Algae questions

[TinaPax-Peeks]

So, the expected algae growth has happened. 

I don't have sufficient surface floater plants to block light but I also don't have high light. I have a starter kit. I probably am keeping the light on too long.

I do have plants: both submersed and "filter" plants (pothos and waffle). 

Nitrates don't go above 40ppm. 

I don't know the different types of algae, yet. What I have is green, growing in glass and the sunken ship. Plus, there is a green shade to the water.

I have just finished scraping the front and side glass and doing a 40% water change.

So, correct me on my assumptions:

1)  some algae isn't a bad thing... could be a good thing

2) as my plants grow and fill out the space, they will help combat the algae.  I have heard this but then I have also seen videos of planted tanks overrun with algae. I don't know what is the differences????

3) I want to get some snails not just to control algae but because they are cool. Since I have neon tetras dieing, should I wait to add snails or is it safe to add snails now?

[Beach Cruiser]

This approach worked for me on a fully cycled mature tank:

Dialed full power light down to 6hrs with lower light for 1 hr, each end of photo period. 

Cleaned all filters, hardscape & glass prior to a large water change. Removed all organic waste, dying leaves, etc.  Bleach dip for plants that can handle it. Plenty of descriptions for that process online. 

Limited over feeding & fertilizer to a minimum. 

Continued 50%  weekly water changes & gradually ramped light/ferts back up after algae was minimized. 

I now have just enough dust algae to keep the snails & such happy. Decreasing light would probably kill it to the point where i had to purposely feed them. 

1. Snails & some fish love to feed on algae. I suspect a small bit is present in even the most immaculate aquarium. 

2. Balance between nutrients & light is key to minimize algae. Testing your water parameters will tell you what situation you have. 40ppm nitrate is getting a bit high unless you have a bunch of fast growing plants. 20 is probably a more stable #. You have more than one type, which suggests imbalance. There is a great article on algae on this site. 

3. If your tank is stable with no ammonia or nitrites, snails should be fine. They are sensitive to metals like copper, so you might want to Google your local municipal water statement if you're using tap water. 

If you haven't already, I'd read through the blogs here. Especially the planted tanks & algae articles.

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/tagged/planted-tanks

 

Best of luck! 

Edited July 2 by Beach Cruiser

[Pepere]

On 7/2/2024 at 3:47 PM, Beach Cruiser said:

Balance between nutrients & light is key to minimize algae.

I know this is pretty much accepted dogma but it sure doesnt fit with my experience.

 

It was in no way the key to me getting algae in abeyance…. 
 

My experience is that when I stopped fiddling changing thingsand just put them pretty much where they ought to be and kept it stable week in week out, the plants got to business optomizing to current conditions and the new growth started thriving and I cut and replanted new growth and got rid of algae infested old growth.

 

soon enough I had thriving lush plants that defended themselves against algae very well….

 

50% weekly water changes with incoming water the same gh, kh, temp and fertilize dosed as the outgoing water.  Gh comprised of the proper ca mg ratio, sufficient potassium…  lots of Easy Green well in excess of bottle dosing instructions…

changed to canister filter with a spray bar for circular flow throughout entire tank, clean it out well monthly to get rid of the organic material it filters out of the water…  cleaned up the substrate,  weekly cleaningoff of glass and any visible algae growth trimming off leaves infested and pulling decore and peroxide soaking and scrubbing it beforedoing the waterchange to get rid of free floating fragments as much as possible…

 

i struggled with the balance light and nutrients mantra for 9 months as well as the get algae eating livestock mantra.  My tanks looked like a lot of the tanks I saw on the “this is how you beat algae videos…

 

Then I saw @Mmiller2001 tank after he made a post much like this one disputing the accepted Dogma's…

His tank looked so much better than mine.  Heck. His tank still looks better than mine, but at least mine are now free of visible algae….

I pm’d him asking for help and he referred me to the 2 hr aquarist algae pages.  
 

I gave up on the methods I had used and started practicing what I read about in the 2 hr aquarist pages and Lo and behold! Mytank transformed within a few months…  and no looking back….

After having months of success with 3 canister filter high light co2 injected tanks I tried another low tech tank.  A 17 gallon fish bowl with home made under gravel filter for biofiltration and a Lees triple flow filter for mechanical filtration. I used Easy Flow Kits on both using a home made adapter which significantly increased flow and put in to practice lessons I had learned but not having the CO2 and not dosing nearly as much ferts and having the light much dimmer.  And I achieved success in pulling off a tank free of visible algae in low energy configuration…

I still feel the whole balance the lights and nutrients dogmatic statement greatly over simplifies and confuses…   At least that is my experience and opinion…  To my mind there are a lot more key components which are easy to put into play….

 

[Beach Cruiser]

On 7/2/2024 at 4:48 PM, Pepere said:

when I stopped fiddling changing things and just put them pretty much where they ought to be and kept it stable week in week out...

That would pretty much be my definition of balance.

I don't think many folks would dispute that having one parameter way out of line increases the odds of an algae battle. 

Keep it simple & stable and let the plants do the rest. 👍

[Mmiller2001]

On 7/2/2024 at 2:48 PM, Pepere said:

My experience is that when I stopped fiddling changing thingsand just put them pretty much where they ought to be and kept it stable week in week out, the plants got to business optomizing to current conditions and the new growth started thriving and I cut and replanted new growth and got rid of algae infested old growth.

This, period! @Pepere, I’m stealing this!

[johnnyxxl]

I kept my tank very heavily planted and only have had small amounts of algae other than the diatoms and the otocinclus catfish and snails cleaned them up and keep the plants clean.  I am of the mindset of KISS keep it simple silly.  I have so much plant growth.  I monitor the parameters and do roughly weekly or biweekly water changes.

[Tanked]

On 7/2/2024 at 4:48 PM, Pepere said:

I still feel the whole balance the lights and nutrients dogmatic statement greatly over simplifies and confuses…  

I could not agree more! 

I think I have all of the pieces, but still have no clear understanding on how to assemble them.  I set up my first planted tank 6 years ago, and have never managed to balance it. Another smaller tank breaks most of the rules and has minimal algae and grows plants that I can't grow in the original tank.