New girl with a big algae problem

[DawnMarie81]

Hello everyone.  I just started a freshwater tank not even 2 weeks ago.  I was away for the weekend and came home to find that my tank was now covered with green, brown and black algae.  The walls and rocks of my tank were green, with some of my live plants having black and some brown algae on them. 

I have a 75g tank, with a mix of community fish in it, which includes some different gouramis, 2 bala sharks, and a small school of tetras.  My filter system is good for up to 120g, so I can't see the algae forming from lack of a good filter system. 

How do I get rid of the algae on my plants, and how do i prevent this giant algae bloom from happening again, especially so fast.  I know a lot of people who never have much algae at all, let alone a entire tank full in just a couple days I was gone for the weekend.

[sdivell]

Welcome to the site.

In order for us to get some ideas of what the cause might be we will need a little more information about the tank.

What are your water conditions?
Nitrate?
Nirtrite?
Ammonia?

are you adding any fertilizers?
How long are your lights on for each day?

[DawnMarie81]

I am not sure what the levels of Nitrate, Nirtrite and Ammonia are.  When we were getting the stuff for our tank, the fish guy said that we didnt really need to test the water because of the types of fish we have.  As for the fertilizer, yes we added some of that because our plants were dying about 3 days after putting them in tne tank.  We were also told to add iron to the tank, alternating weeks between adding fert. and the iron. 

[DawnMarie81]

oh, and the lights are on anywhere from 6-10 hours a day usually

[sdivell]

ok a few things to start. *deep breath*

A brand new tank deffinetly needs testing kits for the big 3 - Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate.  For now what you can do is take a cup full of your tank water into a local store like Big Al's in Kanata or in Innes road and have them test your water.  Also, try and do some reading on this site and maybe a google search on 'cycling a fish tank'

Secondly, buy a timer for your lights and have them on during the day from 8-10 hours a day depending on how much sun light the tank gets.

I would also stop fertilizing for now as your tank is obviously out of balance of nutrients and this is why you have so much algae as algae thrives in unbalanced system.

This brings me to another question.  Does this tank get direct sunlight from a window?

What kind of lighting is over this tank? (how many watts, what kind of bulbs?)

[DawnMarie81]

Our tank only gets a bit of somewhat direct sunlight in the afternoon for 1-2 hours at the very most.  Right now we have 4 bulbs on our lights, they are all 32w and are for live plants and fish.  I was told that live plants need to have 2-3 watts per gallon of water you have in the tank.  So even with the 4 bulbs, that is still only 128 watts for the whole tank and only 1.7 watts per gallon...so we thought we were still under what we needed for out tank.

[sdivell]

1.7 watts would be concidered a low light tank.

Do some research on Low Light plants or even post a message in our plants section and I'm sure some of our Plant gurus will help you pick types of plants that will thrive in your tank without fertilizers.

Your agae issue is more than likely caused by the addition of fertilizers.  I suggest stopping those and start doing some manually scrapping and cleaning of the aglae followed by large water changes (25%-30%) every couple of days until the aglae subsides.

dont forget to treat your new water.

Welcome to the hobby.  Isn't trial and error fun?

[KLKelly]

When we were getting the stuff for our tank, the fish guy said that we didnt really need to test the water because of the types of fish we have.

Welcome to OVAS.  You will get great advice from all the members here.

Firstly - As a new fish keeper I wouldn't listen to fish store people for advice (I call them fish store ninnies - some exceptions exist of course). Post your questions here. Or if you do ask them questions, confirm if its good advice here.  You will learn who you can put faith in as you get more experience.

Your tank is going through a cycle and this process is very hard on fish and can easily kill them or make them very sick.  Someone might be able to share cycled filter media that you put in your filter that can almost instantly cycle a tank.  The group here is very generous and this has always impressed me since I joined a few years back.  Here is an article that I recommend that explains what happens during cycling: http://thegab.org/Articles/WaterQualityCycling.html

The drop test kits are much less expensive over the long run than test strips by the way and more accurate.

Best of luck.

[Laura]

Welcome and you've got some great advice.
This is my favourite description of cycling by luvfishies who used to spend time on this forum. Here's a link to her description (3rd post down) http://www.fishinthe.net/html/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10343&start=15&sid=6e8544ef08a47c6da7a7a9d6606ebfc9

I would stop fertilizing and if your plants don't make it, then you probably need lower light plants.  There are always lots at auction.

