Habitat - Indoor :: algae in tank

[RES Tampa]

looking for the best way of dealing with algae growth in our tank. Never really had much trouble in the smaller tanks but our 55 gal tank in the bottom corners (glass & stones) seems to have sprouted green.

[jenaero]

I just use a cloth to wipe it off. Comes off really easy if you keep on top of it. Once it goes brown tho it's difficult to wipe off. Some people just leave it tho. It's not harmful and some say it makes the tank look more natural.

[Oldturtle72]

Drop a half dozen pennies at odd spots around your tank. Each penny will leach copper sulfates (or is it sulfites?) into the water and will really help control your algae problem--the sulfates (ites) kill algae and don't harm anything else. Or you could go to your nearest pet shop or garden supply shop and purchase a bottle of Pond Care AlgaeFix by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. 1 teaspoon for 50 gallons and I recommend that you dip a glass or some such in your tank and then add the AlgaeFix to the glass full so that it will mix and then pour it around the inside of your tank. OR---you can purchase a nice sized algae eating fish called a Plecostomus(pretty expensive). OR you can go online to Pagoda pond and supply co. and for $25 you can purchase 20 Black Trapdoor Snails. They are prodigious algae eaters and bear their young live so if you are inclined, you can raise the young to about 1 to 1and1/2 inches and sell them on E-Bay. The adults reach a bit over 2 inches. The babies make a good source of calcium for your turtles. If you have your habitat near a window, you won't get any UVB rays to penetrate thru the glass but you will be guaranteed a beautiful crop of emerald-green algae. I wouldn't make one of these suggestions if I hadn't personally used every one for algea control in my habitats and I have made many turtle habitats. Pennies are the cheapest way and you can tell if they're leaching the killer ingredients when you see the pennies start to corrode. Hope this has helped.
George

[RES Tampa]

Thanks for the great ideas. I think I will give Mr. Lincoln a try to keep the little greenies at bay. BTW - bought a 125 gal preformed pond last night - will let you know how we progress with the installation.

[Oldturtle72]

Hey, Tampa,
Your turts will be able to grow up in that big a habitat. If you have any questions about the installation of it, either ask me on this forum or you can e-mail me. I'm trying to get my grandson here to help me set up a web site to show the turtle habitats I've set up over the years. Keep this in mind with Mr. Lincoln--using them is not a 'quick cure', but is so much safer than liquid chemicals. The trace amounts of sulfates,that the pennies give off, even if you were to add another dozen, are not harmful.
George

[steve]

if there are pictures or diagrams, i might be interested in adding them this site once i get a chance to work on it

also, would putting pennies inside a canister filter do the same trick? my big girl would probably eat 'em up

[Oldturtle72]

Steve,
Never have used a canister filter in my life so couldn't say for sure. With the water flowing over the pennies, sounds to me like that's a good way to get the sulfates into your water faster than having them just lying on the bottom of the habitat. They tend to look corroded after a while and that's how I know the sulfates are leaching out of them. I have no idea how long they would last in a canister or if the amount of rapid corrosion would be harmful. Sorry. There are some 75 posters logged on to this forum. Maybe someone besides myself can answer your question.
George

[RES Tampa]

OT72 Are the Pleco fish you referred to fast enough to keep ahead of the turtles? I looked at them in the store today and they look like pretty sluggish bottom feeders. I would hate to spend that kind of money on a quick meal for my turtles

[Oldturtle72]

The Plecos are lazy swimmers and tend to stay in one spot, more or less, depending on the algae growth and the food that the turts miss that falls to the habitat bottom. The Plecos skin is very hard and a small one would make a fair meal for a turtle. That's why I suggested a large specimen so a turt would not try to eat it. I also mentioned that the cost of a large Plecostomus would be high and how effective would one be in a large, say 50 gallon tank? I, personally, have never employed one for algae control. I've always used pennies, chemicals and/or plants, and this year am trying Black Trapdoor Snails in my outside pond. I use pennies and a bar of silver and copper for control in my 265 gallon basement pond, besides which, except for the 160 watt mercury vapor bulb that is on during the day, there is no sunlight or any light except what comes through the glass blocks that are used as a replacement for regular window glass. I would try the AlgaeFix first and when the algae is under control and even while the chemical is working, I'd drop a dozen pennies in there for continued control. OR, just go with the chemicals--faster and cheaper because so little is required for your size tank. George