Fievels Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 So I've got my tank back from its baby-sitter of the past 18 months. It has a moderate amount of green algae on the glass that I'd like to get rid of. Scrubbing it while filled with fish doesn't seem like a great idea and doesn't seem to work anyway, so I bought a large snail (I'd say 3cm shell) to eat the algae. I'm also leaving the light off and have reduced the tablets for my siamese algae eater and bristlenose, as I think they have become lazy and aren't doing their tank cleaning duties that they were originally hired for!! The problem is the snail's got huge teeth (who knew?!) and is sawing the leaves off my plants! So, two questions: * How to get rid of the algae efficiently? * How to stop my big snail from eating my plants, as I wanted a pretty planted tank?! Ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 Don't rely on the fish to clean it, the older they get the less algae they eat. Clean the glass with a brush or cloth that won't scratch, then perform a decent water change to clear it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camtang Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 Unused filter wool is handy to clean tank glass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fievels Posted June 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 Don't rely on the fish to clean it, the older they get the less algae they eat. Clean the glass with a brush or cloth that won't scratch, then perform a decent water change to clear it up. Lazy ol' fish! Will go try and give tank another scrub! Unused filter wool is handy to clean tank glass. Will try that, ta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fievels Posted June 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 Just spent the last hour scrubbing the tank, and got about one third of it done! Phew, what a mission! Looks good though... wish there was an easier way! Still have that pesky large snail nipping my plants off though! Could get expensive at this rate! And my plants are currently floating on top, as when they are planted they are too easy for him to reach! Doesn't look so nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Li@m Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 Unused filter wool is handy to clean tank glass. :iag: It sounds like you have an apple snail. Basically it will kill all your plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 the snail will always eat plants before algae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamH Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 the snail will always eat plants before algae Agreed! So use the above impliment to deal with it. I mean the algae of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fievels Posted June 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 I don't think he's an apple snail... only because the guy at the shop said it wasn't an apple snail... do apple snails eat meat? He said this one was vegetarian and not an apple snail... but I'm not always trusting of shop assistants! This snail may well be banished to my classroom fish tank. A scraper like that would be excellent! Would it be bad for the fish if I removed the plants for a couple of days to encourage the snail to eat algae? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 I always use a credit card to scrape algae and there aren't any scratches on my tanks. :smln: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 He said this one was vegetarian vegetarians eat plants Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fievels Posted June 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 I always use a credit card to scrape algae and there aren't any scratches on my tanks. :smln: Great idea! Will try that now! Thanks Sophia! :dnc1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbird73 Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 I would get rid of the snail if you like your plants.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 8, 2013 Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 Great idea! Will try that now! Thanks Sophia! :dnc1: The newer the card the better the edge is and the better it will clean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fievels Posted June 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2013 The newer the card the better the edge is and the better it will clean WOW! This worked a treat! My Witchery shop card has never been so useful! Tank clean as ever, and took my about 30 mins to do the whole thing instead of 1 hour to do just one third!! :happy1: Have changed water and fish happy as! ...May well now have to get rid of snail! He is a beauty... anyone in Nelson want him/her?!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrrick Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 I need a new home for my apple snails.. the buggers are definitely eating plants before algae. I am going to buy a bunch of Oto's tomorrow for the algae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fievels Posted June 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 vegetarians eat plants Hence I don't think it is an apple snail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fievels Posted June 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 Bugger, so I did some research and it is definitely an apple snail. I hate bad advice from LFS morons! He definitely told me it was NOT an apple snail. Feel like posting it back to him! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted June 9, 2013 Report Share Posted June 9, 2013 I have to say that sometimes it is hard to tell an apple snail from the mystery snail, particularly while they are still small. I have noticed that both snails shells can end up covered in a browny green stain. Apple snails can grow to the size of a tennis ball! Mrrick - ottocinclus only eat brown algae. Bristlenose eat green and brown algae. Siamese Algae eaters eat the new growth at the beginnings of BBA. Nothing eats the green spot algae that forms on the glass - thats your job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrrick Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Can I ask what BBA stands for... I can't keep up with the acronyms on here ! I just got rid of the CAE because i was advised he would kill the otos, he did keep the tank clean, but was getting aggresive to my other fish. I have a few Bristlenoses in with my cichlids, so I'll move one into each of my other tanks. My mate (who knows more than me, says Bristlenoses will kill eachother if they are in the same tank. I have 4 that came together with some cichlds, so have left them like that... wise advice from my friend? Questions then. 300L community tank.. how many Oto's and Bristle noses to keep onto of the algae (planted aquarium, 80W T5HO lamps, Poret foam filtration@1000L/Hr) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 Black Beard Algae - the bane of plant tanks. Starts as little furry patches on the edges of slow growing plant leaves and on driftwood. Multiples when the little tufts break off and attach to a new surface. In the new stages SAE will eat it, after that only flourish excel will deal to it properly. Bristlenose are unlikely to hurt each other - I have 5 in my tank, no issues - its a 450 litre. I also have one large SAE in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted June 10, 2013 Report Share Posted June 10, 2013 can I just say that chinese algae eaters are evil. I had to rehome one from mum's 60 L tank (she was sold two :an!gry ). I moved it into my 160 L and the first thing it does is pick on the bristlenoses and then the glass cats. The damn thing has been rehomed again into the native 430 L native tank where nearly every thing is bigger and tougher than him. So far it is doing ok at 17 - 18 deg but time will tell. Excel worked well on my BBA, then the chinese algae eater ate it once it turned red/purple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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