my strip light has the 2 tubes...and I got a boatload of algae....

could I replace one of hte tubes with another type of bulb try to reduce the algae this?? I dont have live plants anymore.

suggestions??

Algae is pretty hardy - it will grow even in less than ideal light. As the light level lowers, you will begin to get black or brown colored algae - not the bright green stuff. At least the bright green is rather pretty and is very nutricious for the goldies.

After approximately one year, your flourecent bulbs will be giving off far less light than they were originally designed to produce. So, chances are, unless they are new, you already have less light that originally.

There are not too many pleasant wavelengths of light that you can use - what you and the fish enjoy, the algae does also.

Keeping your nitrates as low as possible, limiting the number of lighted hours for the tank, introducing real plants to use the nitrates in the tank, adding snails or a quality algae eater are all options to consider.

Algae is a fact in fish keeping. Rather than rail against it, I have learned to accept it, deal with it and go with the flow.

here is another question though....I let the algae grow all over the back and sides of the tank...its nice and green and lush. I think its pretty.

What can I do to slow it dodwn on my plants/decorations??

Every few weeks, as needed, I lift each large stone, decoration and plant out and clean them. I have a gentle brush that I brush all the surfaces. On some of the geodes - which get algae iin all the crevices, I will soak them in bleach/water until they are clean again. I then soak rinse and soak in a dechlorinator/water combo. Changed out and soaked again, the stones are then put back in the tank. A quick wipe of the front glass and the front half of the side glass, and I am done.


Elbow grease is still the best weapon against algae that I know......

oooh...so if I soaked my fake plants in bleach water...that would kind of just zap the algae off of them??

it gets a bit tedious wiping off each little leaf......