Staghorn or Blackbeard?

hi all,

Over the last couple of weeks I have been having some problem with either staghorn or blackbeard algae growing on my amazon swords and dwarf hairgrass. I'm just looking for some help in identifying exactly what the algae is, and some tips in how to combat it.

My tank is 125 litres, and the current stock is 9 black phantom tetras, 7 zebras danios and 1 bristlenose pleco. Light is on for approximately 6 hours a day. In terms of fertilisers I very rarely use any.

Many thanks for your help!

Looks like black brush algae, but it doesn't really matter because all "problem" algae is due to the same thing and is resolved the same way.

Problem algae (algae that increases as it covers plant leaves suffocating them and killing the plant) is caused by an imbalance of light and nutrients. Plants require light of a certain intensity and spectrum to drive photosynthesis, and if this is provided, they then require the essential nutrients to feed them. As soon as any one factor is no longer balanced, plants are disadvantaged, photosynthesis will slow, and algae takes advantage.

If you could provide data on your light (be as specific as you can), and a photo of the entire tank so we can see the plant numbers/species, we should be able to work this out. The duration is OK at face value, but we need to know the light. And the fish load will clue us in on whether or not fertilizers may be necessary.

thank you for your reply, the light is the standard one which came with my Roma 125, I believe it is a 10 watt light. I've attached some pictures of the full tank.

Thanks!

GJF said:

thank you for your reply, the light is the standard one which came with my Roma 125, I believe it is a 10 watt light. I've attached some pictures of the full tank.

Thanks!

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You definitely need plant additives (fertilizer) for this tank. The plants are all fairly rapid growing, which means higher light and lots of nutrients. The light we will assume is OK, but as you said no ferts are being added this should be remedied.

The swords will greatly benefit from substrate tabs. I use and highly recommend Seachem's Flourish Tabs; one tab close to the crown of each of the two sword plants, replaced every 3 months. The nice thing about this tab is they do not release nutrients into the water column, which means algae cannot benefit. However, liquid fertilizer is also advisable because of the other plants. Substrate tabs alone will not be as effective here.

Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium is one, Brightwell Aquatics' FlorinMulti is another; these are much the same, complete nutrient supplements with the nutrients in the required proportion to each other. I use the Flourish Comprehensive, either will do. Ensure whichever is exactly the one named here, as both manufacturers make several products in their respective line and some can be outright dangerous.

Just to add to Byron's post, in the UK, TNC Lite is another good liquid fertiliser.

Thank you both for your replies, I take it seachem flourish excel is to be avoided?

Definitely. Its main ingredient (glutaraldehyde) is a powerful disinfectant. Something used in embalming fluid and to sterilise surgical equipment has no place in a tank with fish.