Re: Overwhelmed with algea!
Algae needs food and light. Reduce both and the algae will become less of a problem. Check your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, levels. Higher levels of these is food for plants! Over feeding and foods that contain phosphates will nourish algae. A phosphate reading in a tank will make controlling the algae harder. Strong light of over 2 watts per gallon for extended periods is definitely a cause of heavy algae if the food is there. Direct sun light is even worse than strong artificial light.
Algae is actually beneficial and some is not a bad thing; too bad it looks lousy. The dark stringy algae on the DW ornament is very hard to control (Beard Algae) and you should physically remove as much as possible. You can generally scrape or wipe off the green algae on the glass. It is wise to syphon the algae out when it is scraped.
Do water changes & vacuum up waste and debris. Check and maintain good water quality. Avoid phosphates and use a resin (Bio Sorb ect.) to get it out of the tank. Experiment with light levels and duration. You might consider live plants. They compete with algae for nutrients.
These are some of the things you can do . I don't advise algacides. Others may have more suggestions. Good luck
Last edited by Dano : at .
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