Will a pleco help me in a new tank?

Question

I set up a new 50 gallon about two weeks ago (I had two 10's before) my water is extremely cloudy with a green tinge; is this algae. The tanks not in direct sunlight however; it still gets quite a bit. If it is algae will a pleco help? I've read some about new tank syndrome and have donea few 10% water changes like suggestion. I know cloudiness is normal in a new tank; but how do I know if mine is more extreme; it seems pretty bad. I have guppies and mollies in it and tested my water; everything is in adequate range (pH is on the upper range but still within normal levels). Any advice is welcome; just please fully read before answering. Thanks.

Obviously I did cycle my tank Inert; my ammonia and nitrite levels are adequate showing the cycling process is done or close. Please read the question fully as asked.

Okay copperhead; once again I did cycle my tank. I put fish; decorations; fake and live plants in my tank about two weeks ago after cycling it. And I'm now doing 10% water changes every few days as suggested; since I've added my fish and waste is now present.

Oh, and yea a brand new tetra dual 50 gallon filter.

Answer 1

i don't think so.
if the water is green a pleco will do nothing about it, most don't even eat the stuff off the glass.
is it possible that it's just the light? i had a 25 (a fairly deep and narrow tank) so it had a light that was supposed to be for a 20 on it and it looked sort of green for a while, it may also just be the color of the glass, it's not perfectly clear you know.

Answer 2

A pleco won't be on any help, because it seems you tank is cycling (the cloudiness), and if you're seeing a green tinge in the water, this would be a free-floating algae which they can't eat.

What are your testing results? Ammonia and nitrite should both be zero in a mature tank - if either of these is present, your tank is cycling. It's only when these are zero, and you only detect nitrates that your cycle has completed.

My guess is you'll find that either the ammonia or nitrite is above zero. As long as you have this, there aren't enough bacteria to convert the ammonia and nitrite into nitrate, which is the only one of the compounds that isn't toxic at low levels. The bacteria use the ammonia and nitrite as their source of energy, so as long as there is some present, the bacteria will multiply to take advantage of it. Once the population has increased to where all the ammonia and nitrite are being used, the reproduction will slow down and the cloudiness (at least from this cause) will go away.

If your tank is getting much sun, even indirectly, you'll probably get algae. In two weeks, you may not be getting significant nitrates from your fish wates yet, but you may have some present in your tapwater, as well as phosphate. Both of these are fertilizers, and the algae will make use of them. You can buy phosphate and nitrate removing pads to add to your filter to remove these, or you can mix your water in some proportion with reverse osmosis water (available at Target and WalMart - look for the self-serve Culligan water dispensers). You'll only really solve the problem, however, by blocking the light that hits the tank (and this will include turning off any lights on the tank for a while.

So you're probably correct, between the bacterial bloom from the tank cycling and the algae, your tank does look cloudier.

See the websites below for more on the algae and tank cycling:

http://www.fishlore.com/CloudyWater.htm
http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/algae/green.shtml

Answer 3

The pleco will only eat the algae in the tank's glass and even the algae in the decorations, but they don't eat the floating algae.

I had the same problem with the cloudiness in my tank when I first got it. What you should do is: 1) clean your filter, 2) vacuum the gravel, and change about 1/3 of the tank's water every 3 days until the water is clear 4) Also make sure the tank is not in direct sunlight, and try don't turn on the light in ur tank for a while to prevent the algae from growing .

This worked for me and I hope it works for you too.

Answer 4

No pleco will not help he will actually starve since its a new tank their is no algae for him to suck, their is only algae floating in the water. You should have cycled the tank first so this wouldn't have happened.

Answer 5

Yeah I would say a plecostomous would help clean up the algae in your tank. Do you have an adequate filtration system? Carbon filters may also help.