Algae!!

[angel]

Is anyone an expert on algae, what causes which kinds and how to eliminate them(besides plecos)?
I have a couple of tanks that get green algae in a nanosecond and a few that get brown algae.

[sirknight]

Green algae is caused by a build up of nutrients mainly phosphates as a food source and light. This type of algae is eaten by some cichlids and as you said most plecos.

How to control it is not that hard. You will need to lower / eliminate the food source in the tank. If your water supply has phosphates you will need to run your water through a filter ( PhosBan) that removes it. Also by using the right spectrum of light (light that is not totally on the red side) and by shorting the duration that the light is on. If the tank is getting direct sun that will also help in growing algae. also if the above is corrected more water changes. Lastly you may be over feeding your fish which again causes a build up of nutrients

It can be that the algae is brown in some tanks because it is not getting enough light to make it green. By using the above if that is the case you can get rid of it from your tanks. I personally like a little growing on my rocks so my fish have a small food supply as a supplement.

There is brown algae which could be diatoms. When a tank has cycled and has been running for about a year or so it normally goes away on it own.

Hope this helps

Joe

[angel]

Thanks Joe. None of my tanks have been running a year yet so maybe that could be it. I keep lights on longer than I should so that could be the green, too. And feeding--who knows if they're eating everything? They beg no matter what! My lights are all different kinds too. What tests for phosphates?
Tina

[sirknight]

Hanna Phosphate Photometers, Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Phosphate Test Kit, Hagen Phosphate Test Kit,
Seachem Phosphate Test Kits.

Hanna is the best IMO however they are the most expensive (around $200.00). then Aquarium Pharmaceuticals (around $8.00), then Hagen is OK (around $17.00) and then Seachem (around$13.00).

you get get these test kits from Doctors Foster & Smith

[angel]

I'll look through the things we got in the bulk buyout we did a while back. If there's one of those in there I'll try it, and if not I'll go with the second best. I'm not paying $200.00 for a test! But at that price one would expect it to be good.