# advice on effects of heavy algae growth on fake plants



## alaskan_aquaristJW (Oct 14, 2007)

in my 29 gallon grow out tank i have a few ghost shrimp, one black neon tetra, 2 kuhli loaches, 1 red cray, 1 geo balzani and 2 small jag/dovii hybrids...my question is that on my fake plant, there is very heavy algae growth and it looks really cool and natural, but my shrimp dont eat it, and im worried it could have bad effects on the system....there is no algae growing on the sides of the tank and the tank has lots of water movement and oxygenization....what should i do? leave it or throw it out? also i have duckweed in my 135.....is this okay for cichlids? theres is the cluster type and stringy, down hanging type....do they help clean the water or pollute it?


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## Reiner (Jul 17, 2002)

You can clean it very easily. Take them out and give them a 5 or 10% bleach bath for 10 minutes. After that rinse really well and they should look like new. Also the duckweed is beneficial to your water quality since it eats up your nitrates.


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## akapaul26 (Sep 6, 2007)

:thumb: Yep agreed!


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

Remeber algae has eats up nitrates as well. So if you don't mind the look and it doesn't spread, you can keep it if you like.


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## alaskan_aquaristJW (Oct 14, 2007)

yea it looks cool sure....the fake plant is kinda like a pine tree branch, lots of needles, and the algae is securing itself among the needles, so it looks like a natural nursery area....i just dont know why my shrimp dont take care of it, they were keepin that tank spotless for along time though...thanks for advice


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## Reiner (Jul 17, 2002)

There are many different kinds of algea and shrimp just don't eat every kind.


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