purple algae solutions?

[dereks]

I really don't want to sacrifice any plants because despite the algae the sword is really doing great, about 14" x 14", counted over 50 leaves on it.

So anyway I started doing my regular water changes again (I the neglect caused it) and dosing excel. Anything else I can do to get rid of this junk?

 

[FreshyFresh]

I'd just clip off the most badly effected leaves. They're not going to help the plant anyway.

 

[dereks]

I'd just clip off the most badly effected leaves. They're not going to help the plant anyway.

Ok, cool. So if I get them down at the base, a half dozen leaves (or so) aren't going to hurt it I'd assume. It's gonna hurt to do it, I love that plant.

 

[FreshyFresh]

It should help the plant by removing the algae covered leaves. This way the plant doesn't have to use its resources trying to live with them.

 

[tanker]

That is "Black Beard" algae. Find you problem first,

 

[Fishtankdude]

Oto's work wonders on this stuff. I had this stuff all over my Anubis and in about a week, it was gone. Unfortunately, when I left my family to care for my fish for a week after I got back I had lost one and the other 2 contracted ich. Did what I could but lost them

 

[OrionGirl]

Throwing fish at a maintenance problem is seldom a good solution. Algae will show up in all tanks, but only becomes a problem when there is a specific imbalance that allows the algae to thrive instead of the plants. Too many of one nutrient, not enough of another. Light, CO2, and macro/micro ferts are all required for plants to grow.

 

[dereks]

Yea, I know what you mean, I agree. The problem was slacking on my maintenance, I was just wondering what all I could do (besides regular maint) to correct it now that it had become a problem.

I removed the worst infected leaves, hurt to do so, it should be fine though, there are still a lot of leaves left.

Something I thought was weird, normally I see shoots grow out from the main plant as it gets older. On this particular plant, it looks like it's widening at the base, almost like it wants to form a new center, away from what had previously been the center. Do some swords propogate this way, or is it just a funny shaped plant for some reason?

Pics would be tough, it's at the back of the aquarium.

 

[OrionGirl]

All the swords I've kept reproduce through runners, or seed production. I've not seen one split. Is it uneven growth? Discolored?

Manual removal of leaves is usually the default option. It really helps and can be used to direct growth as well, encouraging the shape that best suits the tank.

 

[dereks]

Ok, I gotcha. I think I'm just gonna let it grow, I like the overgrown look in aquariums, just my preference for some reason.

The leaves are a little lighter in the new growth but I think that's just because it's at the back of the aquarium where there is hardly any light, which I guess raises the question as to why it would choose to grow that direction, weird. But oh well, I'll give it some freedom.

Thanks