Hard green algae problems

thetexasranger · 10-21-2009, 07:33 PM

Hi,
I tried to start a planted aquarium 5 months ago. I used 60 lbs of Eco-complete and I have a 2x65 watt compact fluorescent light for my 55 g tank (48' wide).

I added probably 10 plants to start and wanted to add more but I had no idea my clown loaches and busynose plecos would utterly destroy all but 3 plants.

Now I'm left with a substrate I HATE (impossible to clean well without sucking up tons of the substrate) and hard green algae (diatoms?) on the glass but also smothering my anubias plants. My plecos and SAEs are great at cleaning the hairy algae (almost never see that) but even they can't clean this stuff off.

I don't really dose or anything because I worry that that will only worsen the problem and I only leave my lights on for 8 hours tops mostly for the fish.

I'm wondering what I can do to get the hard algae off the plants and what I can do as far as the substrate. Should I get rid of it and get something more suited towards a non-planted tank? And are my lights way too strong for such a lightly planted tank? Thanks for any help.

thetexasranger · 10-21-2009, 08:44 PM

Or I guess I also should ask are there any tough to eat plants that grow quickly?

Newman · 10-21-2009, 08:47 PM

Not that i am aware of, but i doubt your plecos will like to eat hornwort. just throw a bunch of it at the top of the tank, where they wont shade your other plants. Horwort should be able to choke out the algae, depending on what type. It might work with yours

10-21-2009, 07:33 PM	#1
thetexasranger Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 16	Hard green algae problems Hi, I tried to start a planted aquarium 5 months ago. I used 60 lbs of Eco-complete and I have a 2x65 watt compact fluorescent light for my 55 g tank (48' wide). I added probably 10 plants to start and wanted to add more but I had no idea my clown loaches and busynose plecos would utterly destroy all but 3 plants. Now I'm left with a substrate I HATE (impossible to clean well without sucking up tons of the substrate) and hard green algae (diatoms?) on the glass but also smothering my anubias plants. My plecos and SAEs are great at cleaning the hairy algae (almost never see that) but even they can't clean this stuff off. I don't really dose or anything because I worry that that will only worsen the problem and I only leave my lights on for 8 hours tops mostly for the fish. I'm wondering what I can do to get the hard algae off the plants and what I can do as far as the substrate. Should I get rid of it and get something more suited towards a non-planted tank? And are my lights way too strong for such a lightly planted tank? Thanks for any help. __________________ 55 G 1 BGK 2 Busynose plec 2 Kribs 2 Clown Loaches 1 Ram 2 Marble Angels 1 Peacock Eel 4 SAEs

10-21-2009, 08:44 PM	#2
thetexasranger Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 16	Or I guess I also should ask are there any tough to eat plants that grow quickly? __________________ 55 G 1 BGK 2 Busynose plec 2 Kribs 2 Clown Loaches 1 Ram 2 Marble Angels 1 Peacock Eel 4 SAEs

10-21-2009, 08:47 PM	#3
Newman Super Fish Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 2,787	Not that i am aware of, but i doubt your plecos will like to eat hornwort. just throw a bunch of it at the top of the tank, where they wont shade your other plants. Horwort should be able to choke out the algae, depending on what type. It might work with yours __________________ Credit goes to Lludu