HOW DO I GET RID OF ALGAE?

i got a algae break out on 2 of my tanks and i dont know how to get rid of the algae should i get plecos otos for my 5.5gl use chemicals(dont like using em) or just try n scrub it down

oh its brown algae by the way its on the gravel and on the glass also how do i prevent it from happening to my 55gl

keep your lights down for less amount of time a day... make sure no sunlight gets to the tank.... thats about it for tryin to not make an alge bloom happen... for the one with the existing problem.... you just gotta try to kill it by not giving it light.... and vacume and scrape it... GL

Yeah, I use a mag float on the front of glass. I like the way t looks on the back, kinda like a natural background. But that's not for everyone. Ottos will get rid of brown algea, but they will starve as soon as all the brown algea is gone, if you don't feed them. There is only 2 plecos I would suggest for that small of a tank, I don't know there scientific names but 1 I called a rubber lipped (I like these) and the bull dog pleco (I have no exp with them). But either way you are going to have to feed any algea eaters you get for a tank that small. Because when they eat all the algea (it won't take long) they will starve. If shrimp are a possiblity I would go with amano shrimp, they are great for algea control and they don't eat nearly as much so starving them will be a bit more difficult. Kevin at apfp has all of these in stock most of the time.

But remeber these are just algea "control" and not algea prevention. Algea grows if givin the chance. What kind of tank is it? Planted? Is it new? If its going through its first cycle, it probably has diatomes as part of the cycling process. There is loads and loads of info on algea control, prevention and everything else going along with algea. My thoughts, its part of keeping aquariums. So I just make it part of my maintnance. Good luck and hit the books and read as much as you can if your really stuck on preventing or controling. But after 16 years of keeping aquariums I have come to the conclusion that algea happens.. its like cleaning a litter box if you have cats, or picking up poo when you walk your dog.

First step in solving your problem is to positive indentify what kind of algae do you have. Acording to your description it is probably brown algae or diatoms. Second step is Prevention. Find on line as much information as you can about this type of algae.,what are the causes, and try to correct the conditions in your aquarium: -diatoms are caracteristic for new tanks(or tanks which were uncycled) and appears at the end of nitrogen cycle. They usually dissapear as the tank matures -low light. you may need to increase the photoperiod -excess of silicates in the water-use silicates removers -excess nutrients or organic carbon -good maintenance and regular water changes Third step: how to remove them -they are very easy to remove by scrubbing them and then do a water change and vacuum them -add criters known to eat these algae:otos, ramhorn snail, olive nerites snails. Very important: make sure you did your homewrk before jumping in following any advise(including mine). Good luck! If these are diatoms is very easy to fight against.

Pretty sure there are a couple snails that will eat the heck out of brown alge too... I forget which ones... wheres all the snail experts?!?!?! SPyral knows.

flo77 wrote:First step in solving your problem is to positive indentify what kind of algae do you have. Acording to your description it is probably brown algae or diatoms. Second step is Prevention. Find on line as much information as you can about this type of algae.,what are the causes, and try to correct the conditions in your aquarium: -diatoms are caracteristic for new tanks(or tanks which were uncycled) and appears at the end of nitrogen cycle. They usually dissapear as the tank matures -low light. you may need to increase the photoperiod -excess of silicates in the water-use silicates removers -excess nutrients or organic carbon -good maintenance and regular water changes Third step: how to remove them -they are very easy to remove by scrubbing them and then do a water change and vacuum them -add criters known to eat these algae:otos, ramhorn snail, olive nerites snails. Very important: make sure you did your homewrk before jumping in following any advise(including mine). Good luck! If these are diatoms is very easy to fight against.

Well said Flo, that is exactly where I was going.

lol, flo, you submitted that just before me.... hehe.

Hi flipdog123456789,

Otocinclus. I typically have at least 1 per 10 gallons of aquarium volume in my aquariums and brown algae (diatoms) are not an issue.

Try adding some amazon frogbit (floating plant) to your tank. It can help out-compete algae for nutrients pretty well; they're a fantastic, natural filter for your water. You just remove some of it when it covers too much of the tank surface. Of course, if your residents eat it, well, that won't work so well. And the more light you have the better it works.

Nerite snails?