Algae is killing me . . . HELP!

872 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by katy_bug, May 30, 2007

katy_bug

Discussion Starter · May 30, 2007

I moved my tank to my office and in the process decided to rescape a little. At home, my tank had matured and algae was not a problem anymore. So I moved the tank . . . kept the same fish, rocks, hardscape, filter medium . . . just got rid of the plants b/c the scale was all wrong for my 12g cube.

I set up the tank up and it has HC and two big bunches of java fern. The algae started taking over immediately. It is mostly hair algae with some other bright green fuzzy stuff (not long and stringy) covering the driftwood and the flourite. Started back up with EI dosing, 5ml Excel every other day, and CO2. Still no algae relief. Cut the lights back from 9 hours to 7 hours per day. Still have one big algae farm!

I know I should probably put a fast growing plant in there. What should I put that is non invasive and will not grow too fast?

Fish:
Betta
4 dwarf cories
5 black tetras
2 ottos
1 pleco (he is very small and when he gets alittle bigger he is moving to another tank)

I have 20 cherries coming in tommorrow so the betta will be moving out.
I feel like that is a sufficient cleaning crew.

What do I do?

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mistergreen

· #2 · May 30, 2007

The otos aren't doing their job?
I don't think cherries are good algae cleaners so don't count on them.

Throw in some fast growing plants in there and just let it float... A huge change will cause an algae outbreak.

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katy_bug

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 30, 2007

plants around here aren't easy to get your hands on. What would you recommend for a fast growing plant to throw in.

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bulrush

· #4 · May 30, 2007

Cherry shrimp can be seen picking through algae, but they really don't eat much of it. What they are doing is eating the micro organisms that grow with the algae. Don't count on them to eat the algae.

Unfortunately, plants like the same conditions as algae, lots of fertilizers and light, to grow. You will have to change conditions to get rid of the algae. Or scrape it off each week.

A local crayfish, orconectes virilis (currently being sold on Aquabid.com) actually DOES like algae, but it will also eat your sleeping fish and uproot plants. So that is not a good choice. This is by personal experience, I watched mine eat string/filamentous algae.

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katy_bug

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 30, 2007

I understand that I need to change conditions, but what do I change? I have done what I know how to do by dosing excel, making sure the co2 is up and running, cutting back on light.

I also know that Cherries are not the best algae eaters. I was just mentioning that in reference the the bioload on the tank.

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