# Algae Everywhere!!!



## AmazingBettas (Feb 28, 2017)

Ahh!
Lately the algae in my tank is getting crazy!
Or maybe that's just me becuase I have never had algae before so it seems like a lot...
Will it hurt my fish?
Will it mess with my water parimeters?
Shoulld I do more water changes? (Currently I change 25% once a a week and it's a 2.5 gallon tank.)
I do vacuum the gravel if you need to know that too.
The algae is all over the sides which makes it smudgy and hard to see, it's black all over her betta cave (is black bad? Should I be worried?), it's speading around the gravel, the filter cartridge is green...
Advice plz! Should I get a snail? Any other animals that would help with this? Or is this no big deal?


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

The brown one is diatom. It happens in new tanks. It's no biggie... You can easily scrub off with a toothbrush.


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## Rainbo (Nov 23, 2015)

How long are your lights on? 

Do you use any fertilizer in your tank?

Lights and to much fertilizer are usually the culprits in an algae outbreak. The easiest thing you can do to control the algae, besides cleaning your decorations by hand, is to cut back on how long you have the lights on. Try leaving the lights on for no more then 8 hours a day, and if possible break up how long you leave the lights on. I'm battling algae in my tank, the stuff seems to have appeared overnight, I cleaned off as much as I could, and I leave the lights on from 10am to 2pm, turn them off till around 6 pm, then turn them back off at 10pm. So far the algae seems to be dying off.


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## Falcon (Jan 9, 2008)

Do you have any lights on? Is the tank near a window?


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## AmazingBettas (Feb 28, 2017)

I don't use an fertilizer.
I turn the lights on at 8:00a.m. when I feed her and turn them off at 8:00p.m. when I feed her again.
The lights are on the same cord as the filter so I can't use a timer unless I have the filter turn on/off too...
It's a national geographic half-moon 2.5 gallon tank.


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## Falcon (Jan 9, 2008)

new tanks are more prone to algae growth. It's not really that big of a deal just unsightly. Because you keep the lights on for 12 hours a day, the algae will continue to grow. If the lights are on for around 8 hours or less and the tank is not near a window, algae is less lightly to grow.


You could always try a mystery snail. I keep the lights on my tank for 12 hours due to the plants I have in there. The mystery snail keeps the algae from becoming a problem. Or you could let it grow. It'll help with the nitrate levels in the tank.


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## AmazingBettas (Feb 28, 2017)

Ok I may try that. He won't get caught in the filter or anything? Aren't they super tiny?


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

Didn't you say you had an under gravel filter in other thread? But this tank has it's own filter with the light. Which one do you really have??


I would recommend more water change. I have the exactly same tank. Even though I did weekly 50% water change, it got a crazy Nitrite spike. I only use it as a hospital tank without the filter and the light now. 


Snails eat some kind of algae, but they poop as much as they eat. It will pop out against your blue gravel.


The cartridge comes with the filter is bad... I would replace the filter cartridge with a sponge/foam of the NetGeo filter. You can buy a product like this and cut to fit in the filter. I don't know if it's product is a good size for the filter. There are different sizes. 
Aqua Clear Foam Filter Insert | fish Filter Media | PetSmart


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## AmazingBettas (Feb 28, 2017)

I have an under gravel HEATER

Ok. I only have an ammonia test kit currently so I'm kinda just guessing with water changes to be honest. XD

I'll look into different cartridges though I haven't heard anything bad about the ones that this tank has...


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

Oh, you had an under gravel heater! Sorry about my misunderstanding.
The ammonia was 0 when I had the Nitrite spike. The cartridge comes with the kit is not good for sure. Just get a foam. It will last almost forever.


By the way, a Mystery snail grow a size of a golf ball. In case Petsmart mix Mystery and Apple snails (they look same to me), an Apple snail will grow a size of an apple.


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## AmazingBettas (Feb 28, 2017)

No worries! Didn't mean to sound rude about the cartridge or heater/filter mixup so sorry if I did 

GOLF BALL?!
APPLE?!

Uh won't that be WAY too big for my tank and, like, eat my fish?! I thought they were like the size of your pinky nail....


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

Oh no, you didn't sound rude. I don't understand why I was confused...


Can you imagine a golf ball sized snail in the 2.5 gallon? I can't... Algae won't be enough for a Mystery snail. You'll need to feed veggies and also supply calcium. Snails won't bother fish unless it's dead.


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## AmazingBettas (Feb 28, 2017)

So I probably shouldn't get a snail then...


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

The more creatures, the easier water parameters get messed. 


In many cases, diatoms (brown algae) will go away when the tank is cycled and matured. More/bigger water change can help to reduce algae.


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## AmazingBettas (Feb 28, 2017)

Should I do one 50% water change every week then? Or 2 25%? or what?


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

You can do 25% water change twice a week. Try to reduce photoperiod when you are at home. You can leave the light on for 12 hours, but you can reduce for 7 - 8 hours a day when you are home. I usually leave the lights on for 6 - 7 hours a day.


Get a new toothbrush to scrub off the algae. These algae are easy to remove


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## AmazingBettas (Feb 28, 2017)

Ok great, thx! 
Srsly though, you've been a big help!


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## ryry2012 (Mar 31, 2015)

You're welcome 


All your effort will pay off and make your girl a very happy fish!


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## Veloran (Jun 28, 2014)

These may help:

Digital Timer and Splitter cord


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