36g Planted, Algae

D

Dan06

AC Members
Jan 22, 2006
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Tank Specs:

36gal
Nova Extreme 2x24

Habitants:

Cory's
Tetra's

Plants:

Wisteria (LOTS, reached top of tank in 2 weeks, was less than 5" tall when bought)
Pennywort, 6 stems growing nicely

Problem:

I have green algae that is sticking to the plants, but not the substrate, glass or driftwood. It's only accumulating on the plants. It's smooth and isn't raised or appear to be hair algae.

How do I fix?
 
Sounds like green spot algae, but it could also be green dust. Does it come off easily. Green dust is, well, like it sounds, like a green dust that covers plants and the glass and comes off very easily. Green Spot doesn't come off so well.

Green spot is almost always too much light. Decrease light/photoperiod.

Green dust comes on for just about any reason. only thing to do is let it run it's course. It's life cycle is about 4-5 weeks. It'll die away by then.
 
It's slimy and doesn't come off easy.

Lights are on 10hr's a day, but the tank gets a lot of indirect sunlight too. I will decrease to 8 hours and see what happens?
 
To know for sure I'd have to see it. Any pics? Without pics, my guess is still green spot algae. Reduce light down to 8 hours, and try to do something about the indirect sunlight. My GSA problem gave my wife an excuse to make some curtains for my home office.

You can also check this out:
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

That's a decent algae guide. Look at Green Dust and Green Spot, and you might want to look at Blue-Green(cyanobacteria) just in case.
 
GDA is taking a lot longer than 4-5 weeks for me so hope that is not what you have...though I have heard that it takes longer in lower-tech setups. Doesn't sound like it as it covers the entire glass in my case...

I would first lower the amount the light is on as jmhart said and also cut down on feeding. Most algae problems stem from too much light and excess nutrients. Are you dosing Co2 by chance?
 
No CO2.

According to this website it looks like GSA and some leaves appear to have small hairs with a little ball at the top. It doesn't look exactly like anything in those pictures. If I have to pick one, it's closest to the hair/thread/fuzz/.

I have no CO2 and I add no fertilizers. I use AquariumPlant.com's substrate mixed with a black gravel.
 
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