Stella Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 Ok, so I had issues with the title... it really is all bundled up together. I have native fish, currently 4 small bullies, 3 inanga and a crayfish in an 80 litre tank. I have just got a wonderful BIG 210 litre (four foot) tank, and the big change over will hopefully happen next weekend. I have had ongoing problems with algae. First it was brown algae, now revolting blue-green algae. I now finally have a lovely fast-growing matt of beard algae, I want to encourage this one. It is bright green and moves beautifully in the current. I appreciate that algae is usually a nutrient issue. I think a big contributor was the mushy failed-attempts at keeping aquatic plants. I got rid of most of that today. I feed the fish frozen bloodworm, which all gets eaten up, but the icky stinky juices from the ice would just be feeding the algae. So I am now putting it in a fine sieve under running water to get rid of waste nutrients. I am giving up on plants, the cray destroys them. And the native habitat I am trying to emulate doesnt have plants anyway. I like rocks I have a powerhead-driven undergravel filter and an internal Shark filter. THE POINT: DO I completely destroy any good bacteria in the tank and give it all a damned good clean to give the new tank a good head start against the bluegreen algae.... OR do I try to keep as much good bacteria as possible to kick start the new tank, and not worry about the bluegreen algae coming along for the ride? Please dont suggest algae eaters, there arent any native ones, and I am a purist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rozski Posted July 22, 2006 Report Share Posted July 22, 2006 You could take the best of both worlds and give your tank a damned good clean and then seed it with gravel/filter/something else from someone elses established tank? Just an idea, although someone else might come in and say its a bad idea lol, I'm only a newbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freakyfish Posted July 23, 2006 Report Share Posted July 23, 2006 A thing with algae is that it needs 3 things in your tank to survive They are Carbon Nitrogen and Phosphate It simply cant survive without these 3 things The only one you can easily keep under control is the Phosphate If you cut back on your fish food and get a filter media that removes Phosphates it should eliminate your problems with Algae Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyberfin Posted July 24, 2006 Report Share Posted July 24, 2006 Yes-Phosphate remover. Cut back your lighting; have them turn on one hour later, turn off one hour earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissie Posted July 24, 2006 Report Share Posted July 24, 2006 someone told me that... "nitrates at 0 may increase chances of blue-green algae. Not an algae but cyanobacteria" Not sure how true but he seems to know his stuff. Just thought i'd add my 2c worth... Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted July 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 Crud! Now my biggest inanga has ICH!!!! I was suspicious. (gnashing teeth) I have just done a 50% water change and have moved him to quarantine in the hope the others wont get it. He is in a malachite/formalin treatment, which disagrees fatally with my cray, even more reason to treat him seperately. He seems to be the only one (so far) must have been stressed. I blame the cat... OK, so add this to the mix, am I now better to scrub down the old fixtures and effectively start the tank from scratch, bacteria-wise? I am sick of ich In coldwater its lifecycle takes so much longer, and more now it is winter! Stella Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted July 25, 2006 Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 best not to, ich is always present in the aquarium and only takes hold when your fish arent right. i think ich comes in on spores or something? if one fish has ich the rest have a chance of getting it as any cysts that have fallen off with soon hatch and release free swimmers. try and keep them all as calm and stress free as you can in the meantime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
land_lubber Posted July 25, 2006 Report Share Posted July 25, 2006 I say bite the bullet and start from scratch you can always use stress zyme and stress to help with the process. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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