Fast growing weed in Tropical Fish Tank

kitchpoo

Our tank looks like we havent touched it in years because this weed grows so fast! We used to have a plant but took it out because it went wild and since then we have this weed that grows from anything...it is growing from our stone ornamentals that sit on the bottom...it even grows off the glass! The fish seem fine but sooner or later it will strangle them! Is there anything we can put it in to kill off the weed obviously without killing the fish or is it a case of completely cleaning out the tank and starting again? We are quite new to all of this so apologies if this is a stupid question!
Thank you!!

helping_hubby

Sounds like algae to me. There are lots of factors that can encourage the growth of algae,

Can you describe yours more? There are different types. The way you say it's growing and looks like it could strangle the fish, I'm guessing it's hair algae (google images: http://images.google.co.uk/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&=&q=hair%20algae&lr=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi)

Reasons for excessive algae could be too much light, direct sunlight, over feeding, not changing your water often enough (so nitrates might be high).

Plants can actually be a good way to control algae as they use up the nutrients that the algae would feed off of.

There are chemicals you can use, but the algae will just come back. You need to solve the root of the problem.

Hope that helps.

//edit - you might want to invest in an algae scraper for the glass if you haven't already got one.

emmahip

There are also fish which will help control the algae for you - ask in your local fish shop.

It is a nightmare to get rid of once it's got hold - it's usually because of too much light and over feeding.

Also get your water checked out - a good fish shop will do this for you if you take along a test tube's worth of water (take it from the tank at the last minute to get the most accurate results). Again they should be able to advise you over the results.

Think twice before using chemicals - I've never had good experiences and you really have to get to the root of the problem for a permanent fix.

Good luck!

Froglet

kitchpoo wrote: »

Our tank looks like we havent touched it in years because this weed grows so fast! We used to have a plant but took it out because it went wild and since then we have this weed that grows from anything...it is growing from our stone ornamentals that sit on the bottom...it even grows off the glass! The fish seem fine but sooner or later it will strangle them! Is there anything we can put it in to kill off the weed obviously without killing the fish or is it a case of completely cleaning out the tank and starting again? We are quite new to all of this so apologies if this is a stupid question!
Thank you!!

Good advice so far,but if you ask the question here you will get advice on any aspect of fishkeeping.It is because you don't have any plants in the tank to utilise the food that the algae is feeding on,as mentioned by helping hubby.Fish much prefer some plant life too as they can munch on it.

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/forum/index.php brilliant bunch of friendly people.

Tarry

There are also fish which will help control the algae for you - ask in your local fish shop.

That's true Before we had to move we had a large aquaruim (we gave it to the neighbour, but that's not the point) and we had a couple of them in it. I called them sucker fish

kitchpoo

Tarry wrote: »

That's true Before we had to move we had a large aquaruim (we gave it to the neighbour, but that's not the point) and we had a couple of them in it. I called them sucker fish

We have one of those bright yellow algae eaters...wondered why it seemed to be thriving recently. They don't get overfed - my hubby makes sure of that but the tank light is on for about 15 hours...as long as we are up....is that too much??

Tarry

That's what we did, ie, turned it off at night and on in the morning.

Rachel83

maybe try getting a snail like an apple snail or something they are a slightly more attractive one... if there is such thing as an attractive snail hummmm just make sure you remove the eggs if it lays any otherwise you'll be over run with them

Froglet

kitchpoo wrote: »

We have one of those bright yellow algae eaters...wondered why it seemed to be thriving recently. They don't get overfed - my hubby makes sure of that but the tank light is on for about 15 hours...as long as we are up....is that too much??

It most certainly is.Even with live plants in the tank it needs no more than about 8 or 9 hours.Mine are on a timer so i don't have to remember .

An algae eater will only eat the green algae from the sides of the tank,not hair algae.I would not use chemicals of any kind in the tank, you are risking the quality of the water and harming the filter.I would scrub all the ornaments,and get some live plants.It will take time but with much less light you should win the battle.

Froglet

Sorry Rachel but snails are about the worse things you can put in a tank,they will breed and breed and breed and breed...............

I had years of mega problems with snails.Never again!!

Tarry

I remember when we got some real plants for our tank and we got infested with snails *ugh*