Plant Question

[Hamsnacks]

Currently running a 120 Gallon 6 Ft tank, plants are growing strong, every plants is flourishing.


However I still get a bit more green algae than I'd like on the glass and wood, and fuzz on the plants. Also certain plants like the Amazon Swords have Black parts as well.


Current setup:


6 x 55Watt Sunblasters, 1ft above the glass, 8hrs.

Dose twice a week Thrive all in one.

Injecting CO2 8 hours a day.


How can I prevent algae in this particular tank, should I increase nutrients? Do I have too much light in general or should I maybe reduce to 7hrs a day?


Any suggestions would be appreciated, posted a couple pictures. The Vals are a bit yellow due to getting cut the other day. Overall I'm not too concerned, the plants look great and growing well just want to perfect it a bit more.

 

[Jessie J.]

Get a few nerite snails to graze off the algae so you can keep the lights on for the plants.

 

[Hamsnacks]

Get a few nerite snails to graze off the algae so you can keep the lights on for the plants.

Yeah I guess I could increase the nerite population, have about 3 in there, probably the laziest Nerites I've ever seen lol. I do have a few otos as well.

 

[Colin_T]

It looks like black beard algae growing on the old Anubias leaves. It is a pita when it gets into tanks and hard to control let alone get rid of completely. You can try more algae eaters. I usually remove the infected leaves and throw them away before doing massive water changes to try and dilute the algae spores in the water.

Plants should be cleaned or quarantined for a month before adding to a new tank to try and stop this from spreading.

 

[Jim Lay]

I also have a problem with green algae on plants. I'd like to introduce some fish to graze on this stuff - would Black Mollies fit the bill?

 

[Colin_T]

Black mollies need water with a pH above 7.0 and a general hardness (GH) above 250ppm to do well. You should try to find out what the GH and pH are before getting mollies to help control algae.

 

[Jim Lay]

Black mollies need water with a pH above 7.0 and a general hardness (GH) above 250ppm to do well. You should try to find out what the GH and pH are before getting mollies to help control algae.

Hi Colin
I'll check the pH out. Would the Mollies eat the algae?
Thanks

 

[Colin_T]

Yes mollies will eat algae.

 

[Byron]

Fish are usually not the answer to algae problems. Mollies will never deal with problem algae like black beard/brush, neither will otos nor Bristlenose nor Farlowella. All of these "algae eating" fish will eat common green (and usua.ly diatom) algae, and do a very good job generally. But they will not touch the "problem" algae.

The only way to deal with problem algae is to establish the balance between light (intensity, spectrum and duration factor in) and nutrients.

In the photos in post #1 I do not see a real problem. The plant leaves near the surface will naturally become covered in algae, given the lighting. I also see a mix of low-light (slower growing) plants and higher light (faster growing) plants. If you provide light/nutrients sufficient for the latter, the former will inevitably develop algae. Floating plants for shade can help with this, along with reducing the duration. But in thee end you still need to find that balance for what you are providing.

 

[Jessie J.]

If you have a lot of algae you could try Mystery snails. They will eat plants though, if there's not enough algae, but if there is enough they work very very well and very quickly in groups.

 

[NickAu]

Get a few nerite snails to graze off the algae
If you have a lot of algae you could try Mystery snails

No and NO, you dont add fish or snails to deal with a problem that just creates more problems.

Nerite snails dont eat just any old algae and Nerite snail's lay eggs all over the place the eggs cant hatch in fresh water and are a pain to remove,

Once they eat all the algae then what?

Mystery snails are OK but you get them because you want them not because your tank is not running right.

Algae growth is due to an imbalance, Too much or too little light, too many nutrients in the water, tank is over stocked that kinds thing.

To correctly treat algae you find the root cause of the problem and deal with that, you dont throw critters at the problem and most likely make the problem worse.

Also Snails do not do well in soft water.

Mystery snails. They will eat plants though

This is false. Pomacea bridgesii, won't eat your plants They only eat dead or dying plant matter, If you Mystery snails are eating live plants its because they are starving.