Huge algae problem

So it's been a couple of months since i've had this enormous amount of green filamentous algae in my tank and it's really gotten to me. It's everywhere :plants, rocks, wood, glass, tubes, snails. i REALLY NEED SOME HELP ON GETTING RID OF IT!

So i've got a 17.5 gallon tank, heavily planted, not too crowded fish wise. I'm using the EHEIM professional 3 filter and dosing daily Co2 (my ADA cO2 advanced system now has a problem so i am barely dosing any now any tips?) I dose a fertiliser every week or week in a half (every time i do a water change.) I also run my ADA aquasky light 8 hours a day. My tank is also next to a huge window. i usually do a big water change every time because i not only have to remove debri, but also have to take out as much algae as i can. All my products are ADA except the filter and I have never really had a time to sit back and relax while looking at it because there is always that algae in the way of everything.

I have many shrimp : amanos, red cherrys and a ghost shrimp. I also have two SAEs but they don't eat much algae because they are always terrified of my CAE. I want to take him out but he's so hard to catch it's impossible any tips on doing that?

I feed frozen brine shrimp every other day and put a veggie pellet for my corrys and vegetarian fish every day or so. I also have 10 neon tetras.

And if all that mess dont seem too horrible I also have a pest snail problem and my 6 assassin snails aren't doing a great job at helping me at that one :(.

I really need your advice because i'm really at my breaking point of this tank.

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Comment by huy nguyen on September 1, 2013 at 11:52am: how long ago did you clean your canistrer?

Comment by Fishtank Thumbnail on September 1, 2013 at 8:22pm: The window... You never want natural light hitting your tank.

Comment by Fishtank Thumbnail on September 1, 2013 at 8:24pm: Also, invest in a pressurized co2 system. At this point you've spent too much money not to. Inconsistent co2 levels can me a major influence on algae growth.

Comment by Betta on September 2, 2013 at 11:40am: huy nguyen: i never did. but i've only had the tank for like 4 months

Comment by alex9j4m on September 3, 2013 at 2:50pm: James nailed it. The window is the number one cause of your algae. Also a fluctuation of the co2 can really cause a lot of problems as well. As james said you owe it to your self to just get a pressurized system. Then move the tank or close off the window. Also this is something you will have to get in there and manually remove as much algae as you can because the longer you leave it the worse it will become. Last just get rid of that CAE somehow and lower the time of your lights slightly till you can get it under control.

Comment by DePreston on September 8, 2013 at 3:33pm: I had that problem too, first I got rid of my CO2 system, my plants are exploding, today I did a healthy hair cut to them took out maybe 30%. Since I put plants and a UV filter in my 90 my algae problem is cut to a minimum. Some here and there but the forest of algae is gone, now I have so many plants I cannot see the background at all. I am donating all my cutting today to a friend who needs plants. Somehow lower the outdoor lighting, too much sunlight will just make the algae thrive. I have one large algae eater and about 30 small snails doing their job. My tank looks great, just had some baby fish, so I guess that would make the tank a healthy place to live.

Comment by Betta on September 22, 2013 at 6:48am: so my c02 now works, and my plants are doing amazing, but i still have an enourmous amount of algae. so my conclusion it to move it somewhere without sunlight. but my tank is at the floor at the bottom of my house and there is litterally no way of getting it upstairs. pleas help!!!! THANKS FOR EVERYONE HELPING ME UNTIL NOW!!! IT'S BEEN HELPFUL!

Comment by Chuck P on September 24, 2013 at 7:23am: Those CAE's are aroyal pain. And often sold by chain pet stores. Mine started attacking the other fish to eat their slime coat. In a fit of frustration, I grabbed the net and said to myself, "I'm not leaving till the CAE is out of there." Took some time but I got him! SAE's work so much better. I also have a Flying Fox in one of my tanks, but the jury's still out on that one.

Comment by Betta on September 25, 2013 at 12:32pm: i know but my tank had lots of places where the net cant enter like in holes in the wood and behind rocks. its really difficult and he can really stay back there for a few days. sometimes i dont see him for days, even during feeding. and after he comes out. i'm worried i'll never get him out, because algae paired with a fish eater isnt a good combination.

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