Algae invasion!

PoleStar

Hi all.

My new 38l cold water tank is becoming over-run with algae. The glass panes are covered and the stones have turned from white to green-brown.

This began about 1.5 weeks ago. The water seems clear and fish seem happy enough! Obviously though its a bit unsightly!

Having googled the topic, I found recommendations ranging from doing a 20% water change daily until it starts to disappear, to doing a twice weekly change (instead of every 2 weeks).

I did a few 20% changes a few days in a row and I guess it cleared a bit but that is all.I also have one plant in the aquarium.

I am afraid if I keep changing the water the fish will die!

Any suggestions?

I kinda wonder is the filter that came with the tank a bit crap maybe?

fred funk }{

Algae blooms when there's too much of nutrients and/or light in the tank. Over feeding will cause high nitrate levels which is a great fertiliser. Cut back on the feeding and the light and increase the water changes.

kylith

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Algae blooms when there's too much of nutrients and/or light in the tank. Over feeding will cause high nitrate levels which is a great fertiliser. Cut back on the feeding and the light and increase the water changes.

+1

Snails are great for taking care of algae too. Something like an apple snail would be ok in cold water.

PoleStar

Thanks for the tips!

How frequently can I change the water?

Given that I have learned that the tank needs time to build up bacteria, I am afraid that too frequent changes will get rid of all the bacteria and the fish will suffer.

Or am I misunderstanding this and that daily changes or every second day changes for a couple of weeks of 20% would be ok?

With regards to the snail, how many would I need?

fred funk }{

PoleStar wrote: »

Thanks for the tips!

How frequently can I change the water?

Given that I have learned that the tank needs time to build up bacteria, I am afraid that too frequent changes will get rid of all the bacteria and the fish will suffer.

Or am I misunderstanding this and that daily changes or every second day changes for a couple of weeks of 20% would be ok?

With regards to the snail, how many would I need?

The amount of water that needs to be changed depends on how much fish you have per volume of water and how much food you feed them. Essentially, it's how much waste is in the water.

Normally a 25% change weekly is enough under normal conditions.

Regarding killing the bacteria in the water, very few if any are water bourne. Most of the bacteria live in the filter and in the gravel. Make sure you use a dechlorinator when adding fresh water back into the tank. I would also feed the fish every second day and leave the lights off too (won't harm the fish at all).

kylith

The beneficial bacteria (BB) live in the sponge in your filter, and also in amongst the gravel at the bottom of the tank, so as long as your filter doesn't dry out your BB will be fine provided you use a dechlorinator when you're putting the new water in. Make sure to match the temperature as closely as you can to avoid shocking the fish. Once those conditions are met you could change your water every day if you wanted.

I'd clean the filter once a month; rinsing it in old tank water. Remember that tap water is chlorinated and chlorine will kill the BB, and eventually the fish too.

I have 1 apple snail in my 110L tank. I'd probably have enough algae for another one, but they'll breed like mad. Something like a Nerite is smaller and won't breed in fresh water (though they'll still lay little white eggs fecking everywhere) so you could have a pile of them. You can always scrape the algae off with a blade or rough cloth if the snails aren't keeping up with it.

PoleStar

Thanks Kylith!

And please excuse my ignorance but will the snail work its way around the glass and the gravel or what happens!

Also, in terms of snails breeding, if I get one snail, will I end up with about 50 in no time or what happens!

Also, when you say clean the filter in old tankwater, what are you trying to achieve, is it that too much crap builds up on the sponge or what?

Also, do I just do this when I am doing a water change? I.e., take out 20%, take out sponge and clean in this water, then replace?

Silverfish

Since algae thrives on waste and nitrates, I'm guessing your tank may be overstocked as well.
38L is rather small, there's not many coldwater fish that will live for long in 38L.
Reducing the lights / feeding will reduce the algae, also regular 25% water changes weekly.

Nerite snails are amazing for algae removal, and they don't breed in freshwater, however I wouldn't put them in a tank where the temp is below 18 degrees.

kylith

PoleStar wrote: »

Thanks Kylith!

And please excuse my ignorance but will the snail work its way around the glass and the gravel or what happens!

They don't work in any systematic way at all, you'll see pathways grazed through your algae, but eventually they'll get it all

Also, in terms of snails breeding, if I get one snail, will I end up with about 50 in no time or what happens!

Some snails are self fertile, this means that one snail can lay fertile eggs. I think pond snails fall into this catagory. Apple snails aren't self fertile, though if you happen to buy a female, and you need to be an expert in order to sex them, she may be holding fertilised eggs and will lay them in your tank. Most snails, I think, tend to lay their eggs in a clump that can be scraped off the wall of the tank and disposed of. Apple snails lay above the water line.

If you dont' get the eggs in time and they hatch there are a couple of solutions for control. You can make a snail trap by cutting the top off a plastic bottle, putting some blanched lettuce inside, and putting the top back on upside down so it forms a funnel. You then take this out and dispose of the snails. It'd probably be best to kill them (I don't know how would be best. Boiling water maybe?) because some aquarium escapees can become invasive pests if they get into waterways. Another option would be to fight fire with fire and bring in some assassin snails. These will hunt and kill small pest snails.

Also, when you say clean the filter in old tankwater, what are you trying to achieve, is it that too much crap builds up on the sponge or what?

Your filter will eventually get clogged up with bits of plant and fish poo. To clean it turn it off (duh), take the sponge out, submerse it in a bucket of water you've taken from the tank, and give it a good squeeze to get the crap out, then just put it back in and turn it on.

Also, do I just do this when I am doing a water change? I.e., take out 20%, take out sponge and clean in this water, then replace?

Yeah, that'd be grand. As I said most people tend to do it once a month.

On changing water; a syphon is invaluable for getting poo out of your gravel and can be bought very cheaply on ebay. Don't just throw that water down the drain either; if you have a garden your plants will love it. The poo makes for great fertiliser; my dahlias just kept flowering and flowering last year.

fungun

kylith wrote: »

On changing water; a syphon is invaluable for getting poo out of your gravel and can be bought very cheaply on ebay. Don't just throw that water down the drain either; if you have a garden your plants will love it. The poo makes for great fertiliser; my dahlias just kept flowering and flowering last year.

Indeed - I connect my siphon to the garden hose and just siphon out the window to my garden....siphoning through the hose is slower but well worth it!