Black Beard Algae problem; HELP!

[gustavo85]

Hi, I've been having Black Beard Algae problems in my 20 Gal for a couple of months. The phosphates are kind of HI (5.0 ppm) and I've used chemi-pure elite to reduce them, I've done weekly water changes of 25%, the tank is pretty filled with plants, I constantly remove most of the leaves with this algae and still have the algae:wall:. I know my fish tank is a little crowded (look below) but I have a 200GPH Power Filter (AquaClear200) with chemi-pure elite bag, an Algone(R) pouch and an ammonium removing bag from Hagen. I need help taking this demon algae off my tank. If you know any way (chemical that does not damage the plants, natural or any other) please let me know fast.:help:

[jaysen]

i believe hydrogen peroxide in a syringe squirted onto the bba will kill it and not your plants.
i would chill out with all these fish. even thought your filtration and water quality may be decent, they still need room to move and school. some of your fish are fast schoolers (rummynose tetras, rainbows) and others need hiding spots to feel comfortable ( cories, flying fox, pleco). usually a tank with room looks more natural and zen than a cramped overactive one imo. good luck with the bba.

[Hooked Newbie]

The bad news is that there is no easy cure. BBA is the most pervasive & lingering algae IME. It took me months of work to be completely rid of it. The stocking is definitely pushing it. The Algones and Chemi-pures are just a bandaid. Identify and rid yourself of the source. I decreased my lighting duration and increased the number of plants and Carbon (by adding Excel 2x per week). Good luck and stay diligent!

[gustavo85]

The bad news is that there is no easy cure. BBA is the most pervasive & lingering algae IME. It took me months of work to be completely rid of it. The stocking is definitely pushing it. The Algones and Chemi-pures are just a bandaid. Identify and rid yourself of the source. I decreased my lighting duration and increased the number of plants and Carbon (by adding Excel 2x per week). Good luck and stay diligent!

So Excel would do the trick? Even though I have a DIY CO2 installed, because I also reduced the lighting time to just 8 hours and with a recess period (4 hours on, 3 hrs. off, 4 hours on 13hrs. off daily)

[Hooked Newbie]

Are you adding any sort of ferts? Excel and patience was the only thing that worked for me. I don"t run CO2 though.

[golfproinlexky]

I too have had this problem. It seems to linger forever. You've got to feed/fert your plants so they outgrow and out compete the algae. Excel is a good answer. You should also look at moving some of the fish out and adding flagfish that will eat the algae.

I've also heard that taking out plants, driftwood, etc and giving them a quick bleach bath will eliminate the BBA. Look at other threads for specifics on how to do it. Good luck!

[livingword26]

How much light do you have in this tank?

[gustavo85]

65 watts of Coralife's Colormax 6,700K

[livingword26]

I assume that 65 watts is from a single compact fluorescent, so there is no way to turn the light down. I would say, unless you have high light plants, that you should turn down your light to about 40 watts. Also, your power filter is gassing off your co2, by disturbing the surface or your water. Find some way to minimize that if you can. Also, a split photo period is not the best idea, plants take several hours to reach peak photosynthesis, so a split period reduces growth and is more advantageous to the algae. Chemicals and absorbents are not as good as water changes. So I would say to raise your weekly water changes to 50%, or more if it is needed to reduce your phosphate and nitrogen. And I agree that Excel will help.

[gustavo85]

I also use a DIY CO2 system 24hrs. a day, Flourish, Flourish Trace, and API's Leaf Zone as fertilizers with flourish tabs once every 4 months.

[Hooked Newbie]

:popcorn:

[gustavo85]

"Also, your power filter is gassing off your co2, by disturbing the surface or your water."

I use an airstone to diffuse the CO2 better in the water before it reaches the surface.

[midiamin]

Folks! The only 'absolute' natural' way to eliminate BBA for sure is to take that puppy all the way down and scrub everything thing including hardware. Bleach rocks etc., thorough rinsing and outside for 24 hours to ensure no cholorine. But most don't want to do that but that's the quick fix.

[Hooked Newbie]

Folks! The only 'absolute' natural' way to eliminate BBA for sure is to take that puppy all the way down and scrub everything thing including hardware. Bleach rocks etc., thorough rinsing and outside for 24 hours to ensure no cholorine. But most don't want to do that but that's the quick fix.

"Absolute natural" does not equal "quick fix". Yes, tearing down and bleaching every few months may take care of it, but it's not solving the problem. There's a cause to every problem, the challenge is finding and curing it. In this case, I think there are way too many nutrients and a bit too much light. At least try to find a balance before you break out the bottle of Clorox.

[gustavo85]

Folks! The only 'absolute' natural' way to eliminate BBA for sure is to take that puppy all the way down and scrub everything thing including hardware. Bleach rocks etc., thorough rinsing and outside for 24 hours to ensure no cholorine. But most don't want to do that but that's the quick fix.

A little drastic. I prefer to boil the rocks, and scrub the hardware outside. I've done both of these.

