green algae on glass

[EMUreef]

Alright i searched RC but didn't really get a set in stone answer.

My 35g hex has an annoying green algae that grows on the glass. From what i think i understand that is a sign of a nitrate issue. Are my assumptions correct?

Im guessing a fuge helps fight nitrates as i have a mini fuge on my 20tall and dont have this issue with it. My 35g hex only has a skimmer.

[adalius]

I get the that on my glass too, but my nitrates are 0. I think it's probably phosphate or nutrients that are causing an issue. Do you grow any macro algae in your minifuge that might be sucking up the nutrients before the micro algae can use it to grow on the glass?

[EMUreef]

I get the that on my glass too, but my nitrates are 0. I think it's probably phosphate or nutrients that are causing an issue. Do you grow any macro algae in your minifuge that might be sucking up the nutrients before the micro algae can use it to grow on the glass?

yea i do, it grows like a weed.

[Tom@HaslettMI]

To some extent algae growing on the glass is unavoidable. High nitrates is only one of many things that can cause algae growth (probably why you don't have set-in-stone answer).

Here are a few questions that may help us help you reduce the your growth.

1. How often do you have to clean the glass?
2. What does the algae look like? A picture would be very helpful.
3. How old is the tank?
4. How many fish do you have?
5. How much (and often) do you feed the fish?
6. What type of lighting do you have?
7. How long are the lights on?
8. How old are the bulbs?

With answers to these (and possibly other) questions we should be able to give you suggestions for reducing the algae growth.

Tom

[adalius]

That's probably the difference then. The biggest factors, to my knowledge, for any algae growth are nutrients, phosphate, and in terms of diatoms, silica. Growing macro algae will decrease the nutrients and phosphates and lower the growth of the nuisance microalgae. Running a skimmer will also reduce the available free floating nutrients, but in your case it evidently isn't enough alone. Some of the other factors are photoperiod, reducing how long your main lights are on can cut back on it. Old lights can shift in color promoting algae growth. And to second what Tom said, in part it's normal maintenance, I have a nanofloat I use on my 29g.


Edited to reflect some things I thought of after seeing Tom's list, and explain why he's asking some of the things he is.

[Sir Patrick]

I am familiar with 2 types of bright green algea on glass. Both are very similar in apearence.

1 is very easy to wipe clean from tank glass. The other is very dificult to remove, almost like coraline, but not near as think. The dificult to remove algea id for sure a sighn of high nutrient. The easy to clean is somthing I have had to deal with forever- even in a lower nutrient system. That is just part of my tank maintanance these days- glass cleaning.