algea in fish tank

Question
I saw this tank of my friends and it was very green and i have plants but they wont grow very well. i also have algae eaters and they keep getting skinnier. my question is if i put my tank in the sun partially for a couple of days would it help the plants grow. and would it provide algae for my Chinese algae eaters. in a 55 gallon tank i have lace catfish and Chinese algae eaters and some bala sharks i do frequent water changes as necessary and i give them the right food well proportioned. please write back soon.

Answer
Hi Lance,
One thing I need to know is if its the tank's walls and decorations that are covered with a film of green algae or if the water -itself- is tinted green. If its the water itself that has free-floating green algae making the tank look green, this is why your poor algae eaters are getting skinnier. They cannot eat this kind of algae. Algae blooms are very common in tanks that do not get enough tank maintenance. Mainly frequent water changes. Algae blooms are caused by too high a level of nutrients and too much light. And the best solution is to number #1. Start doing 50-75% water changes everyday for a week #2. Keep the light off on the tank for a week as well if possible. Or limit it to just a few hours a day.

As for putting the tank in the sun for a couple of days would certainly help the plants grow. But the sun would heat the water too much for the fish. Its too much of a danger to put a tank in full sun for the risk of cooking your fish. As for feeding your algae eaters, you can simply buy "algae wafers" from any petstore or you can offer your algae eaters slices of Zuchinni, Cucumber, Spinach, or Lettuce. Make sure they are getting enough food. The best thing to do is to feed them at nighttime when the lights are out and the other fish won't be as likely to get all their food.

As for helping your plants grow. Depending upon the species on plants, keep in mind some plants are just slow growers. But also your lighting levels are a big factor as to how fast your plants grow, as well as nutrient levels.

I really hope this helps!
Karen~