Chemicals or Snails for algae?

[Zenislev]

I having some green dot algae and little hair algae in my tank. I want to know which way is recommended to remove these 2 types of algae.

Question:

• Will those purchased snails attack my plants?
• Which brand of chemical is most effective in killing the above mentioned algae?

[torque6]

I would recommend controling algae via NPK/lights/co2 variables first. Try and find what the "imbalance" first. Although i do not use chemical to eradicate them.

Nerite/shrimps/sae/otto etc do feed on some type algae and you would need a mix of these clean up crew to manage them.

[alechim]

Agreed with torque6.

Getting the balance might take a long long time, but hey, thats the patience needed for planted tanks.

[Zenislev]

I will try some snails and ottos first for a start. If it gets worse....i will go for chemicals.

[torque6]

Let us know if you need anymore help.

[eddy planer]

don't forget add malaya shrimps(50) if your tank is 3ft will do the job nicely.I still have very strong skeptical about pricey otos not a good algae remover just for exotic display.

[Shaihulud]

I will rather get snails. Nerite snails, they eat green spot algae.

[eddy planer]

green spot algae is easily remove by using scrubbing magnet or scrub off with my expired visa card manually. No need snails unless to beautify the tank.

[torque6]

don't forget add malaya shrimps(50) if your tank is 3ft will do the job nicely.I still have very strong skeptical about pricey otos not a good algae remover just for exotic display.

Evo, in one of his threads also mentioned them as being better algae removes than yamoto, but im more scared they eat the moss/plants or fishes should they become hungry once they cleared all the algae.

[eddy planer]

hi torque

cannot be, lah.

When malaya shrimps no algae to eat....they will turn to eat food for fishes lah. But to my careful observation, malaya shrimps will not attack any mosses,young shoots and fishes, they will just share the unwanted food which given to fishes

[michael lai]

I will try some snails and ottos first for a start. If it gets worse....i will go for chemicals.

Hi Zenislev,
Most chemical for algae control is bad for plants too and I've not come across one that deals effectively with green spot. Don't think you want to go there.

[torque6]

hi torque

cannot be, lah.

When malaya shrimps no algae to eat....they will turn to eat food for fishes lah. But to my careful observation, malaya shrimps will not attack any mosses,young shoots and fishes, they will just share the unwanted food which given to fishes

thanks for your info, its just that i read an article here posted last week about a LFS unloading their malayan shrimps after a transit and they attack and ate most of fishes in the tank they were sharing with.. ouch!

[eddy planer]

Bo lah..mana hu?

my malaya shrimp and my school of rummy nose, lampeyes, galaxies and cherries are good friends , ma. All share food not attack each other. cannot be .

[bryan]

As mentioned above, the most basic way to combat algae is through control of the light,CO2 and fertilizer.It is the imbalance of these factors that is causing the green stuff.

[weiquan]

hi bryan im quite new to planting, care to eleborate more on the balance of the three factors for algae control. or maybe recommend links or readups for beginners like me.

im currently having a sudden appearance of hair algae in my 3 feet tank.

thanks.

[torque6]

Might want to read this.

Its abit complex for me btw. But the general rules are simple.
http://www.barrreport.com/estimative...test-kits.html

[bryan]

The link posted by torque is very informative. If you find it alittle too wordy you can start by trying simple actions like adjusting the Co2 level,light duration,amount of fertilizer,light wattage.

[weiquan]

appreciate the help. thanks dudes.

[venoms]

I kept a few zebra snail, so far i think they have been doing their job, I dun really find any algae in the tank. My friend's tank without snail tends to have algae growing on the glass surface.

[blue33]

FYI! I've try ISTA algae remover, so far nothing has happen to the algae. So expensive but not working.