# Malawi Community - too much algae...?



## Kunnagh (Jan 10, 2004)

Hullo

Quite new to keeping Malawis still, but tank is up and settled. The chap in the shop where we got the fish said that they would eat most of the algae, but we seem to have an awful lot of it about the place. The fish do browse, but not continuously by any means, and not all of them, hence we have quite a lawn. This first pic shows a typical bit:










You can see the threads, which are about a centimetre long here. This is on rock. Compare with the rock in the background, which is a new bit, added yesterday.

This next shot shows a wider view of the same rock:










You can see that the algae is very dark for the most part, but has some green on it in places. The white is sand, where the fish think it would look nice for some sand to be. Sorry about the odd reflections in this pic - there are two windows into this room, and they're behind me here.

Here is another shot of another part of the tank:










This is a Roma 240 (ie 240l, about 63 us gal) tank. It's lit with the lights that came with the set up - one aqua-glo and one power-glo, both 40W, which are on for about 9 hours a day.

So - is this too much algae? I'd like the rocks to look more white, if possible, as I think it looks nicer. Is there too much light, or should I be checking some chemistry?

Suggestions welcome....

Here's the whole tank, while I had the camera out...










Thanks in advance.

K


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## DNK (Jun 8, 2007)

You've not said anything about your water stats? 
Usual questions.... 
Have you checked your water for nitrates, phosphates etc (things that can promote algae)?
What are your readings straight out of the tap?
What do you feed the fish and how much?
How much and how often are your water changes?


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## why_spyder (Mar 2, 2006)

I wish I could raise that kind of algae in my tank, WOW! I think my Labeo. fuelleborni would love me.... :lol:


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## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

> I wish I could raise that kind of algae in my tank, WOW! I think my Labeo. fuelleborni would love me....


Me to :drooling: 
I think that it's an awesome look and would be very happy with it, as long as it wasn't on the glass.
Do you have an algea eater ie, bristlenose?


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## Kunnagh (Jan 10, 2004)

Gibbs said:


> > I wish I could raise that kind of algae in my tank, WOW! I think my Labeo. fuelleborni would love me....
> 
> 
> Me to :drooling:
> ...


I have one Labeo - a trewavasae - but she hardly goes near this stuff. I don't have anything like a bristlenose and am keen to keep the tank African. I've got three Syndontis in there to scurry around the bottom tidying things up, but other than that it's all Malawi sp.

I'll try and get the chemistry set out tomorrow and take some readings and post what I get up so that (a) someone can suggest a solution if there is one and (b) you guys can copy the setup and give your labeos a treat... :wink:


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## Kunnagh (Jan 10, 2004)

OK. I took a day longer, thanks to manic life stuff, but here we go. I think I know what you're going to say, since I did a test (Phosphate) I haven't done before, but here goes:

Tank water:

pH - 7.4
NH3 - 0 mg/l
NO2 - 0 mg/l
NO3 - <5mg/l
KH - 6
GH - 23
PO4 - 3 mg/l

Out of the tap:

pH - 7.4
PO4 - 3 mg/l

Hmm. Do I need to get some stuff to put in the filter...?


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## dielikemoviestars (Oct 23, 2007)

My tank has the same stuff. What's the problem? It looks nice and natural.


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## BrianNFlint (Apr 1, 2007)

Hey!! You stole my tank!

That looks just like my tank. If you dont like it i would suggest a couple Bristlenose Plecos. They wont remove it all but they will tidy it up for you.


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## Kunnagh (Jan 10, 2004)

dielikemoviestars said:


> My tank has the same stuff. What's the problem? It looks nice and natural.


I know. My good lady wife likes the pale look of the rocks more, so I'd like to get it down a bit...

:roll:


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## dielikemoviestars (Oct 23, 2007)

Kunnagh said:


> dielikemoviestars said:
> 
> 
> > My tank has the same stuff. What's the problem? It looks nice and natural.
> ...


Oh, gotcha. Luckily, my girlfriend's only concern with my tank was what she wanted to name the fish. And when they'd lip-lock/chase each other. Fortunately, she only named 2 or 3 of them (there are 25ish)!


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## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

0hahaha. My missus is over it hey. All she worries about now is how much they're gonna make me :lol:

Try a few bristlenose for what it's worth. Looking at the colour of that algae i'm wonderiong if it's even the type they will eat :? 
I don't know if it is


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

From the picture, it looks similar to the algae that I have on my rocks. My one bristlenose in a 125G tank keeps it from completely covering the tops of the rocks, but the rocks are not "clean". More like a mottled look.

One of these days I'll add another couple of bristlenose and see what happens then. But warning...I think bristlenose are NOT reputed to eat this type of algae. They prefer the emerald green type.


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## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

Yeah my single bristlenose is doing a good job of keeping my green algae down.
I think it is worth a crack regardless. everyone needs an algae eater :thumb:


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## BrianNFlint (Apr 1, 2007)

I take rocks covered in algea and throw them in another tank with bristlenose plecos and they clean them up pretty quick.. most of the algea in my tank is brown as well and they seem to love it.


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## Kunnagh (Jan 10, 2004)

BrianNFlint said:


> I take rocks covered in algea and throw them in another tank with bristlenose plecos and they clean them up pretty quick.. most of the algea in my tank is brown as well and they seem to love it.


That is posh - having a separate rock-cleaning business set up. Perhaps my Cichlids and your Bristlenose could come to some sort of arrangement...

EDIT: Actually, strike that. I don't think their allowance would cover the shipping to Oklahoma...


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## BrianNFlint (Apr 1, 2007)

Kunnagh said:


> BrianNFlint said:
> 
> 
> > I take rocks covered in algea and throw them in another tank with bristlenose plecos and they clean them up pretty quick.. most of the algea in my tank is brown as well and they seem to love it.
> ...


LOL Thats great! Actually I had a bunch of BN fry in another tank and was just waiting for them to grow out, feeding them my algea covered lace rock.

We went on vacation and my show tank basically boiled.. the fry made it so now the bn fry and species 44 fry and in my show tank..

Brilliant idea though!


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