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You may just have one of those setups that algae likes. Is it the long stringy type or more just a fuzz? The first can be a problem, the second not so much.
That's the thig, everything I've seen describes the algae as stringy of fuzz, I wouldn't describe it as either. It's green cloudy. It's only a 20 gallon tank and I can't see the back of it. I tested the water and it is high in nitrates and ammonia. I'm going to do about 25% water change, treat it and take it from there. I'd like to get the algae eating fish, but I'm nervous about putting them in the tank before it's stabilized.
You really shouldn't have either in an established tank.
On the nitrate side, could your water supplier be adding something new to the water? Some iron treatments might mess with the chemistry enough to impact the cycle.
with nitrates and nitrites being high id put money on an over feeding issue, decaying matter will cause spikes like this.
id definatly suggest doing a REALY good gravel vaccuming at least once a week, realy get in there! and do 25% water changes a couple times a week and test regularly...
once those numbers drop and hopd steady dropped for 2 weeks, then you can think about adding the ottos...
right now though the white cloudiness is that bacterial bloom feeding on those high yickyness...getting those under control youll probably see a difference realy quickly.
when you set up the tank did you add fish right away? did it have chance to cycle?
have you added any new fish/decorations lately?
my best advice right now is that it sounds like your tank is going through a cycle phase for some reason (probbaly too much food) and cutting back on feeding and doing water changes should get it back under control. just watch your current fish for signs of stress.
I have a few bn plecos, and they were in my tanks when I temporarily had the green water problem. Green water isn't the same as green algae growing on everything, so don't expect a pleco to clear the water. I think there is more going on than just an algae problem for HS dude. But you are right sj08054, they don't grow as large as the regular pleco, only about 5" in length.
I had the Tetra Whisper on one of my tanks once, it was really ineffective at keeping the tank clean. How often do you change the filter?
burshy nose are cute plecos and a great semi clean up crew, but they dont eat algea once they enter adult hood...
plecos eat WOOD and must be supplied with driftwood to hide under and slowly consume.
they will feed on some kinds of vegatable matter through their life, certain types of alge, but should never be bought specifucally as an algea eating fish because once they pass the juvinile stage, they wont be cleaning your tank as well as you want.
personally i love plecos, i love that they are armored like tanks and super hardy, they can happily put up with my cichlids on a "pushy" day, but so many people get them because there "algea eaters" that many plecos of all verieties die prematurly in the tank due to lack of apropriate food source.
if you want true algea eaters stick with true algea eaters, ottos, chinese algea eaters, siamese algea eaters (i prefer siams, less agressive) ect.
burshy nose are cute plecos and a great semi clean up crew, but they dont eat algea once they enter adult hood...
plecos eat WOOD and must be supplied with driftwood to hide under and slowly consume.
they will feed on some kinds of vegatable matter through their life, certain types of alge, but should never be bought specifucally as an algea eating fish because once they pass the juvinile stage, they wont be cleaning your tank as well as you want.
personally i love plecos, i love that they are armored like tanks and super hardy, they can happily put up with my cichlids on a "pushy" day, but so many people get them because there "algea eaters" that many plecos of all verieties die prematurly in the tank due to lack of apropriate food source.
if you want true algea eaters stick with true algea eaters, ottos, chinese algea eaters, siamese algea eaters (i prefer siams, less agressive) ect.
I completely agree. I like to give my plecos some zuccini every once in a while, and also some tiny bits of sinking algae wafers every few days just to be sure they are getting enough to eat. And I do have driftwood in their tanks, I see them gnawing on that occasionally, too.
that cloudy white stuff sounds like a bacterium that some of our very sophisticated club members had in only one of their breeding tanks (and in none of the others). I had it once. It's not harmful, relatively rare, but the only way to get rid of it is a tank teardown, if that is what it is.
If you have live plants they suck up the nitrates, particularly water sprite. Go plants. You shouldn't have a green algae problem at all. Cease feeding and up filtration and see what happens. I also now use a current mover (Korellia) in all my tank with box filters, as it really helps the water turnover and gets the entire plant rocking; I've really noticed the difference; you can't filter too much.
Last edited by thedwightguy; 06-06-2011 at 12:28 AM..
Reason: spelling
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