Algae Problem. "algeafix" a solution?

[Robroy]

I have a 135 gal planted aquarium set up for my axolotls. I have had a horrid algea bloom recently of both green hair algae and also brown algae. The green hair algea has completely covered my red melon sword plants and the brown has covered everything else. My first response was to do heavy water changes and I have been doing so for weeks with no result. I have tried cold water snails and they are doing little to no good.

Someone at the LFS recommended a liquid algaecide "Poly[oxyethylene(dimethlimino)ethylene (dimethyliminio)ethylene dechloride]" I have always hated to use chemicals as a fix, but im kinda at a loss here. I have tried researching to see if this is safe for amphibians but have come up short. I want to trust the LFS guy, but I figured I should bring it to the experts before subjecting my beloved axolotls to something that may harm them.

Thanks in advance for any and all help,
Rob

 

[Azhael]

I can´t help you with the chemical solution, but i would recommend cherry shrimp to you. They are amazingly good at removing algae when they are in sufficient number. Also, reducing the light and increasing the number of superior plants should help.

 

[Robroy]

the cherry shrimp would be eaten in less than a minute

 

[musilvr4eva]

I agree that the cherry shrimp would not be a good idea, kinda an expensive food source. When doing the water changes, you may actually be making it worse. Tap water is treated with phosphates. Phosphates are a food source for algae. So when adding the new water, you're just feeding the algae. I know this is true for "green water" algae blooms, but I would think that it would affect other algaes too. You could get a UV sterilizer, it might help, but they are expensive too and are more for "green water" then other algae, but my UV sterilizers greatly decreased other algaes in my tanks. As far as the algaefix, I would be hesitant. I don't even like using it on my fish because of the horror stories I've heard from people that have used it. If an overdose of algaefix occurs, it cuts off the oxygen in the tank, killing all residents inside. I don't trust it. And especially since the axolotls will absorb things through their skin, I wouldn't use it. You should be able to use a plecostamus though. Most plecos can tolerate cold water, as long as they don't suck on the axolotls I don't see a problem. Although some algae won't be touched by plecostamus, like hair algae. Hope this kinda helped!

~Emily~

 

[dragonlady]

I know that UV sterilizers are not usually recommended for use in amphibian tanks.

A plecostamus could prove dangerous with axolotls. The axolotl could try to swallow it, resulting in a possibly serious injury to your axolotl from the spines or the plecostamus could attach itself to one of your axolotls and do some serious damage there with its toxins on your axolotls' slimecoat.

Does your tank have natural light coming in on it? Can you block it? I would suggest to move the live plants to a separate tank and darken your axolotl tank as much as possible. Cover it with a towel or blanket during the day. No light will starve the algae and your axolotls will love it. Feed your axolotls at night - only what they will consume - extra food will continue to feed the algae.

If you want to use a chemical, then I would suggest putting the axolotls in the fridge until you resolve this algae problem so that there is no chance they would be affected by the algaefix. Also beware that some of these products will damage your bacteria colonies as the chemical cannot tell the difference between the good "intruder" and the bad.

I would also suggest a filter cleaning to kill the algae spores as well. Know that the more aggressive you become with the algae, the bigger risk you can run with crashing your cycle.

You need to find the source of this algae - it's getting fed and getting fed very well to have taken over like this.

Cherry shrimp who have plenty of hiding spots could survive for a while. They are quite fast and axolotls are notoriously lazy. You can find them online fairly cheap. I too am reluctant to add chemicals to any inhabited tank. Good luck to you.

 

[Jennewt]

This article has an assortment of suggestions:
Caudata Culture Articles - Aquarium Invaders: Algae, Snails, Worms and Other Critters

Brown algae is not really algae, it's diatoms. It would probably be unaffected by the chemical. Brown algae is typical during the first few months of a new setup.

It is not always true that tap water adds phosphate. You'd have to test your local water to know if this is the case or not.

I would not bother to fridge the axolotls. The kinds of algae you have pose no risk to them. Adding chemicals or doing drastic cleaning is more of a risk for them.

Here is what I would recommend.
1. Remove algae manually from the places where it looks the worst. Leave it in the places where you can tolerate it (like the back sides of ornaments and the rear glass of the tank).
2. Carefully regulate your axolotls' food supply - the goal is ZERO uneaten food in the tank after feeding time.
3. Keep up with regular weekly water changes. It might be worth testing your tap water and your aquarium for both nitrates and phosphates.

Out of curiosity, how long has the tank been set up? I find that the worst algae occurs during the first year or so. If you can get it under control (without drastic measures), it will subside over time. Patience is helpful here.

 

[Robroy]

The tank has been set up for two years or so. I just pulled everything out of my tank and scrubbed it all down. I think the problem I have is that I had tons of hides in the tank and a lot of waste was being trapped in areas I could not syphon or clean with filtration. My bog red melon sword that is covered in green hair algea I put in a 5 gal bucket with a dose of algeacide. I put a huge hang on tank filter on the back of the tank to clean up the remnants of the brown algea that is now free floating. The tank is in the basement with no natural light, but it does have 2 4 ft t5 plant bulbs on it. I am going to set the timer to only 6 hours of light a day, but I am sure this may kill off my baby tears I have growing in there. I may just switch to all low light plants. The java fern I have rooted to a piece of malasian drift wood seems green algae free so I may just make all of the future hides planted driftwood and do away with all of the substrate rooted plants that seem to be hard to keep clean.

I have thought of plecos, but the choking hazard has kept me away from them. I did try otocinclus, but out of 6 added 3 months ago only one excaped the wrath of the "lazy" axolotls.

I honestly think my only option may be to abandoned the hopes for a planted axolotl tank and invest my T5s elsewhere. The axolotls just seem to be to dirty of a critter to have a lit tank where algea can thrive.

I would love a cherry shrinp colony, but I know they would not be able to excape the axolotls as I have about 10 of them in the tank. I do have a ghost shrimp and a marbled cray colony that I am breeding spacifically for future axolotl treats.

 

[Jennewt]

I think a planted axolotl tank could work, but you'd have to really understock it - just one or two axies in a very large tank. And you'd have to have very close control over their feeding so there weren't any leftovers.

As a note to other people reading this thread, otocinclus are also a bad idea for algae control. There are disasters involving them (due to spines) in the Species Mixing page.