Algea

[love4aquatic]

hi i need algea!!!

i used to have some but now it is all eaten?

how can i try to persuade it to grow??

 

[tom_os]

lights on for a long time

 

[oliesminis]

dtrnge to hear someone who wants algae to grow

turn the lighting time up for a bit longer per day and you should have some in no time

 

[love4aquatic]

dtrnge to hear someone who wants algae to grow

turn the lighting time up for a bit longer per day and you should have some in no time

i have tried that!!

my lights are on all day and then part of the night but no algae!!

i know i have a green thumb so what am i doing wrong??

 

[Just_Another_One]

maybe its getting eaten before you can see it grow......plecos and other algae eaters obviously love to eat it. Lots of fish will peck away and eat it. my platies and gouramis use to do it all the time.

 

[fatheadminnow]

You probably have too much water turn over form your filter.

If you can, turn off any/all power heads, and turn your filters flow rate down.

If this does not work, you can take some filter media out, which will make your ammonia go up.

Do this with caution!

Ammonia + Lights = Algae

-FHM

 

[love4aquatic]

You probably have too much water turn over form your filter.

If you can, turn off any/all power heads, and turn your filters flow rate down.

If this does not work, you can take some filter media out, which will make your ammonia go up.

Do this with caution!

Ammonia + Lights = Algae

-FHM

ok....not sure if i want to risk killing my fish....

i only have one baby plec about 1inch and alot of MTS
also i will be getting some BN plecs too.
and i also have a rainbow shark that grazes on the algea when i have it.
thats all i know that eats algae

how long should i keep the filter unplugged??
my tank is a 55gallon

 

[fatheadminnow]

Don't unplug your filter, but if you can, just turn the flow rate down.

If you unplug your filter, you will risk loosing all of your Beneficial Bacteria.

And turn off any power heads you may have, as the less water current in your tank will spark and algae growth.

You do know that you can buy Algae discs to feed your algae eating fish.

-FHM

 

[love4aquatic]

Don't unplug your filter, but if you can, just turn the flow rate down.

If you unplug your filter, you will risk loosing all of your Beneficial Bacteria.

And turn off any power heads you may have, as the less water current in your tank will spark and algae growth.

You do know that you can buy Algae discs to feed your algae eating fish.

-FHM

my filter dosent turn down it has a high and low setting but it is just the suction.

i have algea discs but i like the look of rel algea and i also think real algea is more healthy

 

[fatheadminnow]

You are right about that.

Can you tell me what all you have in your tank? And what you do to your tank?

i.e. Live plants, Co2, Fertilizers, light size, kind of filter, power heads, fish food etc...?

You can have a look here on different types of algae.

It says how different types of algae grows, so by know that you could probably grow some easily.

-FHM

 

[love4aquatic]

You are right about that.

Can you tell me what all you have in your tank? And what you do to your tank?

i.e. Live plants, Co2, Fertilizers, light size, kind of filter, power heads, fish food etc...?

You can have a look here on different types of algae.

It says how different types of algae grows, so by know that you could probably grow some easily.

-FHM

55 gallon

lights are..i think 15 wats normal aquarium lights
i am probably a little over-stocked

1-pantodon
2-clown loaches-verry small babies
1-rainbow shark
2-trichogaster gouramies
1-common plec-1inch baby
1-rope fish/reed fish-baby
2-jewel cichlids
2- blue cichlids- think moori but they dont have humps and have spots and are tiny and cute!
2-tiny catfish-not sure what they are, rescued from my grandpa, he was keeping them in a 10 gallon with 20 goldfish

2-angelfish
some girl bettas

finaly have live plants - tiger lotus, anubias, amazon sword, java moss, java fern(not doing good), Crinum, pennywort, and guppy grass.

no co2

no ferts

filter is an aquaclear filter, hangs on back

whats a power head?

i feed them shrimp,hikari cichlid biogold, tetracolor-tropical granules, and earth worms when they are available.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Okay, I have Aquaclear filters as well, you can turn the flow rate down with that little lever thing on the top, move that to the right all the way. This will slow down the filters flow rate.

A powerhead is a unit you can out in your tank that will suck in water and blow it out really fast, creating a current in your tank.

Just Google image search powerhead for pictures of what they look like.

So, turn the filter all the way down, and keep the lights on a lot.

Also, if your tank is near any windows, open the window shades to let as much natural light in as possible. Natural sunlight will increase the potential for bacteria growth.

That should spark algae growth.

-FHM

 

[love4aquatic]

Okay, I have Aquaclear filters as well, you can turn the flow rate down with that little lever thing on the top, move that to the right all the way. This will slow down the filters flow rate.

A powerhead is a unit you can out in your tank that will suck in water and blow it out really fast, creating a current in your tank.

Just Google image search powerhead for pictures of what they look like.

So, turn the filter all the way down, and keep the lights on a lot.

Also, if your tank is near any windows, open the window shades to let as much natural light in as possible. Natural sunlight will increase the potential for bacteria growth.

That should spark algae growth.

-FHM

ok i turned and it just made a small difference in flow...

the tank has a hue window on both sides, they have no blinds and are always opened. so i guess i will just have to wait.

 

[fatheadminnow]

Yeah, try to keep as much light on the tank as you can, and keep the filter circulation as low as possible.

Also, you said you have a 15 watt bulb, how many of these do you have?

-FHM

 

[love4aquatic]

Yeah, try to keep as much light on the tank as you can, and keep the filter circulation as low as possible.

Also, you said you have a 15 watt bulb, how many of these do you have?

-FHM

1 and 1/2

one side is broken but still lites up alittle ...i am getting a new top for that side