Algae problem....help

[Nicole29]

could someone please help me identify this algae. It is taking over my tank and I have no idea how to get rid of it. It mostly grows on the edges of all my plants, but it's also on the driftwood and filter tube. I tried minimizing light and nutrients, but it doesn't seem to be getting better, in fact it gets worse and worse. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I hope these pictures are adequate, if not I can try and take some more.

[Hound]

You may want to try a 72 hour blackout on the aquarium to see if that helps. That is do a good water change removing as much of the algae as possible first and then cover the aquarium for 3 days. Afterwards do another water change to remove as much debris as possible and see if that brings the algae back under control.

[Nicole29]

thanks for the reply.

I 've been doing some more research and I think the algae might be red brush algae...anyone have any experience with that if that is what it is?

[webcricket]

It looks like a type of BBA (black beard algae), and it is nasty stuff. Once it takes hold, it's a pain to get rid of.

BBA can afflict both low and high light tanks and is the result of a CO2 imbalance.

What type of lighting and photoperiod do you have? And what, if anything, are you using as a CO2 source?

[Nicole29]

i have the light on for 10-12 hours a day, i recently added a 2 hr dark period after 5 hours of light. I also use DIY CO2, I have two 2L bottles set up for that. Oh and my lighting is 60 W (tank is 33 gallons), but it can go up to 75W (I just haven't turned the 15W light on since the algae showed up)

[webcricket]

You're likely getting fluctuations from the DIY CO2 that are favoring the BBA. If I were you, I'd cut out all the heavily afflicted leaves and start treating the tank daily with Flourish Excel. Use the "after water change" dose. If the BBA doesn't start dying en mass after 3 or 4 days, double up the Excel.

I'd also go back to your regular dosing of nutrients. Cutting back on fertilizer with this kind of algae makes the plants, not the algae suffer.

Do you change both DIY bottles on the same day each week? If you are, you might try changing them on different days in the week to keep the CO2 more stable. (IE: bottle 1 gets changed on Wednesdays and bottle 2 gets changed on Sundays, CO2 won't fluctuate quite as severely that way)

[CaitxSith]

oooo i have the same thing but what i got was:
that=hairy roots+fish poop
:D

now back on topic, i thought plants were supposed to get rid of algae... (nutrition competition)... maybe more plants? :huh:

[Nicole29]

ok so while i'm dosing with Excel, should my DIY CO2 still be running??
Also, I won't be able to get the Excel until tues or wed so would it be worthwhile doing a 72 hour blackout first and then the Excel method?

[reiverix]

These types of algaes handle a blackout very well so I wouldn't bother. If you can keep the DIY stable then keep it running otherwise there's not much point running it at all.

Excel will work. You can also spot treat with a dropper. For the seriously infected leaves, you're better off removing them and be done with it. Leaves will grow back.

[wataugachicken]

i thought plants were supposed to get rid of algae... (nutrition competition)... maybe more plants?

algea just needs light and nutrients. plants need CO2 as well. without CO2, they can only use a small amount of available nutrients in the water. adding CO2 allows plants to up the metabolism and process more nutrients, therefore outcompeting the algae.

[Nicole29]

These types of algaes handle a blackout very well so I wouldn't bother. If you can keep the DIY stable then keep it running otherwise there's not much point running it at all..


how do I know if it's running stable or not?

I have two 2L bottles hooked together and the output is a glass diffuser (like this one http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=9915&N=2004+113779

[splatt3]

how about getting some cleaners like shrimps and algea eaters?

[reiverix]

how do I know if it's running stable or not? What I mean is that the CO2 level remains constant. You know, when the DIY starts to exhaust itself the CO2 starts to drop. If your rotating bottles you should be fine. I know it's a PITA though.