algae...good or bad

**moggsta** · 05-24-2012, 07:44 PM

hey all ive started to notice whispy green algae on the glass of my tank, it kind of turned up literally overnight!! after all my tank trouble im thinking maybe the algae is a good thing showing the tank is more balanced or am i wrong? and will the algae become a problem, my danios all seem really happy

**StrattonC** · 05-24-2012, 07:54 PM

You can use a rough sided sponge to scrub the algae off. Too much daylight (aquarium light) may lead to algae growth. My tank has incandescent lights that I leave on for about 10 hours during the day. I have not had trouble with algae lately. P.S. I do not know much about fluorescent lights.

**Cliff** · 05-24-2012, 08:41 PM

Algae can usually be a indication of a imbalance with your nitrate and/or phosphate levels, as well as a too much lighting

As long as your water parameters as still safe for fish, there is nothing wrong with having algae in your tank. It just looks bad, at least IMO

The algae can actually help to keep your water parameters in line by consuming toxins like ammonia from your water. It can almost act like your biological filtration for your tank

As long as your OK with it in your tank, it certainly won't harm anything

**junkers12** · 05-24-2012, 11:57 PM

I have alge in my tank, but it occurs naturaly in the wild so I can't see it being really all that bad. Some of my cichlids consume alge as part of there diet. I can see them picking at the rocks eating the alge. It just looks bad. But like what StrattonC suggested to use a rough sponge to clean your glass. When I was first cycling my 90 gallon it started to get long hair alge, but my fish ate the alge overnight and most of it was gone from the glass. I don't have too much alge trouble now unless I forget or I am too busy to do a water change that week. But if your water parameters are good I would not worry a whole lot about it. You can just have the lights on less this can also help with controling alge growth. My 90 gallon has settled down and I don't get as much alge now.

**moggsta** · 05-25-2012, 12:42 AM

ok cool thanks for the replies, i think i might just leave it in the tank and then maybe get some new algae eating fish of some sort! :)

**ameliaaahx** · 05-25-2012, 01:20 AM

Bristlenosed Plecs are great wee algae eaters! I usually clean the front of the tank for algae but I leave the back and sides for him to graze off.

You'd wanna make sure that your tank was perfectly stable again before adding a bottom-dweller like that though. Good to hear that you're still persevering after all that trouble you had!

**moggsta** · 05-25-2012, 05:17 PM

ive gone out and got myself a snail now :) not sure what kind it is but its large and yellow with a white body and long tentacles :) my lfs didnt know what it was either lol :)

**Jaster** · 05-25-2012, 06:26 PM

The thing with snails is that multiply like crazy depending on what you got. It would be very easy to have the snails overwhelm your tank. Especially if there is a constant food supply for them.

Personally I dont think hair algae is a bad thing. They consume some of the bad things in your water. (I think someone else noted that too) For me I dont mind the free food for my fish. Most of them love the stuff. IMO it looks really cool growing on the 3D backgrounds I have. The only place I dont want it is the glass. If you really want all the algae gone scrap it off or get yourself a bristlenose pleco. They're great little algea eaters and they stay small. I have at least one in every one of my tanks.