Black beard algae, now red!?

[beetroot]

Hi guys, am curious:

I bleached some black beard algae but could not fully remove them.
They have turned red in colour.

1) Are they dead? But read that dead beard algae should be white/grey?
or
2) Are they half-dead only? Like "zombie-fied" and will be revived in the tank?

Thanks.

[jiajuen900]

I have red hair bush hair like algae too i also have green hair algae on my hair grass. I increased my c02 and changed my ferts. I have not seen results yet but i may also try using AZOO algae treatment as recommended by LFS uncle. Hope this helps

[ervinelin]

Hi guys, am curious:

I bleached some black beard algae but could not fully remove them.
They have turned red in colour.

1) Are they dead? But read that dead beard algae should be white/grey?
or
2) Are they half-dead only? Like "zombie-fied" and will be revived in the tank?

Thanks.

How did you try to remove them?

Typically when I treat them with either bleach or Seachem Excel they turn from black, to red, to white, then they slowly die off.

[beetroot]

Thanks for the replies!

The black beard algae was hanging at some parts (only a small area though) which could not be reached my hand / toothbrush etc for removal. The shrimps didn't touch them when they were still black. So when they turned red, I wasn't sure if they were only half-dead and would re-grow in the tank (thought i read somewhere that they are in fact red algae).

Good news is... they are now gone . Perhaps like you mentioned, slowly dying off then the shrimps munched on them (maybe).

Jiajuen900, I won't use algae treatment as I keep shrimps. Good luck in your fight!

Thank you.

[ervinelin]

I have red hair bush hair like algae too i also have green hair algae on my hair grass. I increased my c02 and changed my ferts. I have not seen results yet but i may also try using AZOO algae treatment as recommended by LFS uncle. Hope this helps

I would stay off the azoo algae treatment. I used it once many years ago, it killed the BBA along with half the plants in my tank.

For BBA the most effective (and safe) solution I found is to squirt some seachem excel directly onto it. I've even taken out pipes and wood affected by BBA, poured chlorine directly onto it, together with boiling water and even that didn't kill the BBA!

[jiajuen900]

The uncle at LFS told me that it killed certain types of plants but none that i have. Also instead of usinf AZOO treatment would fertilising properly and increasing c02 to good amounts help in my problem?

[ervinelin]

The uncle at LFS told me that it killed certain types of plants but none that i have. Also instead of usinf AZOO treatment would fertilising properly and increasing c02 to good amounts help in my problem?

Fertilising properly ONLY IF you have enough plants to use up all that additional ferts.

Increasing CO2 has been said to reduce BBA, but in my experience doesn't kill existing BBA, it might prevent more from growing though. Again do this only if you have other plants to use up that excess CO2.

[jiajuen900]

Well half my tank is covered with hair grass which is frowing slowly ( has not covered lawn ) 1/4 is covered by chainswords and a species of vallinsera and the rest is stem plants. The stem plants covered in BBA like cotten candy.. Hair grass is covered in green hair algae, spot algae on glass. Stopped fertilising for now to try and use Algae treatment, probably tmr.

[beetroot]

sounds like a lot of algae... even cotton candy . if you need some help, do post a picture of your tank so that other gurus can advise. all the best!

[jiajuen900]

Will try to post pics soon

[jiajuen900]

Sorry still no pics.... But in the end i did the AZOO treatment, one of my ottos died but everything else including plants are fine. Covered the whole tank and it now is going without light, c02 and ferts until the treatment is over. All my spot algae is gone but the BBA and hair algae remain, but most of it comes off easily. Treatment will be over in three days. I hope it gets rid off my algae. But from what i see the BBA and hair grass wont go off by itself...
After treatment will give plants good lighting. c02 and ferts. Will also remove plants that algae is to difficult to remove. But will all this get rid off most of the algae, how to help in the removal of the algae?

[beetroot]

what fishes do you keep? wonder if they are ok with some yamato shrimps or SAEs to help you in the fight...

here's something for your reference:
http://www.gwapa.org/articles/algae/
http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

[jiajuen900]

I was not sure why but i never could keep yamatos.... But now should not be able to.... Used medicine harmfulto shrimp.

I have three SAE's and two otto's