# SO SICK of this recurring algae!



## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

I have a 5 gallon freshwater aquarium with four GloFish (zebra danios). The tank is naturally cycled, and kept aroud 75ºF.

A few months ago there was a massive green algae bloom. I couldn't see inside the tank. I took a water sample to Petsmart and he said that all the levels were perfect. So I got a toothbrush, scrubbed, and replaced much of the water. I also decreased the amount of time that the tank is exposed to light to about 9 hours. 

It was like new for about a week. Then, another bloom came. This time, I went to Walmart, bought some quilt badding and activated carbon. I made a new filter cartridge and scrubbed the tank down again. It was successful for probably two weeks. I also increased the flow of my filter, in case the slow flow was causing too much stagnancy. However, the bloom is back. My tank is impossible to see. Also: there are really massive bubbles that keep forming on top of the water. They pop as soon as they hit the glass, but I've never had that before.

Could there be some other problem that I'm missing? What can I do? I try doing weekly water changes, but the algae always comes back.


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

What are your water parameters? What is your lighting and how often is it on?
Often algae problems are the result of high nitrates and/or lights that are too brights and/or on too long each day.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Yes, more data on this is needed. In additionto what AbbeysDad asked, are there any live plants in this tank? What is your normal water change schedule, i.e., how much of the tank and how often regularly?

Byron.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

Are there any live plants in this tank? *Yes, one "Argentine Sword."*

Water changes: How much of the tank and how regularly? *Usually 50%, once a week.*

What are your water parameters? *Not exactly sure what you mean by this (still a beginner). The water is kept at or around 75ºF, 5 gallons, filtered with a decent flow.*

What is your lighting and how often is it on? *10W, fluorescent aquarium lamp on from 10a.m. to 7p.m. (9 hours).*


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## TwinDad (Mar 3, 2011)

Water parameters are the indicators of water health. Water can contain Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates which in specific quantities can be harmful or fatal to fish. There are test kits such as the API Freshwater master test kit (about $25 online) that will tell you the levels of those and PH.

If you don't have the kit taking a small sample of water to petco or petsmart they will test it for you and give you an idea of the levels in your tank.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Sounds like "green water" which is caused by unicellular algae. We just happen to have been discussing this in another thread,
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/freshwater-aquarium/very-cloudy-water-95805/
and in my post #27 therein I detailed the causes and ways to treat this, or more accurately, I cited the cause and treatment from another aquarist. There are also some photos to compare.

That info should help you.

Byron.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

> Method No. 1 The blackout means covering the tank for 4 days, no light whatsoever is allowed into the tank during this time. Cover the tank completely with blankets or black plastic trash bags. Be prepared, killing the algae will result in dead decaying algae that will decompose and pollute the water. Water changes are needed at the beginning and end of the blackout time and ammonia should be monitored also.


This was a very helpful post, Byron. THANK YOU! Will the blackout kill my plant, do you think?

Also: I've had a snail in the past. Sometimes I just think they ....for lack of a better word... poop too much for it to be worth it. You end up having to clean up just as much as you would without them. Am I wrong?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

etanico said:


> This was a very helpful post, Byron. THANK YOU! Will the blackout kill my plant, do you think?
> 
> Also: I've had a snail in the past. Sometimes I just think they ....for lack of a better word... poop too much for it to be worth it. You end up having to clean up just as much as you would without them. Am I wrong?


Others have used the blackout without killing plants, though the plants will be affected and may show it. As for snails, I have the small ones, Malaysian Livebearing and common pond snails. The former is very good in my view, burrowing through the substrate. Larger snails do add to the bioload obviously.


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

Just another $.02 about snails.... Although it may seem they do, I don't believe snails really add to the bio-load. Without teeth, much like worms, snails survive by consuming algae, decomposing plant waste, fish food, etc. This makes them part of the cleanup crew in the food chain. In a sense, although higher up the chain, they no more increase bio-load than fucultative bacteria that decompose organic waste further in the natural recycle process. 
It is true that like bacteria, once introduced, the snail populations will rise and fall relative to the conditions resulting in balance. Some may dislike their proliferation, but in some ways they are a natural part of the living aquarium.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

I'm on day three of the blackout, and I've got a question about what comes after I'm done.
While this blackout could potentially sole my algae problem right now, isn't it possible that the green crap will just return like it has every other time? In other words, after I destroy it...how can I *prevent* it?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

etanico said:


> I'm on day three of the blackout, and I've got a question about what comes after I'm done.
> While this blackout could potentially sole my algae problem right now, isn't it possible that the green crap will just return like it has every other time? In other words, after I destroy it...how can I *prevent* it?


Yes, if the cause is not resolved, it will return. This was covered in the thread linked in my earlier post.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

Thanks so much, I went back and read each of the posts. I noticed that you said something about how adding plants could potentially help? Is that a possibility, do you think? I have plenty of room, I think. Also: you seem to be very well-informed. Everywhere says that my plant should be getting about 10 hours of light per day. Is this accurate or can I cut down on that?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

etanico said:


> Thanks so much, I went back and read each of the posts. I noticed that you said something about how adding plants could potentially help? Is that a possibility, do you think? I have plenty of room, I think. Also: you seem to be very well-informed. Everywhere says that my plant should be getting about 10 hours of light per day. Is this accurate or can I cut down on that?


