honest, I would forget about the algae on your plants for now - it is the least of your problems.

With a nitrite reading of 10 I'm surprised you haven't got fish dropping dead left right and centre - that is unless you have confused nitrIte and nitrAte readings.

As you are doing a fish-in-cycle you need to test your water daily and do plenty of large daily water changes as required to keep your ammonia/nitrite at "0".

As for light - I think 8 hours is a good guide.