Algae problem

Hi guys, I have a question regarding the algae in the photos below. It seems to bloom every now and then. It comes off pretty easy, using a magnetic glass cleaner. But what causes it?

Tank specs:

Tank volume is 90liters
50watt heater
Under gravel filter
25 endler guppies
20 ghost shrimp
Snails (sigh)
And t8 24 watt Biolux tube
Light on for 10 hours

I do have 10 watt led floodlights I bought from Brights rated at 750lm and 6000k that I want to test over the top of the tank over the weekend.


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Algae is a result of an imbalance of some sort in your tank ie:
* lighting periods are to long try cutting down to 8 hrs a day
* overfeeding, your snail problem might be an indication of that
* no or not proper water circulation, I see you mentioned using a Under Gravel Filter, do have a powerhead attached?
* no regular water changes, algae feed on excess nutrients and water changes dilute these nutrients

Attend to the above and you should see improvements over time.

 

I just wipe this algae off with a sponge. I find it appears no matter what, maybe cut the lighting down and it could help

8 hours a day is good enough usually

 

I bought these today, I'm going to install them tonight.

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Agree on the lighting period, cut down. I scheduled mine for a time that I was home and could enjoy the tank. Get yourself some otos, they would love your tank. Are you dosing any ferts? My algae problems started as a result. Turned out my plants were happy with fresh water and Excel.

 

That looks almost like Cyanobacteria, which looks like algae, but as the name suggests is actually a bacteria.
The stuff growing on the glass could be diatomes, which wipe off easily with a sponge.

Diatomes are common with newly set up tanks.
Otocinclus catfish love grazing on it, and will soon have the tank spotless.

Cyanobacteria is more difficult to treat.
Regular water maintenance works best, as well as removing as much as you can manually.
Alternatively you could treat the water with an antibacterial like Erythromycin.
https://www.thespruce.com/cyanobacteria-blue-green-algae-1378628

 

Anybody know where I can get my hands on one of those Otto's? Cape Town area?

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Have you tried Panorama Pet shop?

 

Sams Aquarium may also be an option and perhaps worth the drive.

 

Sam's aquarium? Where is that? I frequent Panorama quiet often. Haven't seen any there

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http://samsaquarium.co.za/

Sam's Aquarium
Shop 3 Sherwood Shop Ctr, Bergvliet, Dreyersdal Rd, Bergvliet, Cape Town, 7945

 

Panorama had some when I was there in November, they usually get them in around here. Never really see them elsewhere

 

Didn't see any ottos at panorama for the last two or 3 months that i visit there for the african grey. Also frequently asked petstop.

Can you confirm if sams has? Looking for 3 or 4

 

On a separate note, I've been running these led lights since Friday, and it made a huge difference in the tank. Plants are loving it, and I'm able to see all the baby guppies that have been born.

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Having some issues with a 3ft after adding new plants .... Added these guys into the tank 2 of them on Tuesday - hopping they would go for the BBA ... turns out they love the Cyanobacteria - now I believe this is not the norm ...



Later Ferdie

 

That's a nice find Ferdie.. Cyano was a big struggle for me in my multi tank. I tried large frequent water changes & vacuuming up the cyano (easy to suck up), extra aeration, excel, complete lighting blackout for weeks... None seemed to knock it back, it always returned over night. The winner for me was increasing my filtration, going from 2x aquaclear 50's to 1x Eheim Classic 600 canister. The cyano disappeared within hours and never returned.

 

Now that is interesting ... my normal is aeration ...

Later Ferdie

 

@Edward Lewis would love to see an update on your tank progress with those new led lights and the difference it made with your algae

 

I treated cyano algae with the addition of KNO3. It happens when the phosphates and nitrates are out of balance - basically the plants were using all the nitrates and only phosphates were left in the tank. So I added the KNO3 (in solution) daily and in a week or two no more cyano algae. It has never returned.

 

Think you are onto something .. went looking for my root cause last night in the 3ft that I have the cyano in ... turns out that the other 1/4 was over feeding that tank a bit. With the rescape and addition of some lava rock before I went on leave it created an accumulation space that one could not see nor could the fish get in and eat the food. Long story short - flattened that out did a 50% WC lost a 3 danios ( 3 years old - so it was time ) - suspect tds, temp only dropped by 2 degrees, but can see how the tank was pollutant heavy ... will add some extra KNO3 .. see how she runs.

Later Ferdie