Know how to fight this algae?

[bmarine]

I'm getting some green algae in my 125 gallon on my rocks, and my bn pleco isnt doing anything for it. The lights are only on 6 hours a day and there is no direct sunlight coming in. Any ideas on how to fight it?

[lilscoots]

lower the nitrates in your tank, or scrub it off would be my suggestions.

[bmarine]

No fish to scrape it off and eat it?

[lilscoots]

I suppose if your algae eater is a bit more hungry he may be a bit more thorough, you could add another bnp.

[linuxrulesusa]

What lighting are you using?

[bmarine]

A 48" T-5 HO Dual bulb. It has a whitish bulb and a pink bulb in it. And i havent fed the algae eater yet so he should be hungry!

[lilscoots]

pink bulb is probably a gro-light, switching it out for a whiter light may help.

[Regalblue]

Don't fight it, embrace it & encourage it.

Yes, as I've said many times... I like algae to cover my decor & back of my tanks.

[Marty]

Other than switching out the bulb, you can also do water changes more frequently to reduce the nitrates in your tank. 

With holey rock, I've eliminated hard to get to algae by soaking the rock in a bucket of water with some bleach added.  Let it sit for a day or so and they rock should look white again.  I then rinse the rock thoroughly and let it sit for a little while in fresh water before putting it back in the tank.

[bmarine]

Haha really? Why? I just feel like it makes the back of my tank so dirty! Would an oto fight the algae?
Its gotten worse in the past few days.

[four_by_ken]

We only clean a viewing glass also.

 Good for the fish

[Regalblue]

Yep, I like my show tanks to look natural .
  Breeding tanks are a different story tho.



Look at all that delicious algae.

[Mastiffman]

Haha really? Why? I just feel like it makes the back of my tank so dirty! Would an oto fight the algae?
Its gotten worse in the past few days.

 There are a couple of ways to look at it, instead of being "Dirty"...

 Algae is basically a plant. And Aquatic Plants consume Phosphates and Nitrates. And Convert CO2 in O2... So letting it grow and "Embracing it" as Blair so wisely put it will actually help the tank overall in the long run...

 BUT, if you absolutely can't stand it there is a simple setup that is called an "Algae and Phosphate Scrubber"...

 I consists of covered tub that has constant light shinning on egg crate (aka: light diffuser) in it fixed Vertically. Water from the tank is Either pumped or drained into it Continually by those that ends with a Piece of PVC will a line of holes drilled in it facing downward over and fixed at the top of the egg crate. Then Pumped (if tub is lower than tank) or Drained (if tub is above the tank) back to the Tank.


 What happens is the algae grows on the egg crate inside the tub instead of inside the tank. All that you have to do is clean the egg crate off when it gets to covered in algae... Which that time frame will depend on tanks environmental factors (i.e. stock level, WC routine, feeding regimen, etc...)

OR Buy some Purigen!
 

[lilscoots]

I have one mid sized BNP in my 180, he keeps about half of the rocks 90% free of algae...I only clean the viewing glass as well.  I also like the more natural look of rocks covered in algae, also my labs and some of my haps and peacocks graze on the algae.
  He got a late start, he's working his way across the tank, each day another rock loses about 40% of it's algae.

[bmarine]

Gotcha. So even that green algae is good? I have it all over in my 55 gallon, and it is just really hard and takes a lot of effort to scrape off the glass! And my plec doesnt eat it either.