Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello!

I have a question regarding algae. I have had my tank for about 7 months now, and I just now start to notice that there is algae growing in there. (I cam back from 2 weeks vacation, and found my tank tinted green.) The algae is growing on the glass, plants, rocks, and the separator. (I have a male and a female sharing 5.5 gallons).

1. Nitrates give algae food. They produce oxygen. So why are algae bad, or are they bad at all?

2. I do scrub them off so they don't take over, but is there anything I must do to prevent damage or harm to my fish or anything like it? Shall add anything to the water to minimize the growth?

3. Where do they come from? I don't have live plants, and I haven't done anything that I haven't done from day 1 on.

Thanks for your input!

Carolin

I tend to get algae in my firebellied newt's tank, but I just have to wipe it off with a paper towel and it's gone for a while. I don't mind wiping it every now and then. If you don't mind that, then you should just do that.
Algae aren't bad in particular until they start to die. Then they suck up all the oxygen from the tank. Given that you only have a little bit of algae I don't see how that would be a problem. You can just wipe it off every day, or I believe they have a product on the market called Algae gone or something to that nature. You can try this, but I'm not sure how this will affect your fish (if at all).
I have no clue where they come from, perhaps they are already in the water column, but when there's enough sunlight (or artificial light) they break out.
Do you have a light on your tank that you leave on for more than 4 hours? Or is your tank in mostly direct light? Perhaps moving it to a different location or not leaving your light on less.

P.S. I'm glad your fishie boy is back to his normal self. Good thing that was a semi easy fix.
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Phishie

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Thank you! You confirmed what I thought to be true about algae.

Yes, the tank gets direct sunlight during the winter months when we forget to arrange the curtains around it. I will just keep wiping them off. If it gets much worse, I will consider moving the tank before I try an additive.

Again, thanks for the advice from me and Minno and Gordon.

Carolin

Your welcome, Carolin.
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Phishie

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."