FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hello everyone, I have a very annoying problem, I have alge in my aquarium, not normal alge on the windows that i can live with, but alge that grows in strings, its everywhere on my DW rocks and windows, now what type of alge is this and that can I do to get rid of it? Now I am missind some carbon in my filter could that be the problem? I scrubed my DW and rocks with a toothbrush and its still there, It grows very long.

Thanks for you time and help.

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

You say it's attatched to the rocks, in what sense... it doesn't let go or it turns the rocks a different color?

Is it the kind of string algae that you can twist around a fork or something of the like to remove it?

What else is in your tank? (it might help to answer where it's coming from and how to maintain it before algea gets out of control).

Is there a reason your filter is missing some carbon? If it's not missing on purpose, replace the filter. It will maintain your tank better if it's all there.

---

"it's the neck, it creaks under the weight of too much heavy thinking."

Hi,
It sounds like you have "Hair Algae."

Here is a site about the various forms of algae, what
causes it, and suggestions for its control:

http://www.otocinclus.com/articles/algae.html

and another:

http://www.freshwateraquariumplants.com/freshwateraquariumalgae.html

And lastly:

http://www.algone.com/algae.htm

I once had this growing on a piece of driftwood. It looked
beautiful as the stuff swayed in the tank currents. So, I
tried to control it but it got ahead of me. It was fine
for a while but as it grew, pieces of it would break off,
travel around the tank and get caught on plants and other
stuff and grow there too. I came back off a 1 week
vacation to find it had taken over the tank. I removed
it by hand and took the driftwood out.

Hope this helps...
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

linkin, cant help with your problem but i can post a short story that might make u laugh.

i bought a couple ottocinclus to clean a tank where I have some oriental fish and I should have seen it coming (I know Im a moron) but the second I dropped em in the big fish went right after them to eat them. Thank God I was able to scoop them out inmediately and put em in another tank.

so much for buying fish to clean that tank

Do Ottos eat this algae? Thanks for the help and that great story, I think I am gonna get 6 ottos, because its a 48G and I have 1 keyhole 2 serpea tetras and 2 corys and 2 danios, I had alot of fish but I had a problem, gone now.

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

IS Algone good?

Edit: Better question, 4-5 Ottos or 1-2 Siamese Algae Eaters?

I might add a few Platys in there?

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

Hi,
I suspect that the problem is that you have too
many fish in the tanks, too much light, and that you
are feeding them too much. Algae will thrive in the
above conditions.

I would switch the neons to the 5G tank, and the other
to the 10G tank. I would knock back on the feeding.
Remember, a fishes' stomach is about the size of their
eyes. I would do water changes, and vacuum the gravel
as well. Your nitrate readings are probably high.

Your 5G with its present fish load as you list it, is
too large. The neons would be fine in the 5 and vice
versa.

You would want your nitrate readings as close to 0 as
you can get it, as long as you have no live plants. If
you have live plants, then aim for a nitrate reading
around 10.

The chemicals will kill off the algae and if you use it
be sure to do at least a 30% water change as the dead/dying
algae will polute the tank. Be advised however, that
unless you fix the cause, the stuff will be right back.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Oh sorry man, Its not thoes aquariums I am talking about, Its my 48 gallon with 1 Keyhole 2 Zebra danios 2 corys and 2 serpea tetras, But I found something interesting, my aquariums has been shut for quite a while as I was cleaning it i noticed it was of and then i looked behind the aquarium and the plug was pulled out...

I really think I will get 2 Simease Algea eaters will they be ok with the corys, danios and serpeas?

Opps almost forgot my Dwarf Gourami

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

SAE will eat hair algae. They should have no problem getting along with the occupants in your 48G tank.

I had serious (black slimy) hair algae problem back two months ago. I got two tiny SAE (1 - 1.5 inch). They've been non-stop eating and grew quickly. But the hair algae remains. There's simply too much algae (hair and regular green algae) in my 75G tank for the two small SAE. I got a BN three weeks ago. He cleaned up all the green algae in one week. And the SAE took care of the hair algae on the rock, the wood and the plants. It's a joy to watch them working /:'

Hey I know its been a while but heres a pic can someone confirm its hair alge?

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y179/Xlinkinparkx/IMGP3618.jpg

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys

Looks like thread algae to me.

Have a look to this link posted by Keith in another thread:
http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9

The algae I had in my 75G before was actually the nasty brush algae.

Says I have too much Iron, what can I do to help this?

10gallon: 8neons 5gallon: 1betta
1oto
2platys