green spot algae and inverts - help!

[karbomb]

since i have gotten my lighting all boosted up for my plants i have had a serious green spot algae problem. it is all over my glass, plants and decor. i can not see in through the sides of my tank anymore. and i have to clean the front glass constantly. does anyone know of a solution to this problem? i bought a magnetic glass cleaner thing and it doesn't work all that great. i have snails and shrimp in my aquarium so chemicals are out. i haven't tried a razor blade yet, but won't that scratch my glass.
help!

[Adrian]

yikes! Drop your light for awhile. I mean like off. Cover the tank a few days and hopefully it will die out. I would suggest after it is gone, that you put a bunch of bunched plants in the tank before turning on your lights again. That way, the plants fight for the nutrients and get it before the algae does. Just my opinion.

[digital3]

As long as your tank is glass and not acrylic a razor blade works great.

[karbomb]

yikes! Drop your light for awhile. I mean like off. Cover the tank a few days and hopefully it will die out. I would suggest after it is gone, that you put a bunch of bunched plants in the tank before turning on your lights again. That way, the plants fight for the nutrients and get it before the algae does. Just my opinion.
i already have plants in the tank doing very well in fact, so i am not sure about killing all of the light. it may kill the plants too.

[gem]

Agreed on the razorblade! I use a standard razor blade on my Pico reef and my glass FW tank. They also make plastic scrapers that are safe to use on plexi. Those algae magnets weren't meant to take off Green Spot Algae. Only a blade will take it off.

[karbomb]

Agreed on the razorblade! I use a standard razor blade on my Pico reef and my glass FW tank. They also make plastic scrapers that are safe to use on plexi. Those algae magnets weren't meant to take off Green Spot Algae. Only a blade will take it off.
what are those magnets good for then?
what about the algae on my plants?

[cocoa_pleco]

do you have over 2wpg of lighting? if so, you need a CO2 system

[Adrian]

i already have plants in the tank doing very well in fact, so i am not sure about killing all of the light. it may kill the plants too.


Wow, how many watts you got on that thing? I dunno, I might bump the lighting down a bit once the algae is irradicated. Stuff multiplys fast. Transfer the plants to another tank for a bit? Then cut down on the hours that you have lights on for? Thats pretty wild that it would get out of control with live plants in the tank.

[gem]

Slime algae forms on glass as well. Those magnets will remove slime algae.

[karbomb]

do you have over 2wpg of lighting? if so, you need a CO2 system
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that is my lighting and in replacement of that 50/50 bulb i got a 10,000k bulb.
do i still need co2? i am reluctant to get co2, cos i would have to do DIY, and i have heard of lots of problems with it. esp. on a 10g.

[cocoa_pleco]

thats a bit over 2wpg, but not much

do you use ferts?

[karbomb]

yeah... do you think i am dosing to much? (quite possible)

[cocoa_pleco]

i think that might be the problem

[karbomb]

i think that might be the problem
thanks cocoa... whoa total distraction my cat is sleeping and just starting twitching for a few seconds and stopped... what goes through those kitty brains? hes a weirdo.
i'll stop adding ferts for a bit (a month or so...they have tons of crap in my 3yr old gravel to feed off), should i stop adding flourish excel too?

[cocoa_pleco]

i would just use ferts in smaller doses, sounds like the algae is feeding off the excess ferts