Removing algae
My fish tanks sits in filtered sunlight. It is enough to get quite a bit of algae growth. i have snails in my coldwater and a chinese algae eater in my tropical. They keep the hair algae and soft algae under control.
I have both a magnetic algae scraper and a algae brush. I use both on a regular basis.
None the less i have developed a super strain of algae. It is barely visible unless you are up close. I am afraid that it will just keep getting worse.
I have used a lot of elbow grease and this stuff will not come off.
Any suggestions?
Answers:You know, we had the same problem - we'd scrub the algae off with the magnetic thingy, and it'd be back three days later. It doesn't help that the one dechlorinator we use adds extra phosphates, either.
If your tank is able to hold another couple of fish, look into Otto Cats. We picked up two of them and a devil sucker loach from That Pet Place about a month ago, and just moved the three of them over to the 55-gallon tank two weeks ago. All of the walls used to be covered with algae - now all that's left is the area behind the bubble wall (only the loach seems to like that area), and the decorations. Everything else is near spotless.
You seem like you take good care of your tanks and you're quite knowledgeable, so I wouldn't worry too much about your water parameters. But I've read that some people have a hard time keeping the ottos alive because of high nitrates and whatnot.