Fish Tank Algae Removal

[Brandon]

I have a little bit of algae on my 90 gallon tank with Angels. I have a magnet that has been good on some but won't completely remove the green junk. So do you guys use chemicals or go in with a clean rag and scrub or ????

Not sure if it matters or not but the tank is filled with city water that has ran through my water softener.

 

[tatic05]

There are chems out there that will help but also limiting the light will also help kill some of it off. If it is stuck on the glass, you can scrap it off if you want. Make sure to keep your levels balanced even if you are using a water softener.

 

[PistolBob]

We had two algae eaters and they did a heck of a job. Plecostimus I think.

 

[Brandon]

I don't want a pleco. Never had luck with them making a difference, grew to big for the tank... Plus I don't like the ones you get at the stores easily.

 

[femurphy77]

We had some algae eaters in our 180 that did a great job and didn't get over 3" long. They did such a great job that they eventually died for lack of algae to eat and I didn't realize it soon enough. Naturally I can't think of their name right now. . . .

 

[Brandon]

I have 2 Chinese algae eaters, neither of them do much of anything.

 

[Crbn79]

Chinese algae eaters are good. They don't grow as fast as Plecos. I have a 150 Gallon glass and I just use an old 3M scrubbing sponge. It's worn out enough that I don't worry about scratching the glass, but still rough enough to clean the algae quickly. Is this a cycled tank or is it new water? Reason being Algae blooms are an indication of Ammonia and Nitrates raising on new water, which can be deadly for your fish.

 

[Brandon]

Cycled tank, it's been running for over a year and a half.

 

[88GT]

I am battling algae for the first time in over 15 years of fish-keeping. It's my fault, though. I was really bad about turning lights off. I have a pleco (but I love the plecos). I also have mollies that are herbivores. They'll nibble at the algae, but they are not nearly enough for control. I broke down and got a snail to help. I did my research and got a snail that is not a prolific breeder. I tried the Chinese algae eaters, but they are sensitive the the hardness in our water and other chemistry attributes.

I only have a 55 gallon so clean up is way easier. Between the biological control (the fish and the snail), I use a non-scratch scrubber sponge during water changes. I'm making progress. It's slow, but at least it's progress.

If you don't test water chemistry regularly, I would recommend doing so.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

Back when I had a tank, I used the scrubber too to remove the algae from the glass. Getting it off the gravel and the decorations inside was tougher. Every so often, I'd pull the stuff out and wash them to get all the crap off of them. Like some others mentioned, most of my problems tended to happen when I'd neglect my tank for too long. Pulling the stuff out to clean, was also a good time to vacuum the crap out of the gravel.

 

[Crbn79]

Since the water is cycled you might just be dealing with normal summer time algae blooms. STAY away from chemicals, they bring negative side effects and can harm the good bacteria which has built up in your filtration system. You could also cut back on feeding schedules a little. Angels are very good scavengers and will begin eating the algae themselves.

 

[88GT]

Since the water is cycled you might just be dealing with normal summer time algae blooms. STAY away from chemicals, they bring negative side effects and can harm the good bacteria which has built up in your filtration system. You could also cut back on feeding schedules a little. Angels are very good scavengers and will begin eating the algae themselves.

????? If this were an outdoor pond, perhaps. But in a static-state (relatively speaking) indoor aquarium?

 

[Crbn79]

????? If this were an outdoor pond, perhaps. But in a static-state (relatively speaking) indoor aquarium?

Unless you have it in a room with no sunlight coming in, larger aquariums will get summer bloom due to increase sunlight, even if not direct. Now I'm not talking floating around in the tank kind of bloom, but glass surface does increase.

 

[88GT]

Unless you have it in a room with no sunlight coming in, larger aquariums will get summer bloom due to increase sunlight, even if not direct. Now I'm not talking floating around in the tank kind of bloom, but glass surface does increase.

Interesting. I've had fish for 15 years and never had this problem.

 

[Crbn79]

Interesting. I've had fish for 15 years and never had this problem.

Consider yourself lucky then, I get more algae during the summer. I can usually get by on 1 clean through the winter, but each summer I'm cleaning about once a month. I've run at least a 55 gallon since 2000, played with salt water once and never again. Ran a 55 & 75 till 4 years ago when I got my 150. They have always been set up in my living rooms which get a lot of sunlight during the summer. My 75's now in my parents sunroom, just cleaned it last week for it's 3rd time of the summer.

 

[Brandon]

Back in my teens I had 13 tanks going both fresh and salt. Seemed so much easier back in those days to take care of the tanks/fish. Then I worked at Petsmart for a while and eventually got out of the hobby. Now I feel like I have forgotten everything I learned

 

[88GT]

Consider yourself lucky then, I get more algae during the summer. I can usually get by on 1 clean through the winter, but each summer I'm cleaning about once a month. I've run at least a 55 gallon since 2000, played with salt water once and never again. Ran a 55 & 75 till 4 years ago when I got my 150. They have always been set up in my living rooms which get a lot of sunlight during the summer. My 75's now in my parents sunroom, just cleaned it last week for it's 3rd time of the summer.

Trust me, I do. I didn't know how good I had it until this algal bloom. And I'm kicking myself because I know it's entirely my fault.

 

[Crbn79]

Trust me, I do. I didn't know how good I had it until this algal bloom. And I'm kicking myself because I know it's entirely my fault.

Once you get a good bloom, it just seems to be all down hill from there. Never seems to get quite under control after it's established.

 

[chezuki]

I just used to scrape it by hand.

Just participate in CURRENT threads if you must make a run. No need to bump up old/dead threads.

 

[lordjackel]

Install a protein skimmer or phosban reactor. Will knock out our algae issue in a couple days. Though mainly a Salt Water tool...they work great in freshwater too.