Tank infested with alage

[MdmBudak]

After I went on a 2 week business trip, I was shocked to find my tank infested with alage when I got back. []

I did not have it before I left. My wife only fed the fishes and she did not change the water for 2 weeks. And she only turned on the lights at night. [] [] [] [] []

There is this hairy black algae growing on the leaves of my plants and I am losing the fight against them. I have removed the badly infected leaves and change 50% of my water weekly but the problem still can't go away. Its been more than a month already and the damn algae just can't go away.

I have 5 SAEs and 3 ottos in my 3ft tank.


Can someone pls teach me how to remove the black hairy algae?

I have not tried those chemicals to kill alage as I'm worried that it will damage my plants and harm the fishes.

Thanks

[PeterGwee]

Sounds pretty much like BBA from the description. BBA is almost 99% a problem with lack of CO2 with the use of high light. Get your CO2 to within 20-30ppm range during the entire photo period (make sure it stays there!!!), remove as much of the BBA as possible and fertilize well...BBA is a tough algae and it takes patience to get rid of it once it gets a foothold of any tank. I had it before but now its gone...[] Good luck.

[loupgarou]

how come mdmbudak posting? lol.

well, bba is insidious. maybe your co2 ran out.

anyway, I can't seem to win the fight. its minimal in mine by now but GRR.

I've been using peroxide and chemicals, the way I see it, the bba spores need to be totally eliminated.

I'm pondering actually removing all lifestock and dumping a bottle of peroxide inside, since all the gravel is also infected.

[PeterGwee]

Chris...check and double check your CO2 real good (Start and ending of light period..is it in the 20-30ppm range?) Gravel affected? Cover the affected top gravel with lower gravel should kill it. High fish load also make killing BBA tough as NH3/NH4 spikes is just plain feast for it. You can never eliminate the spores totally by the way...

[budak]

mdmbudak must be the disowned, illegitimate child suffering from a crisis of gender identiy whom budak and mrs budak synthesied in an act of reckless unprophylatic procreation five and twenty years on the eve of Halloween. Every family has its black sheep, but this bag of wool has finally emerged, moths and all.

[MdmBudak]

Will adding algae killer liquid help kill/control the hairy alage during this period?

[sherchoo]

Please do not go with those algae remover chemicals. Those do rid of algae but so will your plants. Nutrient control should be considered.

Try giving more info on your tank parameters e.g. pH, kH, NO3, PO4 etc. There's a checklist you can use at the top of the planted tank forum.

[peterkoh]

I had this before and a natural cure worked for me ... not even those on the gravel were spared ... use Hortwort - a floating plant. Somehow this plant never gets affected by BBA or other algae and it seems to release some form of chemicals that inhibits algae.

Any have some to spare ? I threw mine sometime ago and algae is coming back.

Thks.

peter
h/p : 97851887

[PeterGwee]

Why do you think hornwort helps your algae problems in your tank and why is it that it is not affected by algae? Allochemical theory again? Nope, because the hornwort is growing well whereas the other plants in your tank are not...but why? CO2...hornwort has the ability to use the carbonates in the water as a source of carbon whereas the other plants in your tank might not have the ability to do so. Not all plants are capable of using carbonate as a source of carbon...Egeria, vals, Hornwort etc can do this but most plants will not.

[peterkoh]

Not disagreeing with you. This is something that worked for me and I learnt it from folks here. I too noticed that the plant has fine leaves and algae can grow on any plants I have whether fast or slow growing but never on hortwort even when it's growth was retarded due to lack of light.

I add baking soda after every water change. Could this have inadvertently been feeding the algae as well ?

Thks.

[loupgarou]

well, I must have deficient hornwort then.. yes, I can get "my" strain of bba to grow on hornwort ...heh

[hoppinghippo]

I agree with chris, I don't know if BBA spores can be totally irradicated, ( wonder if all algae spores are always present? maybe BBA is not as common a algae like spot algae?), but the best solution that worked for me was to eliminate as much of the BBA affected things as possible. I first tried getting rid of it by removing affected parts of plants and a big driftwood with moss centrepiece, then hydrogen peroxiding the driftwood (plants I threw away) before placing them back. for a while the BBA was gone, but came back eventually, again on the driftwood and moss on the wood. I repeated it a few times again. again it came back, finally just removed the driftwood totally. and BBA never came back. so I wonder if BBA spores are perhaps removable from the aquarium?

[hwchoy]

I learned never to say never as far as algae is concerned. I have BBA on everything, except the thin-leaved red tiger lotus, even the old rotting leaves are not affected. on the other hand my thicked-leaved lotus are completely covered in a carpet of green hair algae so thick they look like fur!

[loupgarou]

my tank parameters as measured.

tank parameters:
gh=7
kh = 4
ph= 7
nh3/nh4 = 0
no2 = 0
no3 = 12.5mg/l (prob less)
po4= 0.25 mg/l
Fe = 0 (bull**** test kit rainbow china brand, I put in 1 drop of Seachem fluorish , no change, I put in 1 pellet of edta in the test, no change also.)

co2 is injected but I'm treating for disease right now, so aeration is also on.

[stressed]

Amidst all your very technical post, here I am using Layman approach.

Change water more then Once/week. Increase it to like 2days once about 30% ~ 50% each time. Reduce lighting duration and make sure CO2 concentration is in the right range. Ensure sufficient "elements" that support plant uptake of nutrients (maynot be so critical), Dump in lots of fast growing plants, Viola, BBA under control and diminishing.

At least it worked for me...dont use technical details against me hor....heehee..

[eric_kclee]

It works for me when I change the 'light on' interval which I learn it from some reference books.

Before : light on 8hours straight
After : 4 hour on, 4 hour off, 4 hour on.
Now all BBA never come back even if I over dose nutrients.

Heard that BBA(or algae) does not like 4-5hour light break in between.

You may want to try this.

[Nicky]

Maintaining high CO2 concentration during the entire photo-period works for me. I used to have BBA until I started the regime of turning on CO2 2hrs before lights on. I have high light at 288W for a 68G tank. I use a external reactor to ensure CO2 dissolve well.

My fish and shrimps are ok with this CO2 treatment.

[FC]

I think so too. I have 2 sets of lights with separate timers. I turn on 1 set together with CO2 1 hour before the other.

I also began to appreciate low light setup at 0.4 watts per litre and shorter photo period. It is very forgiving in maintenance as I need less attention to fertilization and pruning. The plants did just as fine and no algae issues at all. The water temperature is cooler and more stable which add to the equation.

Fishes are happier too as they feel more comforatble with dimmer environment.


Regards,

Freddy Chng
www.killies.com