seasider Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 :bounce: Please can someone help me!! I have had freshwater tropicals for about 20 years and have never ever had a problem like what I have now. I have what I've been told is green floating algae. I have used a product made by JBL that spose to clear the water in a few days, didn't work so repeated in the two week space the instructions said. Did make a little difference but no where near fixed the problem. Was told to blank out all the light for about 3 days, just done that, no light at all or food and is worse if anything. There is no direct sunlight coming onto the tank and water changes seem to make no differnce. Almost like it helps the algae grow more. Am at my wits end as to what to do. As I said before have had fish for about 20 years and have had no major problems that couldn't be solved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 Do you have algee eating fish in your tank, what pet shop did you get advice from?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 You got any Plants in this Tankies Seasider???? Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keri Anne Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 A little more info might help us help you, what size tank what is in it etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasider Posted April 14, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 :lol: Thanks for the replys, the tank is about 310 litres and the fish I have are 2 Angels, 2 Silver dollars, 2 Clown Loaches, 2 Sword fish, 2 really big cat fish, 2 sucker fish and 1 Glass fish. I do have some plants but think I will go out today and buy some more. Do you think I need more suckers or cat fish to help with this. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 well if its actually in the water and not stuck to something i dont think there are any fish that would be able to solve that cause they would have to be filter feeders id imagine. algae is caused by excess nutrients and theres alot of them so its a bit of a mission finding out which one is causing you grief. i think you should try put some more plants in to attempt to get them to absorb the nutrients before the algae does Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 What are the actual dimensions of your tank, and What sort of lighting do you have in it? We came home from 10 days away and had left the kids to look after the tank. The whole top four inches of water was a mass of green floaty algae. It was actually attached to the top plants, but looked like a dense mat because it had grown so much in our absence. I pruned the top half of the tank and scooped the green out, and did a 50% water change. We then got two Hillstream Loaches and three Otocinclis, who have tidied up the bulk of the algae that was growing on the stones, low plants and glass. It took well over a week to filter green out of the water. What I have worked out is that our lighting is insufficent for our tank. It is 600x300x300 with two 15w 7000k fluroescent tubes. Our plants pearled the first day I put them in, but have not done so since, so they are not happy and therefore not taking enough nutrients out of the water to keep the algae down. For my size tank I should be looking at 77 watts of light. Have a look here: Did a google Search using. "Amano aquarium how much light" Came up with this... something else to ponder eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zev Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 PS Are you a member of the HBAS? Next meeting is Wednesday 19th at the National Aquarium 7:30pm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted April 15, 2006 Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 our lighting is insufficent for our tank I didn't know that insufficent lighting would cause algae to grow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasider Posted April 15, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2006 Thanks. My tank dimensions are 53in long, 17 in wide and 21in high. The lighting is a grolux tube 1200 long and is 26mm round and F36W. Been back to the pet shop (Deco City, great people and they know their fish) and bought more plants and going to do 50% water change and coverup from all light again for a three or four days and see what happens. No I'm not a member of the HBAS but might look into joining thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted April 16, 2006 Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 might be cyno? i have seen this on the surface if there isn't enough water movement there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee_jay_01 Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 Is your tank well airated with some current in it??? As lack of airation can cause algae in tanks. here is a algae that could be it, I have taken this information from the site below: Green water: A true unicellular algae. Also tends to show up during the earlier setup stages of a planted aquarium. Also called "green-water", it is a bloom that occurs quickly and takes over the aquarium. Cannot be easily controlled with water changes, you must reduce the source of micro nutrients that tends to feed the bloom for long term low-tech control. For immediate impact, try UV sterilizers that prevent the bloom in the first place (keep in mind, UV sterilizers will also oxidize trace elements in the water and render them unusable to plants). Micron filter cartridges or diatom filters can also remove the immediate haze. An excellent quick solution to your green water woes is Barley straw extract. We can attest to the fact it eliminates green water in just 2 days. Here is the site which I attained this information: http://www.floridadriftwood.com/algae_i ... ation.html Hope this information helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted April 17, 2006 Report Share Posted April 17, 2006 How many cubic feet is your tank?? Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasider Posted April 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 My tank dimensions are 53in long, 17 in wide and 21in high and about 310 litres. Not sure of the cubic feet. And thanks for the information dee_jay_01, will go to the site and check it out. Have got the tank covered at the moment so don't know whats going on in there, hopefully the algae is dying!!!!! Will be uncovering later tonight or tomorrow. If it hasn't worked I will plant more plants and try some of that barely extract. Will have to hunt that down unless anyone knows where to get it from. Thanks again for your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 I woudl suggest that you spend some bucks and get a range of tests done on your tank... all teh standard ones and phosphate, maybe iron for completness. The fish shop should be able to do them for you, if not for free then for a small fee which will be cheaper than buying all the kits. (Oh and to make life easy take in about 500mls of tank water ) Post the results. The only time i have had algae problems I bought a phosphate test kit and it went off the chart!!! ( ok i exagerate, it was at the top end of the scale tho ) I used JBL phosEx and everything came good with in a week. The age of the tube could be contributing factor. If its been running for more than 10 hours a day and is older than 9-12 months, personally i'd bin it . HTH John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plecs Posted April 20, 2006 Report Share Posted April 20, 2006 hi you will probably find that you will have trouble with more plants as your silver dollars will probably polish them off very quickly! Get the water tested, your phosphate could be too high. good luck plecs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seasider Posted April 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 Once again thanks everyone for your imput to my problem. Removed the cover from the fish tank this morning and there was about a 50 - 60% change for the better in the water. Took a sample to the pet shop (great people !!) and he tested the water. The phosphate levels are through the roof!!! Now have a product called Green-X phosphate remover so have put that in and see what happens. Doing another water test next friday. At least now I can see my fish!!! Might have to change the food I feed them, although have been feeding the same thing for ages, maybe they changed the recipie??? I feed a mix of granules and flake. Will chance the extra plants with the silver dollars, I give them lettuce sometimes and their intererst in it varies and they don't seem to have eaten the plants that are in there now, but thanks, is something to keep an eye on. Well heres hoping I am winning this algae battle :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted April 21, 2006 Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 I assume the phos remover is a liquid? if so I dont know how well it will work (poorly from what I have read and seen) keep a close eye on your filter because it might clog up with dead alage. A better option to remove PO4 is a resin, it doesn't cost much will last longer and actually works :lol: just put it in your filter or hand a bag of it in a high flow area maybe your feeding too much to have PO4 problems?? You have been doing it for a while so I wouldn't think thats your problem, do you feed frozen or live feed? this tends to be high in PO4. also didnt see what sort of filter you are using? UGF? maybe it is full of crap and need a good clean out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted April 21, 2006 Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 Great news seasider! Just remember it removes Nitrates as well which is what your plants grow on. for that reason i'd run it for a week and get your PO4 tested again. Suphew FYI Green Ex is a resin in a bag type product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted April 21, 2006 Report Share Posted April 21, 2006 Suphew FYI Green Ex is a resin in a bag type product. Sweet, your onto it then, not a brand I have seen, hence my confusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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