Staghorn algae

[SuperRaY]

Staghorn algae: Looks a lot like hair algae but branches profusely like "deer antlers". Dull green to gray in colour, diffucult to remove mechanically because it rips the plants leaves if pulled off.

my tank is infested with this kind of algae i can;t seems to starve the algae and i believe the algae sticks to the leave to get nutients. any one with experience with this type of algae ? i've prune as much infected leaves away and washed my equipments.

i'm currently doing a black out see if it helps. my tank got infected after too much organic matter is rotting inside my canister filter (i've washed it) now the condition is more stable. staghorn algae not booming as much as before but it's still growing. my ph is 6.5 - 7.0 co2 - 4-5bps tank have been established since dec 25th.

pictures of staghorn algae
http://www.aquaticscape.com/informat...s/staghorn.jpg
http://www.aquaticscape.com/informat.../staghorn1.jpg

mine look more like the second picture.

hope someone can help me. if cannot i have to remove all my infected

[lorba]

Actually, a nice and clear picture illustrating the algae. I urge all "algae cultivators" out there to contribute pictures of algaes so we can have a database of them in AQ.

[SuperRaY]

i dun have a DC, i would gladly contribute if i have

[Simon]

Ray, have u tested yr water? some things u may want to try
1) do more water change
2) cut back on feeding
3) remove as much algae/infected plants as u can

[tawauboy]

if possible try to get test kits to test the water parameters.
the last time i had staghorn algae, my no3 was above 30ppm and po4 was above 2ppm. reduce feeding to once every 3-4 days, more frequent water changes help me to remove this algae. and also manual removal.

[lorba]

tawauboy, check ya pm

[Plantbrain]

Compsopogon, it's a red alga.
Shows up after a big hack, disturbance of the gravel, big plant reshuffle, sudden low CO2, etc. Anything that causes a build up of NH4 for more than a day or two.

You can easily fine this out by adding one more fish each week till you get this algae and often should up with Green water. another algae associated with NH4.

NH4 is like candy to algae and they love to start growing when they sense it's there in the water.

Nothing really eats it, trim and remove all you can.

It does not get nutrients from the plant, it's only a substrate to attach to.

You might want to find a better test kit for pH to figure your CO2.

If the filter clogged, then little of NH4 is converted into NO3. If the CO2 was low, then the plants could not remove the NH4 either.
So algae grows.'

So correct the CO2, clean filter more often, dose well for the plants and it will not come back if you keep up on things.

Regards,
Tom Barr