Sick Of Algae....!!

[Kindredspirit]

Al ~

Okay... forgive me as I am in a rush ~ you keep the BN with your discus right? I think you said you do ~


OKay~ I trust your words ~ always have ~



Thank You Al!!


Marie ~

[Alight]

Yes, the I have 2 BNs in my grow out tank, and 8 otos. I have three BNs in my showtank, and I need to add about 10-15 otos. I only have 2 in there right now, which is contributing to my algae battle there. More on that on my thread in the Planted tank forum later today.

Al

[lhforbes12]

The lights "out of the box" I've found is cr*p! I had the same problem too. The plants languished and didn't grow, algae, etc. I trick is to find the right balance of light, duration of light, and the right amount of plants (and type of plants to go with the temps and the amount of light) to outcompete the algae. I had to do a lot of trial and error (and I don't know if I still have it right) to find out what to use in my bowfront. I have a coralife aqualight on that tank about 3 watts per gallon and growing swords and stuff. My other discus tank is a work in progress and has java fern and moss and about 2 watts per gallon. Still have some algae, but a lot less than before the java fern! One thing I noticed is that I've been having trouble with the wide leaf java in the discus temps (or some javas tolerate discus temps better than others)?

LOL, of course my tank is a low tech, fish have priority over the plants, tank, no CO2 and I don't add fertilizer to the water anymore (especially after what happened to Sampson). I do add fertilizer tabs to the pots though. A lot of high Techies probably have more to add .

Tina

Tina,
That is excellent advice and btw applies to a "high tech" system as well. Almost all aquariums need at least 1.5 wpg in order to grow plants, unless supplimented somehow (usually with direct or indirect sunlight).

Amber,
Let me guess. You do wc's straight from the tap? Your problem is that algae needs far less light and is better able to use fluctuating CO2 levels than "higher" plants. Your tap probably has high CO2 levels. The easiest way I know to solve this, other than aging your water, is to use either a diatom or UV fliter. Either will rid your tank of algae spores. If you are using tap water and doing 50%, or more, wc's daily you will need to run either one continuosly for it to be effective.

hth,
Larry

[lhforbes12]

ooops.. sorry that should have gone to a different thread. <face red>

Larry

[lhforbes12]

Marie, I find the plants look nice, but only help the algae situation a small amoutn in a low tech, bare bottom tank. The plecos and otos do much more. As to ugly, it's in the eye of the beholder. Sort of like bulldogs. Some think they are very cute, others very ugly. Otos are pretty small, hide most of the time when the lights are on, especially if you have plants for them to hide in.

You don't need driftwood for otos--actually, even my BNs in the bare bottom tanks have been growing quickly and having no problems without driftwood.

The pots have 100% flourite in them, so I don't supplement them.

Really, I have to clean the glass only once every week or two. The Otos and plecos do the rest.

I should have added, I too have otos in my planted tanks with discus and have never had a problem with them. If I'm not mistaken, otos are strictly vegetarian, I think you'll actually find them "cute" Marie. btw my otos are out all the time in my 125 which is heavily planted... maybe it's the species (O. vittatus)

Larry

[Kindredspirit]

I should have added, I too have otos in my planted tanks with discus and have never had a problem with them. If I'm not mistaken, otos are strictly vegetarian, I think you'll actually find them "cute" Marie. btw my otos are out all the time in my 125 which is heavily planted... maybe it's the species (O. vittatus)

Larry

okay... dont know why I quoted that ^^ oops! anyways ~ can you answer me this ....I have like three or four plants ( yes AMBER REAL!) attached to this driftwood that Dan helped me make ~

Question: Itz bb and nothing else in there 55gal...5 discus...I have some alage on sides or corners ...perhaps anywhere....but just now I just cleaned and wiped down all the insides and usually my p.towel is full of alage...

NONE LARRY/Al......is this cuz of the few plants I have in there???


Prolly the dumbest question ~




Marie ~

[Alight]

Could be. So, you have more algae in the tanks without the plants than the one with the live plants? Is that right? If so, then you may know the answer.

Al

[lhforbes12]

Marie,
I agree with AL. What is most likely happening is that the NH3/NH4 from your fish is being used by your plants so there is none left for algae.

Larry

[Kindredspirit]

Could be. So, you have more algae in the tanks without the plants than the one with the live plants? Is that right? If so, then you may know the answer.

