any tips on removing algey?

[Tammy2080]

im having a real problem removing algey...............its everywhere

ive tried scrubbing loads but by the next week its back

its everywere tank walls, gravel, plants, rocks even the filter!!!!

soon it will be growing on my fish

Help

will i have to remove all of the fish scrub everything and do a 50% water change?
or will that be bad for my little fish

 

[Angry_Platy]

What fish do you have in there? What size is the tank?

The best algae remover IMHO, is a bristlenose catfish....you will need a tank at least 15gall for one of these though!! A lot of people also have success with cories....

If you remove the ornaments and scrub them make sure you use tank water to scrub them in (and not regular tapwater)

 

[Tammy2080]

my tank is full so i cant add any more little fellas, i already have one pleco and a dwarf whiptail, poor things are trying there best. i used to wash the rocks in the old water but it didnt work very well so lately ive been trying tap water and then soaking the rocks in the old tank water but this too isnt working anymore
should i stop doing that!

i really dont know what to do

should i just start again, buy new rocks?

 

[Angry_Platy]

How old is the tank? I noticed with new tanks that a month after they have fish in there (after all the cycling and all) that I get an algae bloom...on top of the water, on the glass, on ornaments EVERYWHERE....then I put some bristlenose babies in and it disappears in a matter of days....algae on the water surface is a different story (thats where plain sheets of paperhold some use).

New rocks may help, cosmetically. Or get darker rocks where you can't see the algae....as long as your fish are healthy I wouldn't go stuffing around with your tank too much....

I fins for areas my catfish can't get to, an algae magnet always helps!!

Good Luck

 

[Phantom Thief]

Is your tank close to a natural light source, like a window? What about lighting? Have you measured nitrate and phosphate levels? How often do you do water changes? And most importantly, what colour is the algae?

P.T.

 

[Tammy2080]

its dark green and in some places it will be hairy
algey scrapers dont work the stuff on the side of the tank is really hard to get off, ive been using scratch free scouring pads for them.

i dont really want to add anymore fish (even though i want to ) as im sure its over crowded already

it has been set up for a year, it has been getting progressivly worse since it was set up........it just looks really scuffy.

it is near a window but the blackout blinds are always closed......you cant excape windows im my house

there is two bulbs, in one is a normal tropical fluresant and the other is a sunglow the tank i baught has to have two lights which cannot be turned on individualy

i havent tested the water this week as recently i had a few deaths due to amonia poisoning which my testing kit hadent picked up. but the algey problem was there for alot longer

oh and i change the water once a week

on an upside my fish like it better when the algey is there