How do you take care of your algae problems?

[amazingbioloboydp]

I just bought one of those magnets for the glass so far its worked well.

 

[Pointy_kitty]

I don't have live plants, I don't use algae wafers or fertilizer, I leave the light off all day while I'm at work, but do like to turn it on when I get home. I usually leave it on during the day on weekends, but I have been doing this since the start. It just seemed weird that this ocurred so much so fast. Do you take out the decorations to use the algae sponge. I have one of those long-handled ones that I use to clean the sides sometimes. It's all over and in the gravel too all of a sudden. This has happened within the last few days. I did just recently change the filter pad too, so I'm not sure what to think the cause could be. Maybe I should clean it all up and get another otto?

hmmm...
thats puzzling........
yes leave the decorations in the water when you wipe them off,
otherwise you might lose some good bacteria off of them
once you wipe it all off, then just mix up the gravel a bit (when you do the water change)

yes, i would go for another otto,
and once your algae problem is all over i would toss an algae waffer in there about once a week (good for everyone)
if the problem reoccurs when you do this then don't use the waffers anymore
if you have a friend with algae waffers or a kind pet store they will ususally give you a couple to sample so you don't buy them for nothin'

 

[lilhurleybunny]

I don't have live plants, I don't use algae wafers or fertilizer, I leave the light off all day while I'm at work, but do like to turn it on when I get home. I usually leave it on during the day on weekends, but I have been doing this since the start. It just seemed weird that this ocurred so much so fast. Do you take out the decorations to use the algae sponge. I have one of those long-handled ones that I use to clean the sides sometimes. It's all over and in the gravel too all of a sudden. This has happened within the last few days. I did just recently change the filter pad too, so I'm not sure what to think the cause could be. Maybe I should clean it all up and get another otto?

I've just turned off my light for the day and I've already noticed a bit of difference! I have the same problem with my gravel..I'm going ot keep my light off for a while to see how much of the algae goes away. Maybe you shoudl leave your light off all the time, like not even turn it on when you come home. I nono! Just trying out things .

I'm having the same sort of problems .

 

[lilhurleybunny]

anyhoodles,

LOL!! I've never seen that word before!!! Thats so silly!

Anyways, thanks guys for the posts and votes on the poll!! Don't worry I'm not completley lazy, I've gotten an otto before, but wouldn't you know he ate himself to death . And I do have one of those magnet thingys..it's very small..I reckon I should get a bigger one.

THANKS AGAIN GUYS! Keep the methods coming!!

 

[noelberg]

I leave the light on a good 12 hours daily, and I get a tiny bit of natural sunlight too.

My trick is to feed once daily (or twice is lesser amounts). I need light for the live plants, but occaisionally I will only put the light on for about 3 hours. A good magnetic scaper and an algae eater also help. But even plecos can be overwhelmed with algae if uneaten food and waste levels promote some nice blooms.

 

[Annastasia]

I only get alage in my 5 gallon, so I have a couple Oto's in there, and they take care of it.
Rarely, when I get algae in my 10 gallon, I just use the little magnet scraper.

 

[jeef]

one word: Plecotomus

 

[Stacey269]

Will it suck up the existing algae, or just prevent new algae?

 

[Stacey269]

Will it suck up the existing algae, or just prevent new algae?

I mean the algae magnet

 

[susangc]

I voted for live plants, but I have a decent algae eater as well. In extreme cases (not this tank), I've used a single dose of algicide. I have my tank light on a timer (low wattage, 12 hours).

My tank's past the brown algae point -- the oto's taken complete care of it. I've got a little hard green algae that I will have to scrape eventually; I'm afraid I'm going to mess up the acrylic tank, so I'm not rushing to do it.

Susan

 

[Opcn]

Snails! They are great sinks for algea and like nutrients! But then I got my puffer so I'm down to 7 MTS and juvenile MTS are eaten by popcorn so I am left with no recorse but the razor blade.

Opcn

 

[thecichlidaddict]

easy, I don't.
Although the algae is very ugly, my fish enjoy snacking on it, and my water is a little to Basic for a algae eater (around 8-8.2). But I was doing some research, and hopefully I will be able to find a suitable one soon

I hear you, the lights on my mbuna cichlid tank is on 16 hours a day, those fish love grazing the algae.

 

[cutechic]

A combination of low nitrates, short light duration, algae eaters, and an algae magnet

 

[Supersalmon]

I had a real problem with that black algae stuff, think its called beard algae. It grew all over my plants in long black strings. I had lots of live plants which were supposed to keep algae down, low nitrate levels, 3 ancistrus algae eaters and kept the glass clean using an algae magnet. But still that stuff grew over my plants. I kept the light on for 10 hours every day. I went in search of a Siamese Algae eater, but found it impossible to obtain a true one here in Ireland. I ended up having to strip all the plants out and take out the worst affected gravel (yes it grew on the gravel too). So far the new set up has been fine but I'm sure it will make an appearance again. Incidentally, I gave the plants to a friend he put them in his tank and all the beard algae died off, now the plants look better than they did in my tank - no algae at all. The only difference is his light is very old, hasnt been replaced in years. Next time I get this algae will turn the tank light off for a few days and see if it kills the algae. Also I think it has probably something to do with the water I put in my tank. I reckon there is something in the tap water, maybe high phosphates, which helps the algae to grow. What does anyone else think?

 

[blakwidoe]

I have snails and Pleco in my 75 ... never had a algae prob in over a year