Anti-algae treatment?

[Eric Schreiber]

I have a three-gallon Eclipse containing four Dwarf Puffers, decorated
in a stark black-stone-on-white-gravel style. I have a small algae
problem. It's not really severe, but it shows up very well against the
white gravel and white background.

Since the tank contains puffers, I can't put in snails (I do, but only
as food). And since the tank is small, I can't put in any SAEs, and
any other algae eater, fish or shrimp, is likely to be picked on by
the puffers.

So I'm looking at chemical treatment to get rid of the algae. I've
been trying a product called AlgaeFix from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals
for the last several days, but I haven't seen any improvement yet.

Does anyone have experience with a safe algicide that works well?


--
www.ericschreiber.com

[Toni]

"Eric Schreiber" > wrote in message
...
> I have a three-gallon Eclipse containing four Dwarf Puffers, decorated
> in a stark black-stone-on-white-gravel style. I have a small algae
> problem. It's not really severe, but it shows up very well against the
> white gravel and white background.
>


You don't mention any live plants...
How about a blackout?


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/aquarium.htm

[Eric Schreiber]

"Toni" > wrote:

>You don't mention any live plants...
>How about a blackout?

I don't have any plants in the tank. I have tried some in the past,
but an Eclipse 3 is pretty anemic on light. Until/unless I eventually
find some Java Fern in the area that doesn't look totally trashed,
this will remain an unplanted tank.

--
www.ericschreiber.com

[Kay]

Is the algae brown, red, green?

Kay

[Toni]

"Eric Schreiber" > wrote in message
...
> "Toni" > wrote:
>
> >You don't mention any live plants...
> >How about a blackout?
>
> I don't have any plants in the tank. I have tried some in the past,
> but an Eclipse 3 is pretty anemic on light. Until/unless I eventually
> find some Java Fern in the area that doesn't look totally trashed,
> this will remain an unplanted tank.
>


So why even consider chemical algicides when darkness would accomplish the
same thing?


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/aquarium.htm

[Eric Schreiber]

"Toni" > wrote:

>why even consider chemical algicides when darkness would accomplish
>the same thing?

I'm not trying to sound snotty here, but the point of having a fish
tank is to look at it, which requires light. While keeping the tank in
darkness would certainly reduce or eliminate the algae, it would start
to return as soon as light was restored to the tank. And, while it was
dark I wouldn't be able to watch the fish.

If there was an algicide that works, on the other hand, I could enjoy
my tank, algae free, all the time.


--
www.ericschreiber.com

[Eric Schreiber]

"Kay" > wrote:

>Is the algae brown, red, green?

Green. It tends to cover the large rocks in a near complete sheet - I
can actually peel it off when it's well-established. On other surfaces
it doesn't form nearly such thick sheets, being more moss-like.


--
www.ericschreiber.com

[Geezer From The Freezer]

Algae is good for water. I only ever remove the algae from my
viewing side. I leave it to form on the ornaments and other glass
panes, good for getting rid of Ammonia, Nitrites & Nitrates

[RedForeman ©®]

Agreed, algae is a good thing in smaller tanks, IMO, it helps, maybe not
alot, but mine are having babies, when 3 of the sides are tinted green, and
waving... but it's ok...


> Algae is good for water. I only ever remove the algae from my
> viewing side. I leave it to form on the ornaments and other glass
> panes, good for getting rid of Ammonia, Nitrites & Nitrates

[Racf]

"Geezer From The Freezer" > wrote in message
...
> Algae is good for water. I only ever remove the algae from my
> viewing side. I leave it to form on the ornaments and other glass
> panes, good for getting rid of Ammonia, Nitrites & Nitrates


I am with you. In my non-planted tanks I let the sides grow green...and
only clean the viewing port...

[coelacanth]

However you treat the algae, you are only
treating a symptom. You should also look
at treating the causes: too much light
and too many free nutrients. As others
have suggested, live plants can help here,
but at very least you should look at your
feeding and cleaning regimens and adjust
as needed.

-coelacanth

"Eric Schreiber" > wrote in message
...
> "Kay" > wrote:
>
> >Is the algae brown, red, green?
>
> Green. It tends to cover the large rocks in a near complete sheet - I
> can actually peel it off when it's well-established. On other surfaces
> it doesn't form nearly such thick sheets, being more moss-like.
>
>
> --
> www.ericschreiber.com

[Toni]

"Racf" > wrote in message
...
>
> I am with you. In my non-planted tanks I let the sides grow green...and
> only clean the viewing port...
>


Non planted, you bet.
My 90g goldfish haven is algae covered on all but the viewing windows- bare
bottom and all.


--
Toni
http://www.cearbhaill.com/aquarium.htm

[kclmymy]

I once try Pond Block, from JungleLab 100gal/block USD1.49 at TheFishPlace,
on my outdoor
200gal tank. Not because I wanted to kill all the algea, rather to
experiment with
the effect. I placed the block in a 4gal water container overnight and
returned the water to the tank next morning, refill the container again and
do the same in the evening. It took about a week to see any efffect.

It did a very good job on the algae BUT almost killed all my floating plant.
I have to stopped the treatment at half-block to avoid further damage to the
floating plant. The treatment did not affect any of my fish as well as my
Egeria densa and Vallisneria spiralis, my only other plant.

Well, anyone care to try ? Please post result.

Cheers

kclmymy

Eric Schreiber > wrote in message
...
> "Toni" > wrote:
>
> >You don't mention any live plants...
> >How about a blackout?
>
> I don't have any plants in the tank. I have tried some in the past,
> but an Eclipse 3 is pretty anemic on light. Until/unless I eventually
> find some Java Fern in the area that doesn't look totally trashed,
> this will remain an unplanted tank.
>
> --
> www.ericschreiber.com