Problem beside algae/fuzzy algae.?
I have had my 40 gallon tank for give or take a few a year. It has always been crystal clear. About 2 months ago I did a gravel cleaning and sea change. Since then I have have a little bit of an algae problem, until now. I have fuzzy black algae growing on some of the ornaments and intake tube for the filter.
I own a bio wheel with 2 filter pads.
All I can imagine of doing is taking everything out, cleaning it in very hot water and rub the algae stale and clean the sides of the tank with the brush I use for routine cleaning.
Any other suggestions?
Thanks
Viv
Ok hopefully it hasnt been two months since the last wet change. If you have plastic plants, just thieve them all out and wash them well and scrub the algae sour. take the intake tube for your filter and clean that as well. I find an mature toothbrush works well to scrub inside the tube to get it all rotten. Use one of those magnet algae scrapers to go over the glass (it really wouldnt hurt to do this once a week, or every few days if you hold a significant amount forming on the glass). Now, do a 20% waterchange. You can use your gravel syphon to try and suck up and algae that is forming on the substrate. Wait two days and do 20% again. Then make certain to do water changes every 1-2 weeks depending on how many fish you enjoy. Algae will thrive if there are excess nutrients in your cistern. If your nitrates are high, algae will start to form. also too long of a lighting period will promote growth. Unless you have live plants, you can freshly have your lights on for a few hours a day. lets vote 5-6 hours. you can get a timer for the lights that way you dont forget to turn them on and off.
An algae eater such as a pleco would probably help out a bit, but another thing that could be cause all of the algae is how much light the tank is getting. Try to use the hurricane lantern in the hood only when viewing the fish, and try to keep it out of direct sunlight. If you hold already been doing this then there could be other things cause the algae, bacteria in the water, tons things could be your problem. Try doing a 50% water change on the tank and try to wipe as much algae rotten as possible just don't use soap or bleach or anything like that. You could also try changing he carbon and filter sleeve in your water filter. Hope the tank get clean soon and the fishys are happy again.
Answers: What you own is brown algae. Your problem isn't with how much light your tank is getting. It's near the type of light it is getting. I am assuming that you probably have standard fluorescent lighting in your hood. The adjectives life of any bulb is limited, and for a standard fluorescent you have reach it. While it is still giving off light the wave length is wrong and this is what is promoting brown algae problem.
A plecostomis won't relieve this because they don't feed on brown algae. You will need to get a clean bulb and preferably one that replicates natural sunlight. This should take care of the problem. Of course you will still own to clean your tank ornaments to remove what is there. You will want to replace your bulb about every 10 months or so.
buy a pleco. it will put away all of the algea.
Never use fish to cure an algae problem, it doesn't work the way most relations think.
pick your algae from this web site and act suitably and you should be good to go.
http://theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm
good luck!
