Right, I am sick and tired of fish-tank going green...........any tips????????

[girlandboy]

The water is fine, it stays lovely and clear, but the glass goes green REALLY quickly. The fish can hardly see out! Needless to say, no-one else in the house bothers to clean the tank, it is left to me every time.
I don't mind the cleaning of it, it's just that I have to clean it SO often.
It doesn't sit in direct sunlight which I know can make the glass go green, but the room is quite a light one. Short of putting it in a really dark corner, I don't know what the solution is.
Does anyone have any ideas before I relegate the goldfish to the pond outside and throw the tank in the dustbin!?!?!

IIRC pond snails clean algae off nicely

Can you put them in a fish tank? I know that they hoover algae up in a pond, but can you really have them hoovering up in a tank???

we used to in our fish tank when we were kids

would prob be best to check which type at a pet shop though

Ah right - good idea! Thanks

Incidentally, I have just cleaned the tank AGAIN. The fish can now see us and we can see them!!!!!!!!!

we had snails, but the fish ate them

Then we got some catfish-type fish - they live happily with other fish but lurk on the bottom/sides of the tank and eat the algae - any aquatics shop will be able to advise you what sort is best - depends on the type/size of fish/tank you have.

Have you got one of those nifty magnetic glass cleaners? They are so much easier than emptying/cleaning the tank.

Note to self - get down to the pet shop and buy magnetic glass cleaner. Have been meaning to get one for ages - WILL NOW DO IT!

Don't like catfish - I think they look a bit mean and scary! Sorry

One Word - Plecostomus

We had snails in our tank - but be careful what fish medicines you use (some kill molluscs)
I highly recommend magnetic glass cleaners - fun to use so the kids might help!
Don't over-feed the fish as this can exacerbate algae growth.
And put the tank in the dark corner!

this type of thing - aquatics shops sell them.

Bleach?

x-posts re: glass cleaners!

If you don't like catfish, shrimps are great fun and help keep the tank clean (like in Nemo!) You can get freshwater ones.

Mort - that picture is seriously scary, this will NOT be on the shopping list.

Madame - bleach hmmmmmmmmm shall I give the fish a quick rinse with it as well??????

Will defo get a magnetic thingy, and have a trip to shop to suss out snails and shrimps etc.

Thanks ladies - knew you could help

Its often due to over feeding. Only feed fish once per day, v small amount. Its even better just to feed them every couple of days. Do you have a filter in the tank? It could be blocked, need cleaning or sponges replaced.

I'm phobic about fish but read this thread out of curiosity.

It was, however, a very bad idea for me to click on the Plecostomus link - off for a stiff drink now!!!!

Got any leftover breastpads?

Work wonders!

Reading Gopher's post.......have I overdone the alcohol?

How often do you clean the tank, i have a smallish tank with two filters,3 fancy goldfish, i clean it once a week and it has stayed lovely and clean since ive had it.

No I bought some tesco value ones when ds was little. They're brilliant for rubbing off algae but crap for their proper job!

Sorry also meant to say I have 8 ramshorn snails in the same tank that tried breeding but i clean the eggs when i clean the tank so not overrun with them.

magnetic glass cleaners are the biz

that plec pic is vile. They aren't all that ugly. these are pretty. I had one and it did an ace job. It grew to about 14" then my parrotfish ate it.

You can get algae brushes at the pet shop, mine is like a scourer on the end of a stick which makes the job a lot easier. Do you vacuum the gravel? If you don't clean the gravel it probably comes back quicker.

Sorry for delay, had to nip out.

No I don't overfeed them, they get fed once a day maximum, and to be honest it's not always every day.

Yes there is a pump and filter which I clean/replace regularly.

I clean the tank once a fortnight - I suppose that could be the problem, I'm not doing it often enough. It looks fine after a week but then just seems to "go" all of a sudden and turns green virtually overnight.

I had an algae brush but the end fell off and I never replaced it.

Yes I do hoover the gravel, and to be honest about once a month everything comes out and gets a thorough scrubbing/swishing in the sink, which includes the gravel.

I think I will buy a magnetic cleaner, and mend my ways and clean it religiously every week.

My thanks to all of you

we have a magnectic cleaner and a huge catfish called colin

he sucks the glass and i love him dearly!!!

also have water worms who clean a bit

You could consider some Chinese Hillstream loaches (aka Butterfly loach) here
They are only about 3cm long, originate in coldwater streams (tho are fine in my tropical tanks), and as well as being amazing algae hoovers are fascinating to watch, not at all prehistoric like some plecs/ancistrus.

BHMF - fab name for a catfish btw. The sailfin plec we used to have till he grew to the size of a house was called Rod....