Green slime algae

[Tanker]

Hey... what kind of creatures seem to tackle green slime algae/what causes it as opposed to the other forms?

There is an otto in there, but it just doesn't seem t really be going for that variety...

As well, there in an unidentified plant growing out of some cobomba from BA's Edmonton. It's best described as a really thin vine style plant, with curled ends on straight segments. There is a green mossy/slimy/oily sludge growing on it, and it's trying to float.

Any ideas?

I'll try to get a better picture, soon, but right now my camera is fighting me.

[Garhan]

Nice try on the plant description, but best done with a photo. As for the slime algae there is 2 approaches.

The quick approach is to purchase some Erythromycin from a Pharmacy and dose with 1 gram per gallon, let sit for 24 hours do a 50% water change and dose again. Let the second dose sit for 2 days and do another water change. Stop all fertilization and elimanate any nirate or phosphate introduction during this process. remove any filter matierial that will absorb the Erythromycin.

The second approach is my favorite, but takes alonger time to complete. Stop all nitrate and phosphate into the tank. What I mean by this is no fertilizing and frequent water changes at 2-3 time per week at 50% of the tank volume. Remove any filter matierial that will absorb and house nitrates or phosphates. So remove carbon, zeolite, amrid, etc....Use fiber or floss filter pads as usual.

The key now is to mess with the algae cycle by altering the light interval on the tank. So, on a 24 hour timer run your lights for 4 hours and then off for 2 hours, then on for 4 hours again before lights out for the next 14hours. This will keep your plants going and slowly the algae will die off.

Garhan

[Garhan]

BGA/Blue Green Algae/Cyanobacteria

This is actually an organism that is more closely related to bacteria than algae but we always lump it into algae for ease of discussion. BGA has many species and forms and causes great angst among planted tank beginners and experienced hobbyist alike. Some forms of BGA grow slow and are very difficult to kill, other species grow very quickly and can overwhelm and "smother" all the plants in short order. I have encountered some especially difficult species that wouldn't die without treating the tank with antibiotics.

Treatment Option 1:

Tank blackout. This method is very effective against most species of BGA. Manually remove as much of the slimy BGA as possible. Then do a large (50-70%) water change and cover the tank with trash bags or thick blankets for 3-4 days. No light whatsoever should enter the tank. Your fish and plants will be fine, some plants like Glossostigma may get a bit "leggy" but you can give it a "haircut" and it will return to proper form in short order. Upon removal of the trash bags/blankets do another 50-70% water change, this helps get rid of all the dead BGA. Dose 10 ppm of nitrate and maintain nitrate at 5-20 ppm throughout the week.

Option 2:

Many times if the BGA is located in just one spot in the tank you can redirect the water current to kill the BGA. Stagnate spots are prime areas for BGA to develop. Generally speaking BGA doesn't like heavy current. Position a power head directed into a patch of BGA and caused it to shrink and even disappear within days. Insuring that water circulation is ample in a planted tank helps redue BGA outbreaks. Dose 10 ppm of nitrate and maintain nitrate at 5-20 ppm throughout the week.

Option 3:

Sometimes aquarists will inadvertently allow nitrate to drop to zero and remain there for several days to even weeks on end. When plants are nitrogen starved the environment is ripe for a BGA infestation. Increasing current and adding nitrate via potassium nitrate additions can often times eliminate BGA under these circumstances, so dose 10 ppm of nitrate and maintain nitrate at 5-20 ppm throughout the week.

Option 4:

Some species of BGA are extremely virulent. Repeated changes in current, blackouts, nitrate additions...nothing is able to fully beat back the BGA. In these extreme cases it may be necessary to, as a last resort, use an antibiotic such as erythromycin to kill the bacteria. Treatment with lower doses or shorter times can lead to not fully killing the bacteria and "could" lead to a more resistant strain. Like the use of any medication this should only be considered after repeated other methods fail. Do a 50-70% water change after the full treatment and dose 10 ppm of nitrate and maintain nitrate at 5-20 ppm throughout the week.

Hope this is more detail and helps out. I borrowed this from another source.

cheers,

garhan

[Tanker]

Appreciate the info. Right after I posted this, I was doing some research on the web and found the 'cyanobacteria' word... and said "hey, there is a post about that on AA! I had not read it yet... but just did.

I guess the biggest culprit is that I recently was playing with the lights, and now have 7.6 wpg over this tank... fun, huh? It is an experiment with the combomba, to see just how much difference "too much" light makes... I had not even thought of it being 99% of the problem. I'll kill the lights, as there is

As for the mystery plant... my digicam is really mad at me so I'll get a decent pic next week, and post it. Stuff sure grows though... in two months it's a hairball the size of a baseball.

I'll follow the Cyanobacteria thread elsewhere, and leave this one alone, then... once I get a decent picture of the plant, I'll post a freshy for discussion.

[Garhan]

I would like to suggest 5.0 watts per gallon down to 2 or 3 watts per gallon is the max and min amount required to grow virtually any plant. 7.6 is very high.

Garhan

[andyg]

Tanker, Garhan.

I came across this the other night. Since this is currently happening in my 50 I'll try it out and let you know.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=18604

Andy