removing algae from anubias nana

CHINABOY1021

CHINABOY1021

experienced newbie
May 2, 2003
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Toronto ON Canada
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i want to buy a fairly large anubias nana from a local aquarist. its pretty healthy but like all old leaves on anubias species, its got some algae on it.

how can i remove this algae? can i take a plastic knife and scrape it off? or bleach treatment. any suggestions would help.

also are anubias species suppose to be more expensive than the typical aquaruim plants like vals and amaon swords etc?
 
I had a Anubias nana for a round a year and a half. No algae when I bought it. It grows so slow algae grew on the leaves. The only plant I have that gets algea on it. I tried different things to get the algea off. I took all the leaves off that had the algea. Looks dumb with 1 leaf on it. The new leaves after a few months would then be covered with algea also. I got tired of this plant having the algea on the leaves and thru the plant away.
 
Some algae is common to all Anubias. To me they are beautiful and well worth the effort to grow and maintain.
Mine collect algae in tanks from 1.5 watts - 3.0 watts/gal.
I dip them regularly(about every 6 weeks) in a solution of 19:1(water/bleach) for 1 1/2 - 2 mins. No longer. Then rise them well and dip in another bucket of fresh water with a double dose of "Tap Water Conditioner" before placing them back into the tank. When you do this process be sure and also dip your hands in the conditioner bucket to get rid of the residual bleach on your hands, before putting them back into the tank.
All my Anubias are attached to wood and so I just dip the whole enchilada into the bleach solution. It cleans off the wood too.
The plants come up really nice.
BTW, I find them to cost not a whole lot more, in this area, than many other plants.
Len
 
OK, I did not answer the other part of the question, because I don't know. I have many, many square feet of Anubias b.v. nana (it is my standard carpet in most tanks), and one tank that only planted with Anubias species/varieties. I don't have algae on my leaves. Moderate light, rich substrate (mine is all planted), and very light water column nutrients works for me.

I do not use Anubias in one tank which I'm running entirely with water column nutrients - I assumed I'd have algae problems while learning that technique.

My neice had a carpet of nana I had given her, but she had algae issues. I traded with her for algae-free plants and replaced with her algae-coated ones. Nothing much for a few weeks, but within a few months the formerly coated plants were clear and flowering. MTS, Red Ramshorns, Amanos, and my normal conditions were enough to clear the infested plants.

To me, Anubias are more sensitve to nutrients levels than the aquarium glass- you can clean the glass.
 
The nicest way for these plants to have algae removed:
Place them in a pot(sand/Flourite etc) in a terriarium/glass canning jar etc for about two weeks in the window sill.

This will help the plant grow better while the algae dies.

How do you think the growers raise all that algae free Anubias/plants? You can keep the Anubias free of algae but you need less light/good nutrients and CO2. I have fast enough growth to simply trim off those old leaves and still have a nice plant. Uprooting them every 2-3 months does not seem like a good long term plan

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
I go with the light nutrient load idea. I initially dipped my 2 A. nana in 19:1 bleach as djlen described and haven't had algae since! They're continuously producing new leaves and I've split one into two plants! Mine are in the substrate (gravel only). 'Round here, they are more $ compared to other plants.

Good luck.

"RTR's disgruntled nephew"! j/k
 
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