Green Slimey Film Algae

[Sime]

Ive had it appear during the day while I've been at work - mainly over my cabombas. Its like a green film of slime over the leaves but its also covering some of my swords leaves. It's growing very fast as its bubbling, there are lots comming off it.

It comes off easily but grows back easily too! All I can think is maybe my posphates are a little high - but i havent got a test for them. I know my nitrates are high - 55 - 60 but im battling to lower them at present.

Anyone else experienced this?

Simon.

 

[charmd2]

The dreaded hair algae. Frequent water changes, add co2 if you're not using it and you're over 2 watts a gallon. turn the lights off for a two or three hour break in the middle of the day. Use timers to control lighting so it only gets x amount of hours a day.

Best way I've found to get rid of it, seriously, was a three day black out, covered the tank with a blanket so no residual light would get in, before hand I scrubbed off as much as I could and did a massive water change. after the blackout, I scrubbed off as much as I could again, and did another massive water change.

I dropped my lighting down to about 1 1/2 watts a gallon from three because I don't have the equiptment or devotion to mess with co2, and do four hours on, three hours off, four hours on lighting during the day.

I no longer have an algae problem.

Or it is small enough the bristlenose plecs can keep up with.

Is that rambling enough?? I'm sleepy. IF you have any questions or it doesnt' make sense ask away, I'll be back in oh several hours, and I'm sure others will be around to answer too.

 

[Fat-cat]

Sounds like it coud be cyanobacteria, aka blue-green or green slime algae. Try searching for algea post, there are some really goods ones here that good help you get a better id.

 

[Sime]

thats sounds like it fat cat - its not hair algae (ive got rid of that luckily)- hence the slimey film. ill do a search and see what i get.
thanks

 

[Nospherith]

perhaps "blue-green" algae? I had that stuff, and it grew really fast. It forms a film over plants and substrate usually a sign of low nitrates. Got rid of it with Maracyn (sp?). Fat cat's right it's a cynobacteria so you need antibiotics to kill it.

 

[Sime]

ive read up on it (thanks for the help above).

it isnt on the gravel as yet, but everything else sounds like it. My pH is 7.8 - and it says its favors high PH levels.

funny thing is that my nitrates are high so i wouldnt have thought this would cause it.

I'm a bit cloudy on what to do about it, shall i try a blackout or more water changes or something else?

thanks for the help - very useful

 

[iggy01]

Cyanobacteria can be difficult to deal with.

This link gives you several options to try. If you decide to do a blackout, turn off your Co2....... if you have any.

Good luck.

 

[Waterloo Kid]

I've got BGA at the moment and am about to start dosing nitrates to raise my nitrate reading from zero. Although BGA is synonomus with excess phosphates I'm sure that an excess of both phosphates AND nitrates will also lead to algae growth.
I've found that BGA is sensitive to low light levels. recently I had to lower my tank lighting from 2 x 54W T5s and 2 x 40W T8s to just the T8s. The BGA decreased dramatically within days. Once all lights were back up and running the BGA was back within days too!
I'd concentrate on lowering the nitrates and phosphates and check whether you have enough fast growing plants to mop up excess nutrients. Check your tapwater for nutrient levels, keep up with regular water changes and look into getting some phosphate resin or something. Don't use antibiotics. It'll kill this lot but the problem will reoccur pretty quickly. You'll also increase the risk of getting resistant strains of BGA.
By the way, my pH is at 6.6 and the BGA is everywhere so it looks like it's not that picky when it comes to water conditions!
My potassium nitrate arrived in the post today so I'm looking forward to trying the nitrate dosing.

Good luck with your battle.

WK

 

[Sime]

keep me posted with your trials too!

i have just slightly over 2wpg, no CO2 and virtualy all of my plants are fast growing.

I have a bag to lower nitrates in my filter which lowered it by around 30 / 40 - its still high though. i think ill do a water change once a week - but how much should I be taking out each time?

I had great success at lowering phospate with a tea bag you float for about 6 week - cant remmeber the name but it completly got rid of all hair algae in the past, so maybe its because i dont use it any more - typical none of my kits have a phospate test in them.

ill put the lights on for less time over the weekend - did a water change yesterday - and will lower my phospate and see what that does, then report back.

Simon.

 

[Waterloo Kid]

Try adding CO2! Seriously, even with a DIY reactor and the CO2 simply bubbling through an airstone my plants went bonkers! Unfortunately that's left me with weekly pruning chores!
The whole DIY thing cost me about a fiver (airline tubing, check valve, air stone, sugar, yeast, bicarb, empty 1.5 litre bottle and some silicone sealant I had around the place to seal the tube to the bottle)
Definitely worth a go. Just watch your pH. It may drop some depending on your KH.


WK

 

[Sime]

ok Waterloo Kid i might try that!

i have an old air stone and pump lyng around here, and plenty of pipe - did you find instructions on the net anywhere? ive seen a lot, but none for someone who doesnt know the first thing about CO2 - how much to add etc - and how to make a CO2 filter!

Simon,

 

[Waterloo Kid]

Load of instructions everywhere. Do a search on this site. If the instructions aren't in a thread then there will be a link to some in one of them.

WK

 

[Ob1]

iggy01


A very good link - thank you

 

[iggy01]

iggy01


A very good link - thank you

No problem Ob1.

I found it quite useful myself when I was fighting cyano!

 

[Bangin]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but low water circulation will lead to BGA.

Lower those nitrates! They shouldn't be so high in a well planted tank.