[Arakkis]

I had it in my tanks, got olive green nerites and they ate it. Try putting 20 in your tank, you should start seeing results in a week or two depending on how much algae you have. They will also eat your green, brown, red, slime, and spot algaes

[Hooked Newbie]

So the solution is to ADD to the stocking? Nothing eats enough algae to be the solution and even if it does... how do you feed after the problem is gone?

[livingword26]

"Also, your power filter is gassing off your co2, by disturbing the surface or your water."

I use an airstone to diffuse the CO2 better in the water before it reaches the surface.

It doesn't matter if you have 100% absorption of co2 into the water. Surface agitation still gasses it off. What is your Nitrate level running?

[gustavo85]

I had it in my tanks, got olive green nerites and they ate it. Try putting 20 in your tank, you should start seeing results in a week or two depending on how much algae you have. They will also eat your green, brown, red, slime, and spot algaes

Tell me more about this magic creature (how fast and how much they reproduce?, do they eat plants? and where do I find these? because here in Puerto Rico I have never heard of it.

[gustavo85]

It doesn't matter if you have 100% absorption of co2 into the water. Surface agitation still gasses it off. What is your Nitrate level running?

So what do you recommend me to do with the filtration? Haven't measured Nitrates.

[midiamin]

"Absolute natural" does not equal "quick fix". Yes, tearing down and bleaching every few months may take care of it, but it's not solving the problem. There's a cause to every problem, the challenge is finding and curing it. In this case, I think there are way too many nutrients and a bit too much light. At least try to find a balance before you break out the bottle of Clorox.

Trust me, if the tear down is done properly, 'it's a one shot deal' as long as you have addressed the problem(s) that caused the BBA. It's a very tedious quick way to rid yourself of the problem once and for all. Must be detailed oriented. Who wants an on going problem?

[zanytomato]

I have had the same stuff in my tank.. very frustrating! I don't have as much light as you do (I just have the standard hood with a 15 in it), but I know reducing the time I had the light on did greatly reduce that type of algae (also have DIY CO2, and use the Excel in-substrate ferts). Thus, I would agree with those suggesting that you reduce your WPG.

I happened to pick up a couple of SAEs (partly for their cleaning properties, but mostly because I love watching them). But I did notice that they do munch on that algae from time to time. At least for my SAEs, I don't have to worry too much about them eating all the algae and having nothing left to eat... they seem to love to eat EVERYTHING.

[midiamin]

SAE's are aquatic farmers. They never harvest the entire crop. Cull a patch of the good stuff and move on to the next. I luv to watch them too.

[RockysDad]

It doesn't matter if you have 100% absorption of co2 into the water. Surface agitation still gasses it off. What is your Nitrate level running?


I agree... Please answer the second question. What is your NO3 level? Over fertilizing nitrates will give you a BBA bloom. Been there, done that...

There is no quick fix for this. Do continual water changes till your NO3 levels drop to about 10ppm or so. Wait three months for all the older leaves to die out and new ones to grow. Keeping a "balance" of all the nutrients is the only way to control algae naturally.

Be patient, it will get better given the right conditions...

[gustavo85]

I don't have a Nitrate kit, so I don't know the levels, sorry.

[livingword26]

I don't have a Nitrate kit, so I don't know the levels, sorry.

You have to be able to test and maintain your nitrates to run a high light tank, any tank really, but especially a high light one.

[midiamin]

BTW! Has anyone mentioned UV sterilizer?

[dixienut]

So the solution is to ADD to the stocking? Nothing eats enough algae to be the solution and even if it does... how do you feed after the problem is gone?

i had this in my 46 bow it was everywhere and i added cherry shrimp they mowed it down and kept picking till it was gone and i sell the shrimp here and elswhere and they still keep it clean..

[livingword26]

i had this in my 46 bow it was everywhere and i added cherry shrimp they mowed it down and kept picking till it was gone and i sell the shrimp here and elswhere and they still keep it clean..

I have Cherry shrimp to, and they are very good algae eaters, but they do not eat BBA.

[dixienut]

I have Cherry shrimp to, and they are very good algae eaters, but they do not eat BBA.

not sure which type i had all i know it looked like it, dark green almost black,grew on everything even plastic and decor, and plants heavy,thick strong. only tell it was green after it was out of water then very dark green..

[grannylvsfish]

I just read Potassium Nitrate - KNO3 will get rid of BBA is this right? if so is the flourish potasium the same stuff?

[livingword26]

The right levels of nutrients in the aquarium, including potassium and nitrate, will always help keep algae on the run. But potassium nitrate will not kill algae. To much or to little can cause problems though.

[California Roll]

IS there any problem dosing Excel if you have mystery snails? I just noticed some BBA on my Microsword and want to try and nip it in the bud.

[Canuck]

If I were to make a suggestion, I'd say clean all you can out of the tank,reduce your stock to a more appropriate level, increase CO2 to 30 ppm, take the chemi-pure, algone and ammonia bag, place them in the garbage, increase water changes to 50% per week, make sure your phosphates are above 1, nitrates at 10 to 15 ppm and you dose Flourish (or similar trace mix) 2 to 3 times per week. I'm sure your problem would be gone in 8 weeks (at the most) with a little grooming every week.