Algae - id help and solutions if there are any.

dbrown17

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Mar 27, 2003
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I have a 29gallon tank lightly planted. About four weeks ago this threadlike algae started showing up. If unchecked in about 2 weeks it gets into big tangles but right now is requiring daily "prunings". I can't get it all because early starting pieces are so tiny. I've checked "normal" stuff - Ph is about 7.2, no ammonia, nitrate < 5. For the tank, I've got a cf 65w light (bulb is 4 months old) sunpaq dual dalight 67k & 100k. The changes to the tank were the 2 bamboo's added as well as a single bunch of anachris. I told the guy at the lfs about the "scraggly" growth of my anachris and he recommended adding FloraPride by Tetra (0-0-3). I added that and did it again with my next two water changes (approx 50% weekly). That is when I started noticing this stuff. I stopped the FloraPride at that point. I also add co2 via a hagen cannister system. After reading some posts I've done a number of water chagnes - (1) 50% on Saturday, (2) 50% on Sunday, (1) 50% on Monday and another 50% yesterday. Any help is much appreciated. I suppose I should also add - the tank holds 8 neons, about 10 Guppies - only 4 or so full grown and a rubber lipped pleco.

Thanks

Donny

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Compsopogon, aka staghorn algae.

Common after a large uprooting, tank rearranging etc.
Do a water change after you do that, add CO2/Excel at higher amounts, trim off all you can.

Treatment(BBA) and causes(GW) are somewhat similar to BBA and GW, but with more uprooting, too much fish load for the plant biomass etc.
Get more plants and pack the tank more.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
Thanks plantbrain - I was considering (after some research) adding more plants but was afraid of infecting them as well. The fish load hasn't changed in months so I'm assuming the plant mass will have an effect. I'll pick up some tomorrow.

Can you explain (or point me to definitions of) BBA & GW - I'm not sure what that is or means.

Thanks again.

Donny
 
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