Whats my best option?

[TheBigGoof]

So I have a 10 gallon tank with 1 betta and 7 emerald rasboras, the tank is newish and I have had it for about a month with all the fish in it. 

I wanted to know what the best option to eat and get rid of algae would be? And to clean it of the glass and the hornwort I have planted.

[Jovius]

I'd get yourself a nerite snail. They wont breed even asexually in freshwater so they wont take over your tank, but will eat algae.

[EricksonAquatics]

Depends on what kind of algae you have. Nerites are fabulous for flat algae’s like diatom and GSA but not so much for things like hair algae, BBA etc!

[hazelwright]

Hello,

You can clean the glass with an algae scraper and gently wipe the hornwort leaves. Control light exposure by keeping the lights on for 8-10 hours a day. Perform 20-30% weekly water changes to maintain water quality and reduce nutrient levels. Avoid overfeeding your fish and consider using a phosphate remover if needed. 

[TheBigGoof]

On 7/12/2024 at 8:39 PM, EricksonAquatics said:

Depends on what kind of algae you have. Nerites are fabulous for flat algae’s like diatom and GSA but not so much for things like hair algae, BBA etc!

So from what I research its called green hair moss, where its long green algae fibers coming off the glass and hornwort

On 7/12/2024 at 10:31 PM, hazelwright said:

Hello,

You can clean the glass with an algae scraper and gently wipe the hornwort leaves. Control light exposure by keeping the lights on for 8-10 hours a day. Perform 20-30% weekly water changes to maintain water quality and reduce nutrient levels. Avoid overfeeding your fish and consider using a phosphate remover if needed. 

sounds good I will look into these already got an algae scraper and turn the lights off at night.

[Lennie]

Your only option for a 10g is one amano shrimp for hairy type algae but mine dont really make any difference and eat any really. Nerites wont eat such algae, they eat diatoms/ flat surface algae

My fav is SAE but they require at least 40g tank I would say preferably bigger. Mine are sooo active

[Tony s]

On 7/12/2024 at 9:54 PM, TheBigGoof said:

glass and the hornwort

For the hornwort, it’s so fast growing, rip a clean chunk off and toss the rest. It’s really not worth spending time trying to clean it. Or at least that’s what I do when I get it in mine 

[Tony s]

One of the easiest ways to reduce hair algae is to literally go in and physically remove it. An old toothbrush will help. Just wind it up and pull it out. To keep it from coming back as fast, probably the best way is going to be feeding your fish much less. Excess food means excess nutrients in your water. Fish don’t have traditional stomachs like we do, so food in equals waste out. Without adding to the growth of your fish. As long as everyone gets something, you’re good. I am fighting the same issue currently. We had our goddaughters feed our fish during our vacation. They mostly did a good job. The fish were happy and water was clean when we got back. But now we have a hair algae breakout. We can get it under control though. And, importantly, they liked feeding the fish and learned something as well.