Algae on Plants

cbster

cbster

AC Members
Nov 16, 2003
388
0
16
57
Freeburg, IL
I have some kind of algae growing on the plants and some rocks and the mechanical equipment but not on the substrate it is a really dark green to a reddish color and it is starting to kind of take over and really hard to get off by hand. I looked for a picture on the net and I can't find one. so I was just wondering what it is and what I should do about it?


Tank Perimeters
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-5-10
GH-12
KH-11
Po4-0.5
Co2-33
Temp-86
Fert Twice a week with Flourish and once a week with Flourish Iron and dose for nitrate and phosphate
 
Is it long and kind of hairy or furry looking? And does it grow more towards the edges of the leaves? Very difficult to pull off the leaves without ripping the leaves along with the stringy stuff?

If you answer yes to these questions it's probably BBA although BBA is more black than green.

Len
 
Yeah it looks like that but it takes over the whole leaf and the leaf rips off when you try to get it off. so what should I do about it?
 
Sounds like BBA. If it is, scrubbing, pruning and bleach dips are effective. Blackouts are useless for this algae.
Scrupulous cleaning of everything that is affected will be necessary and then the addition of an SAE. SAE's will eat the new stuff and keep it at bay, but will not eat the old stuff.
In short, get rid of any affected areas, including inanimate objects(return tubes are particularly susceptible to it, as it likes running water) by either pruning or bleach dipping and while you've got most of the plants and in-animates out of the tank do a thorough gravel vac. Not deep, but try to cover the entire surface.
Then get an SAE.

Len
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom