Crystal Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 I have never seen this algae in fish tanks before. It appeared about 3 weeks ago and has spread like wildfire, it must have come in on some plants from a LFS - the plants were dipped to boot. The algae located higher up in the current grows very long and just fragments when you grab it, and the same algae lower down is shorter and holds on tenaciously. Some strips were about 2 feet long. I have 2 HO T5's, which are on 6 hours a day. Fish are a pair red jewels and a pair of bristlenose plecos (who thoughtfully take care of any algae but this one). Ammonia/nitrite read 0, nitrate is undetectable. I use a Rena xp3 with a sponge over the intake. The tank is fairly heavily planted - picture is about 2 months old, it has filled in much more now http://i445.photobucket.com/albums/qq176/c_scherer123/aquarium/90gtankjan262010.jpg . This last week I have bought, and started dosing, Flourish Excel in hopes of encouraging the other plants to keep the algae in check. No visible difference yet. I read about using a toothbrush to remove the algae, but it is next to useless for this algae. I have removed as much as I can by hand, and dipped several plants, but many (or their roots) are too large to remove to dip. I figure if I can get an ID on it, I can fight it better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaykit Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9 Looks like staghorn to me but I could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roypark05 Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 I think I've seen that type of algae before, but I don't have a name for it other than "pain in the @$$". You should pick up an iron test kit and find out if thats your problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roypark05 Posted March 14, 2010 Report Share Posted March 14, 2010 (edited) double post oops Edited March 14, 2010 by roypark05 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 Looks like hair algae or thread algae Staghorn algae looks different and has a more branching appearance. It looks like antlers, where pieces branch off the main "stem". http://images.aquaria.net/plants/algae/staghorn/Image2.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewels Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 This is nasty stuff. I have seen it , although I couldn't tell you how I beat it. Staghorn branches. This stuff goes forever. It spells doom for plants. At the time I blamed excess nutrients and micro's. A few weeks ago I was protecting a tender plant under a plastic dome. This same algae filled the dome within a week. I can only site one huge difference between under the dome or in the aquarium - CO2 delivery. There are a lot of immersed lotus leaves in there - they are robbing light and slowing plant growth ( as is the photoperiod duration). Trim them all off the surface. Consider adding CO2 A handfull of Ameca Spendens would clear that stuff bare before lights out. They love that stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crystal Posted March 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 This is nasty stuff. I have seen it , although I couldn't tell you how I beat it. Staghorn branches. This stuff goes forever. It spells doom for plants. At the time I blamed excess nutrients and micro's. A few weeks ago I was protecting a tender plant under a plastic dome. This same algae filled the dome within a week. I can only site one huge difference between under the dome or in the aquarium - CO2 delivery. There are a lot of immersed lotus leaves in there - they are robbing light and slowing plant growth ( as is the photoperiod duration). Trim them all off the surface. Consider adding CO2 A handfull of Ameca Spendens would clear that stuff bare before lights out. They love that stuff. My photoperiod was 7 hrs, but I lowered it to 6 hrs due to hair algae (which has disappeared), the lotus is actually a pond lily, and was put there to shade some of the lighting and reduce algae (The leaves don't seem to block any light, but the hair algae is now gone). I will get an iron kit when I am in Edmonton next sunday and check, but since my amazon sword isn't complaining I don't think my iron is out. The splendens would be a good idea, but the algae grows way faster than they, or any fish, could eat it (I have doubts that a full grown pacu could eat it as fast as it grows...). And I doubt the red jewels would leave splendens, or other peaceful fish, in peace. Does anyone have an Id for this? I'd love to do some research on it and see if there is something specific that can take it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crystal Posted March 15, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 Someone on a planted tank forum identified it as blanket weed. Apparently barley straw extract has enzymes (or something) that quickly kill it, and I just happen to have bought some last fall for my pond. We will see how effective it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 Increasing CO2 and probably a bit more NO3 will take care of it - those are the 2 most common nutrients lacking in planted tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kronosdelsol Posted March 15, 2010 Report Share Posted March 15, 2010 (edited) . Edited October 2, 2010 by Kronosdelsol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crystal Posted March 16, 2010 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2010 Good luck. I saw that stuff in all the planted tanks at big als before. It was rather quite nasty. Thanks. Judging by the lack of success stories on the web, I think I am in for a ride. But I have several plants I refuse to give up so I will try for a long time. I did some research and then combined all the techniques which had success (though most successes seemed to be temporary). I added a heavy dose of Flourish Excel, 2x dose of barley straw extract, 40ml of hydrogen peroxide, removed as much by hand as possible, and I am halfway through a 48 hr blackout which I started Sunday evening (I will feed the fish late tonight and then I get an extra 9 hours of blackout from nighttime). I have co2 ready to go, but have to wait until the blackout is over to install it. For a one celled organism, it sure seems tenacious... Wish me luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robin Posted March 17, 2010 Report Share Posted March 17, 2010 yuppers, good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crystal Posted May 13, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 (edited) Thanks for all of the good luck! It worked and the algae is gone! The blackout didn't do much. The co2 actually made it worse for the first month. The barley extract worked fairly well, slowing it down so that everything else could take it out. I moved my Red jewels out and will eventually turn the tank into a dwarf south American tank - but I can now add algae eating fish and snails. I added red ramshorn snails, who thought it was candy. I added giant duckweed on the surface to limit the light a bit and suck up excess phosphates. I also added 2 small siamese algae eaters, who are now quite fat. The duckweed actually made the most difference, the other plants don't seem to mind the reduced light either. The blanket weed seemed to die off once it no longer had direct light, it survived lower light in the bottom of the tank, but as the duckweed spread the blanket weed died. Finally! My tank is mine again! :thumbs: Edited May 13, 2010 by Crystal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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