# Algee problems



## Leprechaun97 (Mar 11, 2006)

I have a 55 gallon planted tank. I have 80 watts with a verlux natural sunshine tubes. I have a lot of algee that is on the back of the tank that I can't get to to scrub off because the tank is up against a wall. I have amazon swords, some other long tall grass like plant and some lily plants along with 3 red-bellied piranhas. I was wondering if there is any safe chemical I could use to get rid of the algee that won't hurt my plants or my fish.


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

a safe chemical?







noop

but you can normally get rid of it by tackling the root cause

what are your water parameters? nitrate, phosphate level?
how much water changes do you do?
how long do you have the lights on?
what kind of algae do you have? green? brown?

... and welcome to pfury


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## Leprechaun97 (Mar 11, 2006)

The lights are on for about 12 hours I have them on a timer. I do water changes once a week. I use seachem flourish and the potastim(sp). I'm not sure about the nitrate, phosphate level and it is dark green, kinda bushy on the back wall.


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

you should test for at least nitrates and preferably also phosphates. Algae problems in piranha tanks are usually caused by too high levels of these 'nutritients' in the water. 
How much water do you change?


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## Leprechaun97 (Mar 11, 2006)

I change about 25 percent of the water. I really don't feed them that much because they never eat it. The food has to stay in there a couple hours if not a day or two before they will eat it.


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

Leprechaun97 said:


> I change about 25 percent of the water. I really don't feed them that much because they never eat it. The food has to stay in there a couple hours if not a day or two before they will eat it.


I suggest to test your water asap
if you leave food in there for hours or even one day it will really mess up your water, which can cause algae problems, but more important: can harm your fish
never leave the food longer than 15-30 minutes

what size are your fish? how much and often do you feed?


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## Leprechaun97 (Mar 11, 2006)

I usually feed them right before the lights go off. They seem to go after it then. They are about maybe 5in. and I feed them about 6 pieces of smelt.


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

feeding once a day at that size is fine

i would feed a bit less (quantity) if they don't eat it all

also try to give more variation


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

Leprechaun97 said:


> I have a 55 gallon planted tank. I have 80 watts with a verlux natural sunshine tubes. I have a lot of algee that is on the back of the tank that I can't get to to scrub off because the tank is up against a wall. I have amazon swords, some other long tall grass like plant and some lily plants along with 3 red-bellied piranhas. I was wondering if there is any safe chemical I could use to get rid of the algee that won't hurt my plants or my fish.


A picture would help to see what alga you have, but of course you can rub it off, because there are good rubbing pads with a shaft available in the lfs. You probably meant that a magnetic cleaner cannot be run there.

That lamp of yours is not familiar to me, but a natural sunshine color temperature is not the best one for higher plants (like swords), instead it is ideal for quite many algae.

Regards,


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## Leprechaun97 (Mar 11, 2006)

I won't be able to get the algee on the back wall because the tank is right agisant the wall. If it wasn't I wouldn't have the problem. I think the lights are pretty good because they got some plant blub to grow that the other lights couldn't.

What about adding some kind of fish that eats algee but at night? If there is any like that? I had a pleco in there but they ate it.


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## boontje (Mar 27, 2005)

did you already test the water? good water quality = less chance for algae


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## bmpower007 (Feb 11, 2005)

Try chinese algee eaters I had the same problem and they did a hell of a job.


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## Leprechaun97 (Mar 11, 2006)

Chinese algee eaters will work with the piranhas?


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## Ex0dus (Jun 29, 2005)

Leprechaun97 said:


> Chinese algee eaters will work with the piranhas?


short term, maybe

long term, no


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## Leprechaun97 (Mar 11, 2006)

I was thinking about getting another pleco and see what it can do until they eat it.


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

Leprechaun97 said:


> I won't be able to get the algee on the back wall because the tank is right agisant the wall. If it wasn't I wouldn't have the problem.


Sorry i do not get this. Why do you want to be able to get between the the back glass and the wall?
Your algae is still on the inside of the back glass?

Regards,


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## Leprechaun97 (Mar 11, 2006)

The whole tank is up against a wall. I can't get in between the tank and the wall of the room. I'm a little too fat. LOL. I have some pics so how would I post one?


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## BigChuckP (Feb 9, 2004)

You can get a long shaft algae scrubber, they are about a foot to a foot and a half and they have a algae scrubber pad on one side and a handle on the other and you can scrub the inside of the tank with that, you don't have to get behind the tank. 
To post pics click add reply and scroll down till you see add attatchments, you browse for the picture and click add attatchment.
Add hiding spots for your algae eaters and they will survive longer, I've had a pleco and a raphael catfish for 1 year now...


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## Leprechaun97 (Mar 11, 2006)

See if this works.

It worked. You can see the algae on the back wall of the tank.


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

OK man, you do not have get in between the tank and the wall. Just stay in front of the tank, open the cover lid and then clean from above the tank the algae in the back glass. Just use an algae scrubber, which has a long shaft, just like I and BigChuckP told you.

Regards,


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