Blue-green And Brown Algae

[swrzzzz]

Hi

Ok I am cycled - have had no nitrites at all for a week or so now and I now have about 10 small healthy and happy fish. Its a 200L tank so I have room for loads more but I want to collect them slowly.

Problem is - I have developed blue-green and brown algae mostly on the sand substrate.

Whenever I hoover out its back within 24 hours and worse than before. Is this normal with a newish tank? Will it go as everything settles down or do I have to do something drastic?

Thanks

Steve

 

[pat3612]

I dont know about the green but I have the same problem with the brown , brown is common in new tanks it should clear up in a couple of weeks mines clearing now been three weeks is your tank is near a window I know you get green alge but Iam sure someone will come along who knows more then me.

 

[swrzzzz]

I dont know about the green but I have the same problem with the brown , brown is common in new tanks it should clear up in a couple of weeks mines clearing now been three weeks is your tank is near a window I know you get green alge but Iam sure someone will come along who knows more then me.

Thanks - I think the green is the blueish (cyanobacterial ??) sort rather than normal green algae.

It is by a window but there are blinds

Steve

 

[Colin_T]

the stuff is cyanobacteria and it's a pain in the butt. Reduce the feeding, particularly of dry food and increase water changes and water movement in the tank. Try to gravel clean it out each day when you do a partial water change. Check the lights because poor quality lighting can encourage it. If you get on top of it you might be able to get rid of it. If you leave it then it will just hang around and look disgusting.

 

[rabbut]

It probibly is. Is it a slim apperance? Have you re-tested your water cince adding the fish?

All the best
Rabbut

 

[swrzzzz]

Ive been testing the water every day and now I have no or trace levels of nitrites.

It is planted and nitrates are at less than 10 due to all the water changes.

Its quite hard water with a pH of 7.5 ish.

I have been doing 10% water changes about every 2-3 days. It seems to be thriving on the surface of the sand though rather
than the plants and glass which makes me think it is getting nutrients from the sand.

I think I am going to give it a couple of weeks with daily or every other day water changes and cleanouts then go for the blackout

Ta

Steve

 

[rabbut]

It is possible that you are getting Phosphates and other muck in your water supply, and this may be the caurse. I would risk mebe reducing waterchanges, to see if this brings a reduction to the algea. There are products out there to reduce Phosphate in the water, but these also absorb ammonia and nitrite, thus having implications for your filtration (caurse of bacteira die off).

HTH
Rabbut

 

[swrzzzz]

It is possible that you are getting Phosphates and other muck in your water supply, and this may be the caurse. I would risk mebe reducing waterchanges, to see if this brings a reduction to the algea. There are products out there to reduce Phosphate in the water, but these also absorb ammonia and nitrite, thus having implications for your filtration (caurse of bacteira die off).

HTH
Rabbut

Can you get tests for this? Or is the info available from your water board?

Steve

 

[Colin_T]

you can buy phosphate test kits from any local fish shop. They're not a big issue tho. If you have low nitrate you will probably have low phosphates. But it can contribute to the problem. Get you LFS to do a phosphate test because it will be cheaper the buying the kit. Have them test the tank water and a sample of your tap water to make sure it isn't coming from the tap.