Also, ask for someone's grungy filter material - it will supplement your filter, and keep up the waterchanges - it will deplete the ammonia and nitrites making your fish happier.

[KLKelly]

Laura thats a really good intro to cycling for new people.  Thanks fr posting it.

[DawnMarie81]

Ok, so i bought a water testing kit from the pet store and tested the water.  WOW!  I am not yet sure what all of this stuff means, but I'm learning and figure that some of the levels of my water are not very good.

Ammonia - 0 to 0.6
Nitrite - almost 3.3  (Yikes)

This nextstuff I dont really understand yet:

PH Low Range - 7.6
PH High Range - 8.0
KH Level - I had to add 7 drops which equals 70 ( I think for water hardness???)
GH Level - I addad 6 drops which is 120


I know my Nitrite level is WAY too high, how do I fix it, and could this be part of the problem for my algae?  Also, my kit never came with a Nitrate testing kit, do I need that as well, or is that the same as one of the other ones I listed that I know nothing about yet?

[Laura]

The cycle is the first thing you need to worry about.  Don't stress over algae this early in the game.  Do a water change to make the water better for the fish.  Do NOT change the filter medium (sponges or whatnot) and do not clean them in water that has chlorine in it.

Your tank is cycling.  Check out mine an KLKellly's links for more info.  Mine is very basic, while KLKelly's is more detailed.

You can either let your cycle run its course while doing lots of water changes so as to kepp your fish from being poisoned.  If you go this route, don't feed your fish too much.

The much better and easier route is to post on the classifieds looking for some grungy filter material or sponge.  It will basically cycle your tank for you as introduces a large amount of the required bacteria to your filter.

[dan2x38]

If you want to get the cycle going to I can give you a sponge from a running filter. You just need to replace the one I give you. What type of filter do you have? Using used media from another filter is liek super charging the cycle so it finishes much faster. Let me know I keep extra sponges in mt filters for just this purpose to help other starting up and for me too...

[KLKelly]

Dan is one of the generous ones.  He's saved a lot of fish from having to go through a rough time cycling.

All you do is put his filter media in the filter with yours (depending on what type of filter you have).  All Dan is asking for is a replacement filter sponge that you could pick up from any fish store.

Good job getting the test kits.  Nitrite is toxic and does poison fish.  Your ph is 8.0 and is well buffered (not likely to crash).

[dan2x38]

Just to add when the pH is high ammoina becomes even ore toxic. To aleviate this lower temp. there is more oxygen in cooler water, create more surface movement keep the water a little lower from the top the return from the filter splashes more water, add a airstone or bubble bar, and use Prime a water conditioner that detoxifies ammonia & nitrite. Also reduce feedings to once a day or even once every 2 days. Reduce lighting... if you want to grow plants get a timer too...

[DawnMarie81]

That is very generous of you Dan, and I think it is great that you are so willing to help people out like that...but i live very far away, and don't think getting a filter here would be too easy. 

My Nitrite level has now leveled off and is almost nothing.  I added some stuff to the water I found at the store that is suppose to lower it and stabalize the water better.  It seemed to work.  For now.  Though now we did have a "little" problem with the 2 supports on the top of our tank deciding to break free from the silicone that had glued them in place, and the 2 supports and one ofthe lights all went crashing into the tank.  Lickily no fish were electricuted or got hurt.  Maybe a bit stressed though.  I came home to 2 new additions to our tank, 2 little algae eaters.  They are doing a great job on the plants and cleaning them up. 

[dan2x38]

What is the ammonia? Nitrite will stay at zero until ammonia is zero. That stuff in the store is mostly useless - seriously. What was it called? I'd suggest not adding any fish you are looking for a tank crash. What algae eaters? Some grow to kill other fish... i.e. Chinese Algae eater (CAE) they like the slim coat of other fish so the clamp on and remove chunks from the fish... well to can imagine that is not good.

Silcone will not work to hold things in place. The plastic is most likely Polypropylene this tuff does not hold with most glue it will fall apart if glued. if a light or other electric item falls in the water the fish are most often safe but don't you reach in and grab it unplug it first.

