ID this algae, please?

irishspy

irishspy

There is a stargate in my aquarium.
Nov 6, 2002
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Hi all,

Attached below is a picture of some algae I've noticed in the last few days. (Sorry for the blur. I should have shut the filter off.) It like a grey hair or fuzz, but I don't recall seeing algae like it before. Any idea what it is, what causes it, and how to get rid of it? (It seems localized to that cluster of leaves, so I'm tempted to cut the branch off.)

Recent water parameters: PH 7, KH3, GH 11, Amm/Nitrite/Nitrate 0/0/0, phosphate .5. (All with API liquid tests.) :read:

Thanks much! :clap:

DSC00247.JPG
 
Staghorn
Description Grows in strands that branches out. Looks a bit like deer antler. Black to grey/green in colour and sometimes has a red tint.
Cause Low CO2 and/or poor water circulation. A tank with overfed fish and accumulated mulm. Dirty filter. Also disturbing dirty substrates without doing water change afterwards.
Removal Check CO2 levels and make sure you have good water circulation. Reduce feeding, vacuum the substrate and remove mulm. Overdosing Flourish Excel usually helps.
 
BK, it's the greyish mass in the center. Thanks for the tips, folks.
 
Bk828 said:
is there anyway you can get a clearer picture??
Click to expand...

I'll see if I can get a shot tomorrow. Turning the filter off should help.

Bk828 said:
from what it looks like its staghorn and i would follow what fordtrannyman has said on a way to deal with it.

Does the algae appear on the edges of the plants??
Click to expand...

Looking at Plant Geek and doing a bit of research on elsewhere, I think it's staghorn, too. Funny thing is, it's appearing nowhere that one would expect, according to PG: it's in the lone high-flow area of the tank, it's not near the surface, and it's not on equipment. Weird. :confused:

It does seem to grow from the edges.

Bk828 said:
also are you dosing the tank? Nitrate in a planted tank should be a few numbers up.
Click to expand...

I agree, but I've been told near-zero nitrates are common in a heavily planted tank. Currently, I'm just using what's listed in the .sig, below, but I've started reading sites (like Rex Grigg's) to get a better handle on what I need to do. For starters, as of today I'm dosing Excel once a day (1 ml) as opposed to every other day. (It was listed as a way to fight staghorn.) I think I need to start adding nitrogen somehow, perhaps via Flourish Nitrogen. (I don't think the expense will be too much with such a small tank. Once the larger tank is up and I know more, I'll probably switch to dry ferts.)

thanks for the help, :clap:
 
For my 10g i dose .75ml Nitrogen, 1.25ml Phosphate and 2ml Potassium 2x a week. The bottles being 250mls they should really last you forever on a tank that size.

Also, if you will dose nitrogen then might as well dose phosphate and potassium. That way everything will be at a balance.

Heres a good link i use to refer to algae: LINKY

Why dont you try dosing co2 via yeast/sugar mix?? Can do that and some addition excel every now and then
 
I would definitely remove the affected leaves for the time being, so that it won't spread as easily. Perhaps even trim the tops of the stems off so that new stems can sprout. The leaves/new stems will grow back and it will help remove the infestation. :)
 
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