I haven't had nearly any algae growing on my glass lately is it because of the water being heavily aireated. I have a lot of bubbles in my tanks along with good filters and it is showing. Just wondering what causes algae and what cures it?

A lot of it depends on the kind of Algae.

Green Algae is caused by too much light

Brown Algae is caused by not enough light

All Algae feeds on Nitrates, so if you keep your Nitrates low, you shouldn't have a problem at all.

Chief wrote:


Light, water conditions i.e. not enough water changes, debris, fish waste...generally more an issue in established tanks, obviously. There are plenty of chemical treatments for algae, as well as good simple tank maintenance, basically. You can remove it manually, use algae eaters, or chemicals. All tanks are going to have algae, and not in excess its a good thing...means your tank ecosystem is thriving.

AP Pharm AlgaeFix (for example)

www.petco.com/product/102594/Aquarium-Ph...itionersandAdditives


Although unless you had a serious problem just regular maintenance is always better than chemical additives, IMO. And bear in mind due to their warlike and aggressive nature, most 'Yank tanks' are going to have more algae due to the excess of live defenseless prey fed on a daily basis....

ah i see. yeah my nitrates are 10, that probably explains it. I just saw some lake in california uses huge aireaters in the sumer months and the local fisherman said they haven't had any algae blooms since installed.

Chief wrote:


Well, airstones/bubble wands and the like move/create current that gets the water to reach the surface and thus aerate the water...and, of course, picks up debris and flings it around a bit, thus making it more likely it gets sucked into the filter instead of simply laying on the bottom and generally making a nuisance of itself.

I have a bubble wand and an air stone and 2 filters. I like the strong current and I think my plec and Oscar do too. It's nice for Mysis shrimp too because it keeps cycling them around up and down the tank making it easier for the Oscar to gobble them up, and any that float to the bottom the plec finishes off with devastating precision...like a SAMURAI.

Mine love the current as well. I read somewhere that oscars hate bubbles but i think that is bullsh!t.

Chief wrote:


Ah not at all...although I put my especially strong air stone right below my heater so he can't get at it too well and mess with it. My O routinely swims through the bubble wand...by choice since its against the back wall and he doesn't have to. The plec suckers on that back wall head down to get the bubbles all day long. Oscars are inquisitive fish...and the bubbles seem to interest him quite a bit as I see him watching them and biting at them on the surface as well. Although lately I put a ping pong ball in there and he messes with it a lot ever since I saw this vid...(DISCLAIMER: That by no means I advocate soccer as a valid sport, however. Real men play handegg )

i have seen that vid it is really cool.
i wonder how long it took the O to learn that.

My Os love currents and bubbles too. I see them swimming against the current often and when I fill the tank up they usually swim around it and play in the bubbles as well. Must feel good on the body, plus bubbles add oxygen to the tank!

a very hungry hypostumas can cure it, and sunlight and the un-preventable randomness of blah-blah-blah causes it.

gcollin wrote:


Oh. Ok.


Good to know.

I'll keep that in mind.