Adding more plants will make it more difficult for algae to increase because the more plants there are the faster they grab the nutrients and use the light; fast growing plants and especially floating plants do this best. It is when light continues and one or more nutrients are no longer available that algae can increase because the plants can no longer utilize the light.

So light is the limiting factor, or should be. Which brings us to your second question. Plants can manage with as little as six hours of good light per day. If everything is available, they will photosynthesize provided the light is present. As soon as something is missing, they slow and may even stop. It is all about balance. Saying plants need "x" hours of light is rather meaningless, because the nutrients have to be available and provided they are, whatever the light period, plants will photosynthesize until something is no longer available.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

Alright, cool. I think I'm gonna try to see how buying a Moneywort will affect the tank. I'm about to go check things out now that it's been four days of blackout.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

Byron (and everyone else who's helping me out). I've decided to proceed with the following. If something is going to be detrimental or harmful to the fish, please let me know as soon as possible.

A complete tank overhaul. I'll put my fish in temporary jars/vases/gallon-sized tanks as I empty about 95% of the water. During the process, I'll thoroughly vacuum out the gravel until it looks new. I'll clean up the plant (scraping away black mold). I'm going to remove my artificial plant. I'll readjust the position of my Amazon sword. Then, I'll stick ONE Moneywort plant towards the back of the tank. I'll refill the tank with conditioned water. I'll give it about an hour to reach the appropriate temperature, with the filter running. I'll decrease the amount of light to 7 hours per day. Then, I'll give the fish time to adjust to the water temperature, and then release them to their "new" tank.

Objections? Advice?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

etanico said:


> Byron (and everyone else who's helping me out). I've decided to proceed with the following. If something is going to be detrimental or harmful to the fish, please let me know as soon as possible.
> 
> A complete tank overhaul. I'll put my fish in temporary jars/vases/gallon-sized tanks as I empty about 95% of the water. During the process, I'll thoroughly vacuum out the gravel until it looks new. I'll clean up the plant (scraping away black mold). I'm going to remove my artificial plant. I'll readjust the position of my Amazon sword. Then, I'll stick ONE Moneywort plant towards the back of the tank. I'll refill the tank with conditioned water. I'll give it about an hour to reach the appropriate temperature, with the filter running. I'll decrease the amount of light to 7 hours per day. Then, I'll give the fish time to adjust to the water temperature, and then release them to their "new" tank.
> 
> Objections? Advice?


If this is solely intended to get rid of the algae issue, I would take a second look. All that is needed is to restore the tank's balance between light and organics. With only one live plant previously, all the natural organics (fish waste primarily) was not being used so some form of algae will usually appear and take advantage. Getting more plants, especially fast growing plants, is probably the better solution.

When a tank is torn down and re-started, just like a new tank, it is more unstable and algae will frequently take advantage again. Rather than risk this, and the stress on the fish, I would simply correct the balance, by adding more plants. Floating plants are ideal for this, as they get lots of light, CO2 from the air, and thus assimilate a lot of nutrients from the water column. Plus they release a lot of oxygen into the water through their roots.

Byron.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

So scratch all that. I'll head to Petsmart and get some Moneywort AND a floating plant...maybe? Then I'll vacuum out the gravel until about 50% of the water is gone, scrub off some algae and then I'll stick the plant(s) in, and put new water in?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

etanico said:


> So scratch all that. I'll head to Petsmart and get some Moneywort AND a floating plant...maybe? Then I'll vacuum out the gravel until about 50% of the water is gone, scrub off some algae and then I'll stick the plant(s) in, and put new water in?


Sounds good. Lots of floating plants, which can be even stem plants that do well floating.


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## etanico (Apr 2, 2010)

Well my local pet stores don't carry Moneywort, but Corkscrew Vallisneria is a new one I'm looking at. I think I'm gonna go hard on this planted tank thing. So I'll get a Corkscrew or two, and then I might get some Pennywort or something. Do you have any suggestions for floating plants? I'm having a hard time finding some.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

etanico said:


> Well my local pet stores don't carry Moneywort, but Corkscrew Vallisneria is a new one I'm looking at. I think I'm gonna go hard on this planted tank thing. So I'll get a Corkscrew or two, and then I might get some Pennywort or something. Do you have any suggestions for floating plants? I'm having a hard time finding some.


Water Sprite is my favourite. If you can't get it (it is rare to find it seems), post a request for anyone local to you (where you live) who might either know of a store or be able to send you some. Brazilian Pennywort grows well floating. Other stem plants that do are Green Cabomba, and maybe Wisteria (this is iffy sometimes).

Corkscrew Vall is nice. They may sell it in a small bunch. Once settled, it sends out runners and spreads fairly quickly.


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