An Algae Problem

My newly acquired 10 gallon tank has a really bright Aqua-Glo bulb that is made even brighter due to a metal reflector on the hood. As a result, I have been suffering from major green algae breakouts all over the tank. I've been scrubbing the tank walls a lot and all the fake and real plants need to be scubbed/rinsed too. So much algae all over my anarcharis that it's hindering its growth.

I used to have an otocinclus catfish which did an excellent job cleaning but both of them died due to poor health/starvation?! So I will no longer resort to buying algae eating catfish. =(

Here's some of the things I've tried to do in order to reduce the algae:

- Turn on the lights for only 8 hours instead of 12 hours. (Still too much light! O_O)
- Reduce feeding amount so there's less waste that algae can use to grow.
- More water changes to remove nitrates that algae needs to grow.
- Introduce Ghost Shrimp to eat algae (DOES NOT WORK, they don't eat algae)


I was considering getting some CHERRY SHRIMP but they are quite expensive and way too tiny. They will most likely just get sucked onto the filter intake tube. I DO however, have a sponge covering the intake tube so if I did choose to get them, the shrimp wouldn't enter the filter. Little red shrimp would disappear amongst the neon blue gravel though....

Neon blue wouldn't be my first color choice, but it's the only kind of gravel I've got at the moment. Besides, it looks nice as it matches my Betta's colors. However, the dye has been coming off, staining my filter pads blue. This is some cause for concern, but I'm hoping the carbon will take care of it??


I've almost been keeping fish for 4 months now. =)

Pregnant Platy

My pregnant Platy mom looks like she's about to BURST (which is what females are supposed to look like a few days before giving birth). But she's looked this fat for almost 3 weeks now - still no sign of new fry.

I hope it's not because she's stressed due to all the "attention" she's been getting from the male guppies. They occasionally chase her around, but she doesn't seem super bothered by it. Then again, she is the only female fish in the tank. Hmm.

I'm a bit worried that I will have too many fry when she does decide to give birth. I have a ton of cover and plants in my large tank, which equates to high fry survival rates. Right now I'm just excited that I'll have new fry soon...but I'm not sure how I will deal with them. It may sound cruel but I might have to feed the babies to my betta fish (if he'll eat 'em). Or I could give them away I guess...but Platies are too common of a fish to warrant a lot of adoptee's attentions.

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On another note. Buy good quality aquarium plants from a reputable, nice and clean looking tank! I bought a cluster of plants from a slightly shady store with some sick Oto cats. The plants are dying as I type and they've only been in the tank for 2 weeks. And the Oto catfish I bought that came from the same tank died 2 days later. It was terrible, but somehow I expected it to happen..... *sighs*

As opposed to some Ludwigia I bought from a reputable fish store, which has been alive for 1.5 months under extremely low light. Yup.

Top 20 Essential Aquarium Equipment

Checklist for Top 20 Essential Aquarium Equipment: (+ How much you should expect to pay if you buy a new one)

1. Filter! (canister, Air-powered, internal, HOB (hang on back), sponge, power-filter etc.) ($15-$300 depending on brand, size, features, store)
2. Heater ($25-$40)
3. Thermometer ($2)
4. Appropriate Aquarium Stand ($0- $300 depending on quality, material, store)
5. Water Declorinator ($12 for a 400mL bottle)
6. Food (flakes ($5), pellets ($3), bloodworms ($8), brine shrimp ($8), daphnia ($8), white worms, black worms, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, zucchini etc.)
7. Gravel Vacuum ($10)
8. Large Bucket ($5)
9. Substrate/Gravel ($1.50/ pound. You need 1.5 pounds/gallon)
10. Plants (live or silk) ($5-$20)
11. Plant fertilizer ($10)
12. Fish net ($3)
13. Medicine (Melafix+ Pimafix = Prevention Kit) ($10-$15)
14. Decorations: hiding places i.e. caves ($15-$50+)
15. API or Nutrafin Master Test Kit ($40)
16. Multiplugs/ Electrical outlets ($10)
17. Tank background ($2/ft)
18. Canopy + Fluorescent Lights ($50-$100)
19. Algae scrubber / magnet ($3-$10)
20. Cloth/Paper Towels for the endless messes. ($10 trust me you need a lot of tissue)



Optional Equipment

- PH buffers ($10)
- Waste reducers ($10)
- Calcium, Phosphate, Copper etc. Tests ($15 ea)
- An extra filter
- Air pump ($10-$20)
- Air stones, valves, tubing... ($15)
- Aquarium Silicone sealant (extra sealing of glass tank edges, DIY decorations...) ($10)
- Ammonia chips (removes ammonia)
- Filter tube cleaning brushes ($8)
-CO2 / Oxygen for plants ($$$$)
- Automatic fish feeders ($20)
- Aquarium books ($20)
- Veggie clips ($3)
- Breeder net/cage ($6)
- Tank divider ($10)
- Plant trimmers
- Cotton string
- Strainer

The Nitrogen Cycle

All people new to fish keeping should know the Nitrogen Cycle at least pretty well.



The gist of it:

1. Plants + Air pump + Filter = INTRODUCE OXYGEN INTO THE WATER.

2. Fish consume oxygen, produce waste called Ammonia (NH4) as well as Carbon Dioxide (CO2). Rotting food, dead plants, dead fish also produce Ammonia.

3. Bacteria called "Nitrosomonas bacteria" suck up the ammonia and changes it into Nitrite (NO2). Ammonia level drops, Nitrite levels rocket. Nitrite is just as bad as Ammonia!

4. A second bacteria called "Nitrobacter" sucks up this Nitrite and changes it to Nitrate (NO3). Nitrite levels drop, Nitrate levels climb up.

5. Plants consume Nitrates and CO2 and produces oxygen, thus repeating the cycle.



Plants --> Oxygen -->Fish --> Ammonia, CO2 --> Nitrosomonas --> Nitrite --> Nitrobacter -->Nitrate --> Plants --> Oxygen etc.




Simple enough, no?


Nitrogen Cycle Gone Wrong

Many things may go wrong during this cycling process.

1. Adding too many fish at once.
- This increases the amount of waste. Bacteria can only consume so much waste at once! Once they can no longer convert wastes, the resulting ammonia and/or nitrite poisons your fish! Symptoms of poisoning can include red gills, rapid breathing, and sick fish.

2. Not testing the water. You can't eyeball how much bacteria or waste is in the water! That's why they sell test kits. If you don't test your water, you won't know if your tank is cycled.

3. Overfeeding. Rotting food creates excess waste! Think about it. Would you want to live in a house filled with rotting pizzas and donuts everywhere you turn? Yuck.

4. Not enough patience. This process takes up to 3 months sometimes. If you're too impatient, you might ruin your progress! I personally don't like the idea of adding bacteria supplements to speed up the process. However, logically, it should be fine...right? My suggestion would be to get a nice friend to give you a used filter pad FILLED WITH GOOD BACTERIA.

5. Remove and replace water regularly to prevent buildup of nitrates. Normally, nitrates aren't bad for your fish, but if you have too much of it, it'll also be dangerous. This shouldn't be a problem if you have live plants. A good rule to follow for water changes is: a)change water when it looks cloudy b) change water daily if there's sick fish c) change 15% water weekly d) change water after medication period e) change discolored water.



NORMAL Test Kit Readings of a Cycled Tank

Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - below 40ppm
PH - 7 = neutral; less than 7 = acidic; greater than 7 = alkaline