BlueGreen Algae on Riccia

[pipsqueak]

Hi, i believe i have blue green algae on my floating riccia. I read previously from a article here that it is caused by poor water circulation.
Now my questions are:
1) How do i improve water circulation, without causing the floating riccia to "spin" around the water surface?

2) how do i remove the blue green algae from the floating riccia? I do not wish to use the bleach method. Is handpicking them out painfully slow the only way?

Thank you!

[Simon]

i assume those affected are riccia floating in your tank? just improve surface movement by fan or surface skimmer.. throw away affected plants..

[sherchoo]

Not sure what filter you're using, but you can try relocating the filter output so that the circulation can be improved.

You did not provide any info on tank parameters nor condition so can't help much, sorry.

[pipsqueak]

Simon: abt 3/4 of the riccia i have are affected, doh!

Sherchoo: i'm using an internal filter, i'd prob raise the output. Erm, i've not measured parameters before, have not fully understood water chemistry, i'm reading up for now, before buying test kits. I'm guessing its because of nutrient imbalance. The 1 feet x 1 feet breeding tank isnt densely planted. only about 10 stalks of stem plants, riccia and Nymphaea micrantha (4 colour lotus?)
And i believe the lights are 2x11w.
Not using co2.
I have not started dosing liquid fert, relying on nutrients from water currently as the plants are growing well.
Housing new born guppy fry (30+) and 2 kuhli loaches.
sorry but thats just abt all the information i have.

[sherchoo]

Excess nutrients should not be a problem as Riccia soak up nutrients like a sponge.

So the only thing I can think of now if your filter. As for the affected Riccia, suggest you throw them away. They are not too difficult to propagate, unless your willing to remove them by hand.

[pipsqueak]

hmm, ok thanks sherchoo,
you got me thinking,
the filter i'm using currently was used in the same tank that was affected by BGA..and i didn't sterilize the filter material. Is that a contributing cause? Just read in another article that it is actually a bacteria..and can be cured by antibiotics..

I might get my hands on a sachet of the "yellow stuff" and try to cure the affected riccia in a seperate container...can't bear to throw away the entire clump....[]