# Power surge killed algae



## xavierj123 (Aug 24, 2008)

I was in the kitchen cooking during a hard violent lighting thunderstorm. Then I heard a lot clap of lighting and thunder. Immediate I lost electricity to the power outlets in one wall of the kitchen. The power surge caused lost of our Internet connection and lost of power to one aquarium in the basement.
We moved the kitchen appliances to another wall in the kitchen and I used long extension cords to restore power to my Ehiem pump and electric water heaters. I didn't have another extension cord or nearby outlet so the aquarium was without light for almost a week. 
I had been fighting an algae problem in this 55 gallon tank for several months without much success. I used Excel, Algae Control, cleaning and scraping the glass and reducing light. Nothing worked. 
When I finally restored electricity, low and behold, the algae was almost entirely gone. No plants or fish died. And it looks like it is still losing the battle with the plants. 
Guys and gals, you have to try this. Be Brave.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

So glad to hear you got something good out of lack of power! Perhaps you weakened it enough so that it won't be able to survive! Way to go!


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

power out almost a week should kill it but no plants and fish die. Good for you!


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## xavierj123 (Aug 24, 2008)

I only have 3 very large Angel fish and a small school of wild fresh water minnows that my 9 year old grand daughter caught. We pull the minnows in the aquarium right below the power surge hit. I had read somewhere about achieving a blackout of light by covering your aquarium with black plastic for a couple of weeks to kill algae with the same results. The author said he didn't even feed the fish during that period.


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## ItsDubC (Jan 12, 2008)

Nice! Glad you finally got rid of that algae problem. Just curious, what kind of plants do you have in this tank?


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