[DawnMarie81]

What is the ammonia? Nitrite will stay at zero until ammonia is zero. That stuff in the store is mostly useless - seriously. What was it called? I'd suggest not adding any fish you are looking for a tank crash. What algae eaters? Some grow to kill other fish... i.e. Chinese Algae eater (CAE) they like the slim coat of other fish so the clamp on and remove chunks from the fish... well to can imagine that is not good.

Silcone will not work to hold things in place. The plastic is most likely Polypropylene this tuff does not hold with most glue it will fall apart if glued. if a light or other electric item falls in the water the fish are most often safe but don't you reach in and grab it unplug it first.

The stuff I got from the store is called Easy Balance from the comapny Tetra Aqua.  When I added it, my ammonia was already at 0, and the Nitrite level was 3.3.  Now after adding it, ammonia is still at 0 and the Nitrite was almost 0, which was a huge improvement.  Plus our water is crystal clear now as well.  I am not sure the name of the algae eaters.  I was not there when they were picked out or brought home.  Though I was told that the fish people were told what we had in our tank and that they were some type of algae eater that worked mainly on plants without eating them, and would not harm the fish...so hopefully they got that part right at least.  What is a tank crash?  We are not looking to add the rest of the fish right away, it won't be for a while. 

The stuff I used to put the top pieces back on was not exactly normal silicone, it was stuff meant to be used on fish tanks that would not hurt the fish, used for when the tank gets a crack or used to put tanks together.  Hahaha, ya i did think to unplug the light before i took it out...i've had a electrical experience or two before, so I am usually pretty cautios about those types of things now   lol   

[dan2x38]

I hate to disappoint you but not a lot of staff in stores that sell fish know exactly what they are talking about... believe me. Now I am not saying that is true for all... As for adding stuff to the water it is like you taking a chemical bath... I wouldn't want to swim around in God knows what? Fish breath through the water by drawing oxygen from it just like we do. Water is 800 times more dense then water. So if the fish's gills are coated with goop it reduces their ability to uptake oxygen.

Yes the stuff you used is for aquariums but that is to repair the glass. The plastic still doesn't seal or stick because of the type of plastic it is Polypropylene.

What are your nitrate levels?

As a suggestion try to not give into tempation and make impulse purchases. Research online and find what you want before going shopping. If you see an interesting fish write the name down the Latin name if you can and research it. Also same for plants many times the plants you see are not true aquatic plants. You buy them bring them home a couple months later there dead. Posting here is a good start to research a lot of folks can tell you what did & din't work for them.

[DawnMarie81]

I hate to disappoint you but not a lot of staff in stores that sell fish know exactly what they are talking about... believe me. Now I am not saying that is true for all... As for adding stuff to the water it is like you taking a chemical bath... I wouldn't want to swim around in God knows what? Fish breath through the water by drawing oxygen from it just like we do. Water is 800 times more dense then water. So if the fish's gills are coated with goop it reduces their ability to uptake oxygen.

Yes the stuff you used is for aquariums but that is to repair the glass. The plastic still doesn't seal or stick because of the type of plastic it is Polypropylene.

What are your nitrate levels?

As a suggestion try to not give into tempation and make impulse purchases. Research online and find what you want before going shopping. If you see an interesting fish write the name down the Latin name if you can and research it. Also same for plants many times the plants you see are not true aquatic plants. You buy them bring them home a couple months later there dead. Posting here is a good start to research a lot of folks can tell you what did & din't work for them.

I am not exactly sure where you ot the idea that i was trying to use the aquarium silicone/glue stuff on plastic.  I never said I was glueing plastic, all I said was that I was re-attaching the two top pieces that came crashing down in my tank.  They are not made of plastic, they are glass, and I would think that if I am using the same stuff that aquariums are put together with to put the top parts back on that it should hold.  It hold the sides of the aquarium together with a ton of water in the tanks, and the walls don't break off, so I think it should hold 2 pieces of glass on the top that support my lights, they arent that heavy.  Thanks for the advice though.   

As previously mentioned, my Nitrite level is now at 0 after adding the stuff I added to my tank.  The ammonia has always been 0 and the nitrite is down now as well.