HELP - I've tried everything to rid our fish tank of this algae type stuff but it keeps coming back...

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It's like a fungus - we've got fake plants in the tank and have just put some new ones in. Two weeks later and there are fresh frond-like growths on the new plants. The tank just gets dirtier and dirtier (it's got tropical fish in). Is there any way I can get rid of it or do I just have to start again?

Any advice gratefully received.

You need an algae eating fish like a pleco type thing, or snails.

Don't add anything else to eat the algae, it'll just add to the bioload and make it worse. Have you got a testing kit? What are your readings for nitrate and phosphate? How much lighting do you have and how long is it on for?

Thanks - I'll look at a pleco but I fear it may need to be very hungry .

I haven't got a testing kit - I'll get one and post the readings. Light is on from 3pm to 10pm - tank is a biorb.

Yes you may have light on too much or in sunlight a lot? I used to use a kitchen sponge (green side) to scrub the sides of the tank. Also I think over cleaning can cause algae? You only remove so much water and leave some in.

Nooo, don't get a pleco in a biorb. The substrate is sharp and will rip it to shreds and plecs get too big anyway. What fish have you got in there? Biorbs can't support very many fish so that might be causing the problem.

you need a cat fish/pleco

we have colin who is about 4inches long and wide and just LOVES eating green slime

we used to have fake plants and they did go yukky yet our alive ones are fine

We used to keep getting that frond stuff and bought something called 'anti hair-algae' which you add to the water. It worked straight away and we haven't had any since. We've got fake plants too.

Far too muh light.

I left my tank on the windowsill when we first moved in and the tank was green within a week!

I change the water one a fortnight and give it a good scrub out with a kitchen sponge (saved for this purpose)
Fish have lived for 4 years previous in this tank and current fish have been in there for 2 1/2.

And don't overfeed. Just a sprinkle twice a day should suffice.

Oh that's interesting about the light - we set it up to that time because that was the recommended length I think - will check again.

We've got about 9 tetras and 2 zebra fish - we did have 2 more but they recently died. Fish shop thinks that's too many so we're not replacing the ones who've died.

So we could be cleaning it too often or not often enough?? It's a minefield! I suppose testing is the only way to find out whether we're doing it right.

Will look into the anti-hair algae stuff - don't suppose you have a link?

Purpleone - when you say change the water, could you describe exactly what you do?

Thanks so much for all your help everyone - really appreciated

Feed the fish less and the algae goes. It always works for us. We have also had plecos which helps, but the feeding less works best, the tank clears up and we virtually never have to clean it out.

agree too much light, esp now days are lighter for longer, so turn your light off for longer

dh when he changed our water, he takes out a 1/3 by sucking on a pipe and draining into a bucket till bucket full and then empties a bucket back which is also about a third iyswim

to get the right temp he boils the kettle and fills up to top with tap water and it is the right temp

think we have a 100litre tank

I put my fish into a kitchen bowl and change the whole lot. But I only have goldfish!

Empty tank, wash gravel and filter and scrub tank out. Fill tank halfway with warm water, add water additive and top tank up with cold water...then replace fish.

But this probably doesn't apply to you. I wouldn't have a clue about tropial fish.

purpleone - you have it SO easy

our tank had a crack in it so had to get a new one asap and trying to move colin our catfish was a nightmare - he got very pissed off and distressed to be moved from one tank to another - hope we never move or he will HATE it

you cant just move tropical fish as you have to let the water settle - but your way sounds so much nicer and stressfree

It's this stuff but I just bought it at the local aquarium shop.

I know our tank gets too much light but every room has huge windows so there isn't much I can do about it although I've been keeping the curtains half closed when possible. Even so, we haven't had a problem with the hair algae since I used the stuff last year, I think it took two doses and it didn't affect the fish.

That's great Pixel, thank you - have ordered some.

So, am going to try the following and see what happens:

• test water (what am I testing for??)
• use anti hair algae
• turn light off for longer
• feed less
• change 1/3 water once a week

Does that sound like it should do the trick?