Algaefix and Cycle

[glassmouse]

Will Algaefix kill your cycle? On Wednesday I tested my 5 gallon hex. and the readings were 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 10 nitrates. I was begining to have an algae problem so I reduced the lighting, wiped the inside of the tank, did a 50% wc and added some Algaefix. Today when I tested the readings were 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 0 nitratres. The only thing I did different is the Algaefix.

[Oldfishlady]

IMO/E the algae killing chemicals are worse than the algae and should be avoid ...
IMO, the less chemicals the better.....

To answer you question....by looking at your water pram numbers it would appear that algaefix can kill the good bacteria....I have only used that product or one like it one time many years ago and it killed some algae but not very much and not the algae I wanted it to kill and I lost several fish, shrimp and snails...the tank crashed....I threw the stuff out.....

[glassmouse]

OFL- What recommendations do you have for an algae problem?

[Oldfishlady]

Depending on the type of algae, but most are best tended to by manual removal along with your weekly water changes, depending on the size and age of tank you can get little helpers like, ottos, plecos, snail, shrimp...but they only eat some types of algae and it never seem to be the one that plagues the tank the worst...lol......
I use razor blades for green spot, my hand for diatoms, removal of hair with a tooth brush by twirling it around it, thread type I remove what ever it is attached to, brush types manual removal...... prevention to a degree but it will grow as it is part of the nature of the tank and some I think look kinda neat and I leave it for the fish, shrimp, snails to graze on and the critters that are in it...I do remove it on the front glass for viewing and from plant leaf
If this is a new set up and the brown type it is most likely diatoms and will resolve on there own with time, also old light bulbs can cause diatoms and getting new bulbs will help....but nothing beat good ole hand removal....lol.....IMO
Leaving lights on too long or not long enough, too much nutrients and not enough water changes...are a few other causes......

[glassmouse]

Thank you OFL. I believe my problem was caused by lighting. The tank light was on for 8 hours a day and the tank is sandwiched between two aerogardens which have intense grow lights on for 16 hours a day. For now I have turned off the tank light. The tank gets plenty of natural day light (room bright from indirect sunlight) and the indiirect light that spills out from the aerogardens. The day I went to Petco to look for a solution for my algae problem I first looked for a snail. I didn't see any snails only ghost shrimp. That's when I looked at the chemicals and settled on the Algaefix. I guess I should have put more consideration into a ghost shrimp. I will look at a snail or ghost shrimp after I get another cycle going.