# algea infested plants



## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

Apologise in advanced for typos. Typing this on my new phone. 

So my anachris and wistera has been taken over by algea. What type, i do not know. I have also been away from home for a few months. I gave hubby strict instructions to follow. However, the last month i was gone hubby got called to Palm bay for work. I thought the tank would be fine without the water changes for that time. Being that a 5.5 gallon tank was stuffed with 8-10 anachris stems and 3-5 wistera steams. BIL was just given instructions on feeding Spike. 
Aside from some tail biting, Spike is fine. But the tank.....lots of algea. BIL kept forgetting to turn the light off. So to kill this stuff off ive thoroughly cleaned the tank and removed the plants. 

Ive put the plants in a tubberware and stuffed it into a dark corner. How long should i do this? Theres alot of algea. Mostly on my wistera. 

I dont want these plants dying on me. Thanks.


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## Kytkattin (May 15, 2011)

Can you pull any of the algae off? I know I have to do that sometimes with hair algae in my tank. Frequent water changes will probably be your friend if you can hand pluck most of the algae off.

In the future, it might be worth investing in a timer for the lights. They are like $2-5 at a home improvement store, way cheaper than at a petstore. I couldn't survive without mine! Though I don't like trying to remember when the lights need to go on and off.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

seachem flourish excel has a reputation of getting rid of algae as one of it's "side effects"

you should however look into the reason behind your algae growth.
consider factors such as, photo period, color temperature of light bulb, how many plants are in the tank, is it cycled, etcetc.
algae is usually the result of light and nutrients (ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, phosphates etc...)
so you should look into what the cause may be

The algae is also saying. you really need water changes. there is apparently a build up of nutrients...


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## paloverde (Nov 9, 2012)

All of the above posters gave great advice, seachem excel will work it's magic on the wisteria, but will destroy the anachris/elodea.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

paloverde said:


> All of the above posters gave great advice, seachem excel will work it's magic on the wisteria, but will destroy the anachris/elodea.


it shouldn't do too much damage if the dosage is upped slowly :<


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## paloverde (Nov 9, 2012)

I dosed it at 1/8 of the recommend dose to start and by the time I was at 1/4, the elodea was goo. I could just have bad juju with the stuff. Have you used it with elodea? And I have read that a few other plants ( brain cramps, can't remember names),have the same melting issue.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

oh dear :'(
I've used excel before... i severely underdosed bexause i read about its possible negative effect on shrimps... nothin happened XD


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

aokashi, If you read what i posted you would of seen due to me and hubby not being home for a month the tank went without its regular water changes and BIL kept forgetting to turn off thr light. 

Kytkattin, i do not know why i didnt think of removing the algea from my plants. I shall do that ASAP. And since the home improvement stores have the timer plugs at a cheaper price ill pick up one there ASAP. Thanks!


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

i read it  I was just confirming that you need a water change after all XD
pulling algae off anacharis can also be a giant pain. best to remove the affected stems, unless it's on everything  best to ID the algae and go from there.

On another note, if you have a petco nearby, you can always get an amano shrimp, a hungry amano wi take are of algae in no time


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

Yes i did the nessacry water changes. The tank is clean right now.


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## starrlamia (May 3, 2012)

i would limit your photoperiod for a while.
You can use excel and just put it on the algae, use a turkey baster or dropper of some sort.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

FishyFishy89 said:


> Yes i did the necessary water changes. The tank is clean right now.


You seem annoyed  sorry if I came across as insulting >.> I really didn't mean it that way. I see the algae as a good thing, that keeps the tank parameters in balance by eating the excess nutrients and keeping the water clean =D So I wasn't saying you had a dirty tank or anything :<
good luck with the algae!


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

aokashi said:


> You seem annoyed  sorry if I came across as insulting >.> I really didn't mean it that way. I see the algae as a good thing, that keeps the tank parameters in balance by eating the excess nutrients and keeping the water clean =D So I wasn't saying you had a dirty tank or anything :<
> good luck with the algae!


Oh no! I wasn't annoyed with you. Your 1st comment just made me think you didn't read my OPing. So then your second comment sounded like you were telling me I need to make water changes, to which I did make so I answered with that. Sorry if I came off a bit annoyed. I was fixing to get ready to go out with my best friend so I may of just made my comments a tad short.

@starrlamia, so you think I need to remove or severally limit my tank's lighting? For how long should this lighting be limited? My lighting period is usually about 5-6 hours. How much should I reduce it?


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

Y'all think a coupla Nerite snails would have some fun with this algae?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

amano shrimps are usually the better bet  you can always return it after it's done


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

aokashi said:


> amano shrimps are usually the better bet  you can always return it after it's done


I imagine shrimp can't be too expensive. You think PetsMart will carry em?

From my hand picking last night I think what I've mostly got here is hair algae.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

amanos are around 2.50ea but usually only at Petco. maybe you can see if the lFS has it.
speaking of the price of shrimp.... you dont want to know  some crazy expensive dwarf shrimps out there


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

aokashi said:


> amanos are around 2.50ea but usually only at Petco. maybe you can see if the lFS has it.
> speaking of the price of shrimp.... you dont want to know  some crazy expensive dwarf shrimps out there


Yeah I know some can get expensive. I LOVE bamboo shrimp. But I assumed you wouldn't recommend a decently large shrimps for a 5.5 gallon tank.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

FishyFishy89 said:


> Yeah I know some can get expensive. I LOVE bamboo shrimp. But I assumed you wouldn't recommend a decently large shrimps for a 5.5 gallon tank.


I wouldn't recommend it  plus it might starve and do nothing for your algae.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

I was reading up on these shrimps. It says theyll eat soft plants too. Do you think my plants are at risk?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

The amanos? I have no idea what softplants mean... dead and rottin plants they will eat....
Mine has never touched my plants. including the softer ones like cabomba etc...


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

Okay
I dint think their amanos. They dont make the pictures i found on google. Their called Japanese algea shrimp. Would they do the same work?


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Amano shrimps are the same as algae eating shrimp  A japanese discovered its species and it's there fore named after him.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

Ah, well I got a coupla of them. Turns out my Petco has stopped selling them(i didn't ask why) and the guy gave me them for free. WOOT!
These guys(or gals or both) remind me of pinball machines. I should name them something that is pinball related xD
Here they are, sorry their hard to photograph. A bit see through LOL


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Lucky! :O
And yes, those look like amanos


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

I feel lucky, it was very funny to watch the guy net em. I can tell he doesn't have a whole lotta fish catching experience xD

I set up a nice hidy corner for them. They should love it.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I love amanos, they're at a size where the betta wont see them as a snack XD

you might need to do a large water change during your next water change if the tank is cycled. there will be some extra bioload. some, but not much.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

I know! Their as big as Spike's body! Give em a betta tail and they'll be as big as Spike.


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## FishyFishy89 (Jul 3, 2011)

I just netted them/released them into the tank, the calmest shrimps I've ever netted. They just sat ontop of the net/patiently waited to get released. LOL

I deff got lucky with these ones.


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