Help with green algae

[MrREECE]

Hey all,

I am just emtying my 33 gallon tank and I have had a huge problem green algae. I just got a new tank and I want to get rid of all the algae that is on my gravel, plastic plants, rocks, and glass so that when I set it up again the algae does not return like it did this time. something easy that destroys the algae.

Thanks for the help

Jason(MrREECE)

[Jay]

Hi Jason and welcome to our forums !

No one is going to be able to guarantee you that your tank will be algae free.

We can give you advice on husbandry and maintenance techniques which will help you control it. The thing that is usually missing when algae is out of control is a consistent routine of tank maintenance, and an understanding of what triggers algae blooms.

To your question, all of your decorations and gravel can be disinfected with a 19:1 Water/Household Bleach solution. That will kill algae and spores. I am sure you see that a really good rinse will be necessary.

If you have no fish, critters, or plants in the tank you could use an algaecide.
This would require a rinse or water changes to get rid of the chemical when the algae is dead.

Regards,
Jay

[Hooyaah]

Here are a few good ideas to help allieviate the recurrance of algae. I believe that they were covered in a previous discussion, but they can be recounted quite simply and you should be able to employ any or all three of them with some degree of success.

1) Keep the aquarium away from a window with any direct sunlight.

2) Light the aquarium for no more than 12 hours per day. Use an automatic timer to shut them off, if desired.

3) Get assistance from willing species such as Japanese algae eaters. (NOT Chinese algae eaters) Otos (Otocinclus) are helpful also and have similar appearance to Japanese algae eaters. Japanese algae eating shrimp are also a good choice. Stay away from the Plecos.

[Fish Freak]

Hey Jason,

I wouldn't worry so much about getting rid of the algae instantly. Once you set up that tank again, make sure you keep it out of sunlight. Also, don't overfeed your fish. The leftover foods produce ammonia and phosphates which are basically algae fertilizers. A helpful fish to have is a good sized plecostamus. These guys are the best algae eating fish you can buy. Just start with a small one and raise it yourself. There is more about the advantages of raising a large pleco on my blog under "Growing Giants". Check it out,

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Its relatively new, so its pretty small, but I think it will help.

[Tommy Gun]

Hey Fish Freak - Welcome to the forum!

Just so you know, this is a very very old post - in fact, it was started more than a year ago.

However, now that you bumped it up, I want to clarify that a pleco is not the holistic answer to algae and you should know that the none of the three plecos under your "fish of the day" regarding these fish can grow to be anywhere near three feet - in fact the zebra pleco is one of the smallest of the bunch and only reaches about 3 inches, not three feet and the vampire pleco, while larger at about 9" or so, is one of the most aggressive and will defend a territory against all tank mates.

For now, I have deleted the link to your blog pending moderator review.