Strange Black Stuff Growing On All My Plants.

[Wippy M]

It's like a forest of thick black hairs growing on the leaves of all my plants, like a kind of host/parasite situation. This isn't an emergency because all the fish are healthy, and the plants are still in good condition other than having this stuff growing on them. Water stats are all perfect (0,0,0). I am able to pull the black stuff off in clumps but it would take weeks to get every single hair. The various debris in the black hairs is accumulated food and faeces.

 

[Colin_T]

Look up info on black beard algae.
It is a pain to get rid of but overdosing with some plant fertilisers sometimes helps. It releases spores that settle on the plants and grow new filaments so even when you get rid of the stuff on the leaves, you still need to monitor the situation because it will probably pop back up soon after.

 

[Wippy M]

Ah right thanks - the concensus seems to be that it's very hard to elimate unfortunately .

 

[SuperColey1]

That isn't BBA Colin, It is staghorn!!!

Cause : Low CO2 and/or poor water circulation. A tank with overfed fish and accumulated mulm. Dirty filter. Also disturbing dirty substrates without doing water change afterwards.

Removal : Check CO2 levels and make sure you have good water circulation. Reduce feeding, vacuum the substrate and remove mulm. Overdosing Flourish Excel usually helps.

As a guide BBA is very short and fluffy looking, staghorn is more like strands

Good site for algae guide here:

http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

AC

 

[Wippy M]

Ah yes that looks much more like it SuperColey. It can't be the CO2 levels or water circulation because they havn't changed since I got the tank, and the staghorn is very recent. I will reduce feeding, change filters, vacuum the substrate and purchase some of this "Flourish Excel", of which I have never heard before.

Thanks.

 

[SuperColey1]

It can't be the CO2 levels or water circulation because they havn't changed since I got the tank, and the staghorn is very recent. I will reduce feeding, change filters, vacuum the substrate and purchase some of this "Flourish Excel", of which I have never heard before.

How do you know they haven't changed? Have the plants not grown since you got the tank? Growth changes the CO2 levels and the circulation whilst also adding more organic waste. Plants make filters get dirty quicker.

Lots of different variables within a planted tank which need to be assessed as the tank grows. Its not a case of buy a tank, set up equipment, put plants in, leave it for a year with water changes and filter maintenance. As the plants grow you may need to alter the way you get your circulation or inject your CO2 to overcome these ever increasing and unpredictable obstacles (plants that is )


If you are UK then go to Aquaessentials.co.uk and get EasyCarbo instead. Same stuff, different manufacturer, half the price.

AC