how to get rid of algae when you only have a air pump

[Retired Viking]

My algae removal goes something like this. Cleaning the glass then vacuming out what ever I can. Employing nerite and ramshorn snails for algae control as well as continual maintenance and not letting it get out of hand

That is how I do it too.

 

[Rodneyc]

I only have the female crayfish in a tank by herself and the other fish are with my blue lobster and he doesn't mind the fish at all. I recently cleaned both tanks the gravel everything and I've been noticing the algae Chinese fish barley do anything expect clean 30% and hide under rocks would a air stone help with the algae or could it make things worse

My algae removal goes something like this. Cleaning the glass then vacuming out what ever I can. Employing nerite and ramshorn snails for algae control as well as continual maintenance and not letting it get out of hand

I had a lot of the same problems then I reduced the light time which helped some. I finally bought about 8 Siamese Algae eaters and cleaned up. Big time. I have a 55gal planted aquarium. I got mine fromA-Z gardens. Be sure you get the Siamese as they are often mistaken as Flying fox. Both of them have a black stripe from head to yak. Flying Goxes end just T the base,whereas Siamese continue clear to the end. They may give a short chase to other fish but that is about all. Good luck!

 

[hillary]

I had a lot of the same problems then I reduced the light time which helped some. I finally bought about 8 Siamese Algae eaters and cleaned up. Big time. I have a 55gal planted aquarium. I got mine fromA-Z gardens. Be sure you get the Siamese as they are often mistaken as Flying fox. Both of them have a black stripe from head to yak. Flying Goxes end just T the base,whereas Siamese continue clear to the end. They may give a short chase to other fish but that is about all. Good luck!

are they not related to the Chinese algae eaters?

 

[Lecturemode]

This is where common names get confusing;
The commonly named Chinese Algae eater is a "sucker mouthed" fish - Gyrinocheilus Aymonieri, however it is also named by the UN FAO as the Siamese Algae Eater (a.k.a. Honey Sucker, Sucking Loach);
The commonly named Siamese Algae Eater is actually from the Carp fmily - Crossocheilus siamensis.
Similar body shapes on both, but the Chinese has a sucker mouth (like Plecs etc.) & the Siamese has a grazing mouth with short barbels, not related at all.
Both will eat a certain amount of algae, depending on the type of algae present - they don't eat everything and certainly not algae exclusively. Many people are disappointed that they buy these fish & the problem is not cured.