# Algae bloom



## Teammuir1 (Sep 15, 2009)

Here goes everyone... I have been battling an Algae Bloom in my 55 Gallon 
tank now for about 3 weeks... This is just driving me crazy.... 
I do not have any LIVE plants in this tank.....
The water has been changed 2 times in the last week and half.. 50% 
water changes both times. The tank has a light film of algae on the glass that 
comes off very easily. The last time I did a 50 % water change I also replaced 
the Filters.. ( Very Dirty )
Please give me some suggestions.. cause I am missing something.
I built this tank just for Show with cherry canopy and Hutch. White Sand and 
White Texas Holy Rocks

So the fist pic is after a 50% water change and then the second pic is 
a week after.

Ron


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## Teammuir1 (Sep 15, 2009)

I would have figured someone would have posted by now.. 
I will heading to bed soon so I will check back in tomorrow.


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## Mecal (Nov 2, 2009)

first off, neat rocks 

second, you may want to consider some live plants as they can compete against algae.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Sorry must have overlooked this post earlier today ;-)
Green water is caused by a unicellular algae form, can make it look cloudy or to the extent seen in your picture like spinach cooking gone wrong.

The most common cause for this is known to be Ammonia. So take your test kit, test your water what are the results? This would be driven by overstocking and/ or overfeeding or both; I exclude to little w/c in your case you said you did several large one's already. Its also extremly often seen in new tanks that have been improperly cycled - How long has yours been running
You also have nothing in your tank to "soak up" the available nutrition, which can easily be countered by adding plants. 
The imbalance is cause by the available nutrition in your tank and the lights and nothing else but the algae to 'eat it' therefore also a black out (fully covering the tank) where your lights are off are often helpful, followed again by a large w/c

The only other option I know about for the green algae bloom is UV sterilizer, if all above mentioned ideas fail.


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## Teammuir1 (Sep 15, 2009)

AWSOME.... thanks so much for your Reply.......

Your right there is no real plants in there I had a few but 
the little boogers ate them lol
well I have been working 12 hour days.. I will get some results back to you all
about the water perameters....
thanks again for the reply.. I have learned much.....


Ron


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

You're welcome! And don't give up, there's solutions out there (and NO I'm not talking chems) if I can survice and battle 5 diff kinda alage in my 55g incl bacteria bloom to top it all off...You can do a simple green bloom too


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## Teammuir1 (Sep 15, 2009)

WELL now to top things all off I have a Cichlid HAP that has EGGS now.....
so I guess I dont know what I am going to do... 
If I do a water change . I might stress her were she eats the Eggs...
 whats your thoughts about this problem......
I thought about doing a 10 gallon change every day for a week or so...
I DONT KNOW..... I dont want to stress her I would like for her 
to have them. ( thas the reason I bought her ).. lol.


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Just keep on doing your w/c and do them like in the opposite corner from where the eggs are, just be sensitive about it and you'll be just fine.


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## Teammuir1 (Sep 15, 2009)

This is a Cichlid.. she hold the eggs in her mouth.. ( mouth brooder )
I had another cichlid in another tank eat her eggs before.. 
thats why I am being very causeous....


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

:crazy: I'm sorry...one shouldn't party al night and then add reply's to posts half asleep....sorry man....of cause you're right! 

What may be easier for the time being pregnant don't gravel vac. Just hang a hose in 1 corner drain X amount water needed and slowly refill. That should produce the least amount stress IMO.

Also you said about them taking your plants apart, with my Yellows I had best success with Hygrophilia corymbosa...grew nice & speedy and apart from the OCCASIONAL nipping they left the plants alone (here's a pic)


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## Teammuir1 (Sep 15, 2009)

*Omg*

EVERY ONE.. you may or may not believe this..... 
I woke up the other morning. Jan 2nd. came down stairs 
and to what of my surprise...... ( NO NO NO NOt 8 tiny RainDeer. ) 
LOL..
But my 55 Gallon tank CLEAN algae BLOOM GONE.....

OMG.. I couldnt believe it... OK OK OK.... so you ask...

What did I do.... well honestly it was not hard.. not at all.....

took your advise... went out bought 3 sword plants... put them in the tank

and WELL you see the results..... no water change since the day before 

X-mas eve. Dec 23rd

NICE I am so HAPPY........

Thanks to all for your support.

NOW it looks like a SHOW TANK is suppose to look like.

Ron


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

WONDERFUL that's the result I wanted to see when I tried blasting you with all the info before, excellent!!!
That's way I keep saying, pay's off to simply eliminated reasons why you have algae in the first place rather then masking with chem's.
I'm very happy for you and the tank looks very nice. And now you know how it works maybe consider replacing the rest of the plastic plants by live ones bit by bit?


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## Teammuir1 (Sep 15, 2009)

Thanks alot persistance pays off...... I guess.

I am very happy with this tank ...... everyone that 
comes in the frt door and walks into the foruer sees this tank
so you can imagine how frustrated I have been...... we 
had guests yesterday evening and they were trippin on the tank.....
then they walked into our living room were the 120 gallon is and
again was shocked and amazed... and in the dinning room we
have a 75 gallon in my work shop is the 180 gallon and the 210 gallon 
and the 10 gallon baby tank and the 20 gallon planted tank.
and I really get alot a good complements about our tanks ......
makes me feel good.......

So again .... thank You... for being there to see me through this.

I hope I can help out someone down the road.....

Ron


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

That's wonderful Ron!!! And I know exactly what you mean, I have 2 neigbours that are excited like a kid on Christmas each time I set up a new one and when it was turn for the 55g in the office (which was a plain nightmare for roughly 8 weeks) I was sooo embarrassed, specially cause its hard to hide people out from my office (gotta work right) but once this is overcome like yours, makes ya kinda feel double as good when you get compliments about them.


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## Pep (Dec 29, 2009)

Congrats on fixing the problem! That is a drop dead gorgeous tank :notworthy:

Where did you get those white cave rock decorations? They are fantastic:thumbsup:


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## Teammuir1 (Sep 15, 2009)

The Rocks have been called many different things.. Texas Holy Rock?
White Lace Rock?

They are Real Rock though I believe they would weigh roughly around 
100 pds.. total I have some really heavy ones in there.

Thanks for the Complaments.

Ron


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## Freddy (Nov 17, 2009)

Oops. Didn't see page 2. Glad to see you got your tank cleared up!


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