Habitat - Indoor :: Algae in the tank

[courtney1111]

Hi,

I have a baby red ear slider. He's in a 10 gallon tank filled half with water and there's a large rock for him to bask on. I have a submersible heater and attached basking lamp. Over the last week algae has being to grow on the rocks and it's spreading. Can I put an algae eater fish in the tank with him or should I put something in the water to treat it? TIA!

Courtney

[steve]

Algae can spread very quickly if the source of the problem is not addressed. Usually some amount of sunlight is the main cause of this. Sunlight reaching inside a glass tank poses many other problems as well. Too much of other forms of lighting can cause algae growth as well. There are a couple of treatments that people like to use, though I believe that the fewer chemicals used, the better. That said, I would scrub all of the areas with algae with a clean toothbrush and avoid too much light reaching the tank.

If you insist on using an algae eater, make sure that is not much larger than your turtle and that it has plenty of hiding spots. It will contribute it's own waste into the tank as well.

[marisa]

How often do you change the water? A half tank of water in a 10 gallon tank will need more frequent changes than a larger tank with more water.

In addition to light, warmth (does the algae tend to form on the edges of the basking area, where the heat light would make the water a bit warmer?) will encourage algae growth.

Algae also thrives on nutrients in the water (especially phosphorus) that come from poop and and other debris. More frequent water changes/partial water changes would dilute the nutrients and the water and discourage (but not eliminate) algae growth.

When you clean, you need to clean really well or else the algae will return surprisingly quickly. Algae isn't bad for your turtle, and if it wasn't speading, I wouldn't worry about it. My turtles have algae on the edges of their basking areas and I just let it be.

Just curious, but how big is your turtle (shell length, no curve)?

[courtney1111]

4-5 inches. Not sure if's a girl or boy.

[marisa]

Your turtle is too big for the tank. The waste he's producing (and the nutrients in it) are helping the algae to form. A bigger tank would be good (if his shell length without the curve is 4-5 inches, he's not exactly a baby).

[untsmurf]

If he is 4-5 inches without the curve in his back then he should be in 40-55 gallon tank. I'd go with the 55 personally.