controlling algae suggestions please

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moved my 20g tank w/2 coments to a location I thought would be ok.
algae started almost immediately.

are the chemicals sold to treat tank algae safe/work?

was also considering an algae eater....would large comets attack
another non GF in the tank?

I can scrub the stuff away easy enough. Never had to deal with it
before and am looking for ways to deal with it.

thx - Craig

[Angrie.Woman]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> moved my 20g tank w/2 coments to a location I thought would be ok.
> algae started almost immediately.
>
> are the chemicals sold to treat tank algae safe/work?
>
> was also considering an algae eater....would large comets attack
> another non GF in the tank?
>
> I can scrub the stuff away easy enough. Never had to deal with it
> before and am looking for ways to deal with it.

http://www.2cah.com/netmax/basics/algae/algae.shtml - a very good algae
primer. If you have questions, the author posts almost daily in
rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc .

As far as adding algae eaters....my inclination is to say no. Plecos and
Siamese Algae eaters will attack your fish, as they are attracted to the
slime coating. I had much luck with a pack of ottocinclus (sp?) in my
tank, until my GF outgrew them. One by one they disappeared. If your comets
are already big, I doubt Ottos are an option for you either.

A

[Yorkshire Pudding]

On 13 Mar 2005 08:41:07 -0800, wrote:

>moved my 20g tank w/2 coments to a location I thought would be ok.
>algae started almost immediately.
>
>are the chemicals sold to treat tank algae safe/work?
>
>was also considering an algae eater....would large comets attack
>another non GF in the tank?
>
>I can scrub the stuff away easy enough. Never had to deal with it
>before and am looking for ways to deal with it.
>
>thx - Craig

Solved our algae problems by putting the light on a timer, it's now on
for 4 hours per day. Haven't had any algae since, hope this helps.

Howard
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/otters/Fish.htm

ICQ: 321716099

[Lilly]

You're lucky the otos just disappeared. I've heard tales of them
getting STUCK in the throats of goldfish!

Aglae is a part of aquarium keeping. Sometimes you have some, sometimes
you don't. It makes life interesting. Steer away from the chemicals,
they work but are only temporary. Better to do a little more
maintenance, shield some of the sun light or run the electric lites
fewer hours, and feed a little less. And about lighting, if they get
some sense of day/night you don't really need to run the lights during
the day. Instead, just turn them on for a couple hours at night when
you're home and looking at them.

Also, if you have access to a diatom filter, try running it for 12-24
hours with the fine powdered carbon, it will remove a lot of organics.

Lilly

ps: You spelled it right.

Angrie.Woman wrote:

> http://www.2cah.com/netmax/basics/algae/algae.shtml - a very good
algae
> primer. If you have questions, the author posts almost daily in
> rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc .
>
> As far as adding algae eaters....my inclination is to say no. Plecos
and
> Siamese Algae eaters will attack your fish, as they are attracted to
the
> slime coating. I had much luck with a pack of ottocinclus (sp?) in
my
> tank, until my GF outgrew them. One by one they disappeared. If your
comets
> are already big, I doubt Ottos are an option for you either.
>
> A

[anemone]

I bought a uv sterilliser to controll my algae....works like a charm!

If you can get someone to check your phosphate level, that would be the way
to go as algae thrives on phosphate-of course, it could be dissapearing as
fast as it enters as the algae consumes it.

All those nasty chemicals do is kill off the algae at that one time....if
you dont do a large water change/gravel vac, the algae will only settle to
the bottom, rot and create more problems...Chemicals in aquaria (appart from
water conditioner) are no the way to go....

I wouldnt buy a fish for the purpose of tank maintanance...I honestly would
only buy one if i truely like the fish...but thats my opinion...

I honestly would find a UV sterilliser suitable to the size of your
aquarium.
> wrote in message
oups.com...
> moved my 20g tank w/2 coments to a location I thought would be ok.
> algae started almost immediately.
>
> are the chemicals sold to treat tank algae safe/work?
>
> was also considering an algae eater....would large comets attack
> another non GF in the tank?
>
> I can scrub the stuff away easy enough. Never had to deal with it
> before and am looking for ways to deal with it.
>
> thx - Craig
>

[nk]

I use a product called algone.

www.algone.com

Been happy with it. Our water has high phosphates causing brown and
green algae and this product really helps control it.

n

[Geezer From The Freezer]

nk wrote:
>
> I use a product called algone.
>
> www.algone.com
>
> Been happy with it. Our water has high phosphates causing brown and
> green algae and this product really helps control it.
>
> n

What does it do if you have plants also? Does it kill them?