Al

Marie,
I agree with AL. What is most likely happening is that the NH3/NH4 from your fish is being used by your plants so there is none left for algae.

Larry

( thank you both very much!)


Marie ~

[tpl*co]

Tina,
That is excellent advice and btw applies to a "high tech" system as well. Almost all aquariums need at least 1.5 wpg in order to grow plants, unless supplimented somehow (usually with direct or indirect sunlight).

Amber,
Let me guess. You do wc's straight from the tap? Your problem is that algae needs far less light and is better able to use fluctuating CO2 levels than "higher" plants. Your tap probably has high CO2 levels. The easiest way I know to solve this, other than aging your water, is to use either a diatom or UV fliter. Either will rid your tank of algae spores. If you are using tap water and doing 50%, or more, wc's daily you will need to run either one continuosly for it to be effective.

hth,
Larry

Ahhh, I wonder if this is the reason that my lower light grow out tank gets more algae since it is filled from the tap, than my even lower light breeding tank that gets RO? I've got almost zilch algae there! Wait let me check make that 0 algae! My higher light, potted plant, out of the tap tank has less algae (mostly above water, ughh).

I once had Ottos pre-discus and I also had a banjo cat (flat looking catfish that looks like wood) the ottos would always harrass the banjo cat. . I did have long finned BN in my planted discus tank too until I followed some internet advise (another site, LOL) to secure riccia with a hair net. Well, woke up the next morning to snare netted bristlenoses! I tried to get those guys to recover, but they eventually didn't make it . I don't know if it was because of the injuries or because I moved them in the grow out tank and they were eating a higher protien diet along with the other fish . Bristlenoses, if acclimated to the higher temps, are good clean-up crews.

Tina

[lhforbes12]

Tina,
I would actually put money on it.

Larry

[crazie.eddie]

Bristlenose do not get all types of algae, especially BBA (black beard algae). Since you are able to wipe down the algae from your tank with a paper towel, then the BN would be able to eat it as well.

The only reasons otos, BN's, or any other type of plecos attach themselves to other fish, is due to diet. They need to feed on other other materials as well, other than just algae alone. Supplement their health with blanched vegatables, especially zuchini, freeze dried peas (skinned), algae wafers, etc. Doing so, will avoid any sucker fish from wanting to attach themselves to other fish.

[poconogal]

Bristlenose do not get all types of algae, especially BBA (black beard algae). Since you are able to wipe down the algae from your tank with a paper towel, then the BN would be able to eat it as well.

The only reasons otos, BN's, or any other type of plecos attach themselves to other fish, is due to diet. They need to feed on other other materials as well, other than just algae alone. Supplement their health with blanched vegatables, especially zuchini, freeze dried peas (skinned), algae wafers, etc. Doing so, will avoid any sucker fish from wanting to attach themselves to other fish.

How about the brown algae (diatoms)? I've read that BNs will eat that before other algaes, but mine seem to be ignoring it. They do get Zucchini and algae wafers, though, and have a small piece of driftwood.

[Kindredspirit]

Bristlenose do not get all types of algae, especially BBA (black beard algae). Since you are able to wipe down the algae from your tank with a paper towel, then the BN would be able to eat it as well.

The only reasons otos, BN's, or any other type of plecos attach themselves to other fish, is due to diet. They need to feed on other other materials as well, other than just algae alone. Supplement their health with blanched vegatables, especially zuchini, freeze dried peas (skinned), algae wafers, etc. Doing so, will avoid any sucker fish from wanting to attach themselves to other fish.

Very informative Eddie! Thanks ~ tell me tho once they attach themselves to other fish can you get them off? I would just die if I saw anything stuck to my discus sucking on his lil body ~ That is simply not going to work for me!

Hell No ~ it is a common thing? Reminds me of a leech ~ I hate leeches! ugh~


Marie ~

Marie ~

[crazie.eddie]

Yes, you can get them off. They will not attach themselves like parasites sucking of body fluids of the fish. They would only do so to eat of the slime coating of the fish. Since it's easier for them to attach themselves to flat bodied fish, like discus or angelfish, they would do so if they were deprived of food. Like people, we would not resort to eating food from the garbage, but if we were starving and had no other source of food, then we would have to in order to survive.

But as long as you feed the plecos well with other suppliments, you will never see them attach themselves to other fish.