Fish Thread

[Tookie]

You could try to do a black out on your tank for 2 or more days. Turn all the lights on it off and tape thick black paper on all the sides of the tank so no light can get through. I’ve never personally done it as I haven’t had bad algae outbreaks, but I’ve heard it’s a really easy way to get rid of algae.

I’ve never heard of doing that! Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll have to try it.

 

[fluffycrow]

I had the Celestial Pearl danios. They were very pretty but I eventually lost them all, and I'm not sure why.

It seems like a lot of people are having problems with them. Kept reading all sorts of reasons people lost them or gave them away. I went with the chilli rasbora. It's been 12 hours since I chose them, and I'm still very pleased with my decision

 

[fluffycrow]

Blackout works very well. But it is merely a band-aid. To address your root cause, you need to find the reason the algae grows. It may be excess nutrients in the water column, or too much lighting. Play with your lighting a little, and see what works. I'd also recommend floating plants. These things are amazing at sucking up nutrients that are floating around

 

[Tookie]

Blackout works very well. But it is merely a band-aid. To address your root cause, you need to find the reason the algae grows. It may be excess nutrients in the water column, or too much lighting. Play with your lighting a little, and see what works. I'd also recommend floating plants. These things are amazing at sucking up nutrients that are floating around

Okay, thanks!
What type of floating plants do you like?

 

[fluffycrow]

Okay, thanks!
What type of floating plants do you like?

Anything, really. The only thing I'd say is, if you want to eventually get them out of your aquarium, don't get duckweed

 

[Tookie]

Anything, really. The only thing I'd say is, if you want to eventually get them out of your aquarium, don't get duckweed

Ok! Thanks.
Oh yeah, duckweed goes crazy.
What’s your reason for using floating plants instead of ones in the substrate?

 

[fluffycrow]

Ok! Thanks.
Oh yeah, duckweed goes crazy.
What’s your reason for using floating plants instead of ones in the substrate?

Floating plants get the best of both worlds. They're crazy close to the light, direct access to oxygen. Their roots suck up everything there is to "eat" in the water column. Stem plants are limited to their substrate

 

[fuzzi]

Floating plants get the best of both worlds. They're crazy close to the light, direct access to oxygen. Their roots suck up everything there is to "eat" in the water column. Stem plants are limited to their substrate

Floating plants will shade the aquarium, reduce light for algae.

Algae grows where there is water, light, and nutrients. I have had terrible algae issues but have it controlled with these steps:

1. I have live plants, as they compete with algae for nutrients
2. Nerite snails love algae, I keep stocked up
3. I don't reduce the length of light, but give my aquarium a two hour "nap" (6 hours on, 2 hours off, 6 hours on). The theory is that plants do fine even if they get their light in blocks, but algae doesn't do well if you interrupt that 12 hour day.

It works for me.

FYI: that growth looks like fungus. Shrimp love it.

 

[fuzzi]

It seems like a lot of people are having problems with them. Kept reading all sorts of reasons people lost them or gave them away. I went with the chilli rasbora. It's been 12 hours since I chose them, and I'm still very pleased with my decision

Pictures!?

My Ember tetras arrived, appear to be fine.

They're so tiny!

 

[fluffycrow]

Floating plants will shade the aquarium, reduce light for algae.

Algae grows where there is water, light, and nutrients. I have had terrible algae issues but have it controlled with these steps:

1. I have live plants, as they compete with algae for nutrients
2. Nerite snails love algae, I keep stocked up
3. I don't reduce the length of light, but give my aquarium a two hour "nap" (6 hours on, 2 hours off, 6 hours on). The theory is that plants do fine even if they get their light in blocks, but algae doesn't do well if you interrupt that 12 hour day.

It works for me.

FYI: that growth looks like fungus. Shrimp love it.

Yup. Although floating plants will take light from any photosynthetic organism. Right now I'm having a little bit of a hair algae problem. Nothing serious. And I agree, get some shrimp as well. That will cover all your bases