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ok im having trouble finding the right small algea eater to get rid of the algea in my 15 gallon , and now there`s a bigger problem the SAND
its full of algea , i mean how to take it off ??
i do have an aquarium medicament called algea cure something but the last time i used it , nothing happened ! ....
So can i get a bit of advice Plz .

For that small a tank you can go with a few otto's or a bristlenose pleco as an algae eater. i generally don't keep algae eaters in small tanks because there's not that much room to begin with. so....

regarding you current situation, what is your nitrate reading and how often do you do water changes? my guess is your nitrates are high which can be resolved by regular water changes.

as a short term fix you can turn the lights off for a couple days, do some water changes, and it should clear up.

well i cant tell nitrate levels (no test kit)
and you said turn your light off for a couple of days . wont that kill my plants ?

Yes, turn the lights off for a week & get a BN.




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Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
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I wouldnt get a bn for a 15 gallon unless you were planning on moving it.

so ur saying a week with no light at all wont kill my plants ?

Are you having trouble with brown algae or green, b/c if it's brown I think not having light will make it worse. At least, that's the case with too little light. Maybe no light at all is a different story. Would the tank be receiving sunlight?

i actually have both .... really stubborn and hard green dot algea of the glass sides and i have brown algea on the sand and on the front glass.
tank is not recieving direct sun light

The green hard spot can only be taken off with a scrubber (Arylic tanks) or razor (Glass Tanks). No fish will touch that stuff. Generally, with Green Spot Algae, it occurs in those tanks whom get copious amounts of light. I have the same problem in 2 of my 3 tanks.

I scrape on a weekly basis. Its just a fact of life for some of us.

Brown SMUDGE algae will be quickly consumed by Bristlenose Plecos or some Otocinclus. This is caused by too much silicates in the water (are you using Silica sand per chance or pool sand?) column. Water changes (10%-20%) on a weekly basis along with the aid of some nice algae eaters will help rid you of this problem. PM me and I will send you a link to a great algae article.

Gary