Beard Algae

[Ishkabod]

I'm not sure about Beard algae if it is BBA or not but with BBA i researched and most places said it was a lack of KNO3. The other thing i found that acutally worked was double doseing Florish Excel. This works if you don't have plants that melt from it but otherwise in my 15 gallon completely no tech single plant tank the BBA turned a pale reddish colour and ceased to spread completely. i didn't even prune the leaves that had some on it. Those unpruned leaves are still green and growing with the dead algae still attatched. As for other types of algae you need to check your levils of the key nutrients and your CO2. Your light may also be an issue as mentioned above but i have not actually found mentioned light reduction as a solution before.

Good luck

Lisa

[ubr0ke]

Light is the energy used by plants to separate carbohydrates from carbon dioxide. If there is less light then there is less demand for co2 and if there is less demand for co2 then there is less demand for macros and micros.

example

low tech setups.

Now if there is too much light energy and not enough co2 for the plants how do you think that extra energy is used...you guessed it.

Algae loves light...

Now the reason adding kno3 worked was that it was a limiting factor before..limiting nutrients stunts growth. Stunted growth means plants are not growing due to a missing component and then algae uses the light plus other nutrients in the water column to grow. You add kno3 the plants start growing again and starve the algae.

A high light setup is very possible but also a lot more challanging. Most people think they need high light to grow plants but thats not the case.

A low-med setup will grow almost any plant as long as co2 and ferts are non limiting. And without all that light energy a balance is achieved a lot easier.

[gBOYsc2]

Algae is tricky business. I always wonder how much of the information about it we read on the internet is fact based on controlled experiments. To me it seems that majority of it is just regurgitated information that someone posted that someone read somewhere that someone has re posted.

Do we really know the exact cause of BBA? or GDA or other algaes for that matter?

Edited January 4, 2011 by gBOYsc2

[Vallisneria]

Do we really know the exact cause of BBA? or GDA or other algaes for that matter?

Jewels had posted a good link in another thread about a different fert dosing method and it gives a pretty good description of what deficiencies or balance issues might cause what algae. It even has pics of the different kinds of algae and what protocols you can use to get rid of them.

Method of controlled imbalances( MCI)

[ubr0ke]

I post from experience nothing more...I do fact check...

I don't post to convince the world to think like me...I post info, so if your having issues you have a solution....

Try what i say...prove me wrong.

[gBOYsc2]

The comment I made was not directed at you ubr0ke or anyone specifically. I was simply noting how one site says (insert algae type here) is caused by x and one site says it is caused by y and one site says it is caused by z. I have yet to see raw data concluding what exactly causes BBA or GDA or whatever it may be.

[ubr0ke]

I know gboy i was just saying but anyways here is some raw data for you....this will explain a little more about bba.

BBA

I had to upload on megaupload because its a pdf file and i don't have a link for it else where.

Edited January 4, 2011 by ubr0ke

[bananashirt]

CO2 has nothing to do with beard algae. If the algae is green and stringy it means that you have too much nutrience in your water. for example your iron levels are too high or your using well water. If its black brush algae, you are high in phosphates. so too many rotting plants etc.