Drowning in an algae nightmare!

[Star_Rider]

http://people.westminstercollege.edu/faculty/tharrison/emigration/cladophora.htm

good read.

it looks like it may appear brown as diatoms attach to it. I had the stuff and excel cured it.\

i suspect H2O2 will work as well

btw if using H2O2 why not use food grade?

 

[mancas24]

Yea bud i got he exact same stuff in my 10 Gallon, I just bought some Excel today so I'm hoping that will kill the heck out of this stuff. It grows at an alarming rate, I swear it doubles like every few hours. I took out all of the java fern and wood and tooth brushed it all and then I added double the dose of the excel stated for 10 gallons. I hope that does it.

 

[mancas24]

I started using that excel yesterday for the same symptoms u got . I doubled the dose for my 10 gallon ( two cap fulls) and iI already see a huge difference u might want to try that first before the peroxide

 

[Canuck]

What is the pH of your tank water without additional CO2? Take a sample of your tank water and let it sit in a shallow bowl for a day, then take the pH. The calculator you are using the assumes the only buffer is carbonate and bicarbonate and carbonic acid, if other buffers are at work, you're CO2 won't be as high as calculated. Lack of CO2 is generally the first thing to check when you run into algae problems.

 

[dundadundun]

that could be a few different things. look at the pics... http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm what do they look like to you?

i say one way or another no ferts and no co2 is not gonna help your cause. especially with the lights still on.

your scale out of whack is exactly why i measure with teaspoons and such. i can get a baby medicine syringe until 10pm any day of the week and can always afford one. past that i can't see the spoons breaking too often. i've broken a lot of scales in my younger years. i know it never happens at the right time.

 

[debaric]

correct me if I am wrong but wont ferts kill any shrimp you put in the tank?

 

[The Zigman]

What is your photoperiod length?

(how long are your lights on everyday?)

 

[mmm_unit]

i've seen someone with this algae problem. it looks really similar to what he had so maybe this will work for you.

he bought 2 chinese golden algae eaters and they went from being 2 inches to 6 inches in a relatively short time...and his tank was free of all that weird algae.

 

[KarlTh]

Yeah, but then you've got two massive problem fish.

I am currently battling the same stuff. But I wonder - if GH is zero, then might the plants be more able to outcompete the algae if you were dosing magnesium and calcium, because with 0 GH you've got none of either of these available.

 

[Canuck]

But I wonder - if GH is zero, then might the plants be more able to outcompete the algae if you were dosing magnesium and calcium, because with 0 GH you've got none of either of these available.

Good point, which also raises another question. If gH is 0 and kH is 9, parameters like that are most common with the use of household water softeners. Are you "softening" your water? Most household water softeners replace calcium and magnesium ions with salt. IME, plants will suffer when salt levels are too high.