Too much algae!!

[MaryLou54]

I had a good little thing going with my 5 gallon super shrimp tank. However, my light was dim and I couldn't see what was going on well enough, so I upgraded to a brighter light from Amazon. I have shortened the time it is on from 12 hours to 6, but I still have so much algae growing in there. I have always had the little tiny black snails, which have reproduced, but, they are just not doing the job. I would like to add some nerite snails but I do not want to contaminate the tank with worms, an overload of snails and eggs, or whatever bad might come with them.

My shrimp seem happy and I have seen them reproducing. I see the berried shrimp, but never really see the tiny babies, and now it is so hard to see anything in there!!!

I could really use some advice before I do something that ruins the whole habitat. Please can someone give me some advice on a cleanup crew for my tank. Thank you!!

[minishrimps]

I'd get a few Zebra Horned Nerites, they are quite voracious and will clean the glass. My experience is that they like prefer the glass and the trumpet snails prefer the substrate so having both works well. The Zebra Horned nerites also stay smaller than their relatives but in a five gallon you prob won't need more than two or three.

[KenCotigirl]

If you get nerites only get one or two. They are efficient algae eaters and too many could eat most of The algae. Two may take longer in a five gallon to eat the algae but you will be happy. I do not think Mustafa recommends nerites but one or two in a five gallon should be fine.

Ken

[Varanus]

How often do you feed the shrimp? Excess nutrients could be causing the excessive algae growth. Do you have any of Mustafa's macroalgae? I've read that having it may help control microalgae growth as the macro takes some of the nutrients.

Baby shrimp hide well, but given it seems you are not seeing any larva (which float in plain sight) makes me wonder if any of the eggs are hatching/surviving.

[ShrimpLady]

Hey all

I have a half gallon tank with 6 supershrimp

Curious if this stuff on the walls is normal, and should I clean it off?

[KenCotigirl]

Looks normal to me. Before I got a Nerite I would clean the front glass.

[Mustafa]

Those brown algae/diatoms are easily handled by the brackish water snails on sale here actually. Once those get to work and are done with it the brown stuff never visibly returns.