[nk]

Geezer From The Freezer wrote:
> What does it do if you have plants also? Does it kill them?

FROM THE BOX: "Product is safe for fish, plants, algae eaters, snails,
live rock, coral, invertebrates, polyps, etc. Algone enhances the
environment of oxidizing (nitrifying) bacteria and promotes a higher
dissolved oxygen content in your tank.?

Just put the pad in the tank somewhere (I put it in my filter).

n

[Lilly]

CHINESE algae eaters are the nasty ones. Worse, when they grow up they
don't eat much in the way of algae. See the other recent algae thread.
:-)

The Siamensis are the gregarious ones. I've kept them for years (in
tropical tanks, mid 70s) and they never harm anybody.

A little algae never hurt any fish. Clean as much off as you can, do a
big water change. Keep at the water changing. Add some fast growing
plants like water sprite or hygro to use up the nutrients that the
algae use. Lastly, learn to live with a little bit of it.

Lilly

Angrie.Woman wrote:
> > wrote in message
> oups.com...
> > moved my 20g tank w/2 coments to a location I thought would be ok.
> > algae started almost immediately.
> >
> > are the chemicals sold to treat tank algae safe/work?
> >
> > was also considering an algae eater....would large comets attack
> > another non GF in the tank?
> >
> > I can scrub the stuff away easy enough. Never had to deal with it
> > before and am looking for ways to deal with it.
>
> http://www.2cah.com/netmax/basics/algae/algae.shtml - a very good
algae
> primer. If you have questions, the author posts almost daily in
> rec.aquaria.freshwater.misc .
>
> As far as adding algae eaters....my inclination is to say no. Plecos
and
> Siamese Algae eaters will attack your fish, as they are attracted to
the
> slime coating. I had much luck with a pack of ottocinclus (sp?) in
my
> tank, until my GF outgrew them. One by one they disappeared. If your
comets
> are already big, I doubt Ottos are an option for you either.
>
> A

[blue sky]

so basically its a phosphate remover with a fancy name....
"nk" > wrote in message
...
> Geezer From The Freezer wrote:
>> What does it do if you have plants also? Does it kill them?
>
> FROM THE BOX: "Product is safe for fish, plants, algae eaters, snails,
> live rock, coral, invertebrates, polyps, etc. Algone enhances the
> environment of oxidizing (nitrifying) bacteria and promotes a higher
> dissolved oxygen content in your tank.?
>
> Just put the pad in the tank somewhere (I put it in my filter).
>
> n

[blue sky]

To risk sounding like a broken record...

Uv sterillisers have helped me combat algae problems when i didnt want to
use phosphate removers, unecessary chemicals that do more worse than good,
or extra fish, that add to stress on your bio filter if you have reached the
limits of your tank...

trust me....i have crystal clear water...better than any chemical would do!
"nk" > wrote in message
...
>I use a product called algone.
>
> www.algone.com
>
> Been happy with it. Our water has high phosphates causing brown and green
> algae and this product really helps control it.
>
> n

[sophie]

In message >, blue sky
> writes
>To risk sounding like a broken record...
>
>Uv sterillisers have helped me combat algae problems when i didnt want to
>use phosphate removers, unecessary chemicals that do more worse than good,
>or extra fish, that add to stress on your bio filter if you have reached the
>limits of your tank...

do they all have to connect up to an external filter?
>
>trust me....i have crystal clear water...better than any chemical would do!
>"nk" > wrote in message
...
>>I use a product called algone.
>>
>> www.algone.com
>>
>> Been happy with it. Our water has high phosphates causing brown and green
>> algae and this product really helps control it.
>>
>> n
>
>

--
sophie

[blue sky]

There are internal ones and external ones.
I use a pondmaster 11w hooked inline to my fluval externally.
"sophie" > wrote in message
...
> In message >, blue sky
> > writes
>>To risk sounding like a broken record...
>>
>>Uv sterillisers have helped me combat algae problems when i didnt want to
>>use phosphate removers, unecessary chemicals that do more worse than good,
>>or extra fish, that add to stress on your bio filter if you have reached
>>the
>>limits of your tank...
>
> do they all have to connect up to an external filter?
>>
>>trust me....i have crystal clear water...better than any chemical would
>>do!
>>"nk" > wrote in message
...
>>>I use a product called algone.
>>>
>>> www.algone.com
>>>
>>> Been happy with it. Our water has high phosphates causing brown and
>>> green
>>> algae and this product really helps control it.
>>>
>>> n
>>
>>
>
> --
> sophie