Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF

Last edited by on Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:57 pm; edited 1 time in total

charley
Not so New-Bee

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 10:36 am

Hi everyone. So just as I was thinking that all the problems with my tank were behind me -(cycled with fish so fish died, did loads of water changes till everything was ok, added more fish, got bacterial bloom, did loads more water changes Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 011

Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 011

) I now seem to have something else wrong.

I looked in the tank this morning and saw some of the fake planys are covered in fine browny grey hairs, some about 2.5cm long.

At first I thought it was a bit of fish poo becaus I just saw a bit at first, but now I can see it's all over the place?

Is this algae? Is it a problem? Why is it happening? Any help would be great!

Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:53 pm

kbekl
Frequent User!
Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Caged-cat-and-canary

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:51 am

what you should have done when the fish died was a fishless-cycle

but it sound like it could be hair algae but not 100% sure

what fish do you have now

Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:54 pm

munchycarrot
Moderator
Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 524341764474de0211d70d

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:58 pm

Just read this...

About.com wrote:

What is Brown, Diatom or Golden Algae?
Referred to as a microalgae, brown or golden algae is actually not an algae at all, but diatoms. What you are actually seeing in your tank are diatom skeletons, all linked together. It can appear as a simple dusting on the tank walls and substrate surfaces, or it can turn into a massive growth that covers just about everything in the tank. This type of algae outbreak typically occurs when a tank is just completing or has finished the nitrogen cycling process

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Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:55 pm

charley
Not so New-Bee

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:09 pm

kbekl wrote:

what you should have done when the fish died was a fishless-cycle

but it sound like it could be hair algae but not 100% sure

what fish do you have now

I couldn't do the fishless cycle because I still had some fish left and no where else to put them.

I've got 5 red plattys and 5 harlequin rtasboras.

Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:55 pm

charley
Not so New-Bee

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:14 pm

munchycarrot wrote:

Just read this...

About.com wrote:

What is Brown, Diatom or Golden Algae?
Referred to as a microalgae, brown or golden algae is actually not an algae at all, but diatoms. What you are actually seeing in your tank are diatom skeletons, all linked together. It can appear as a simple dusting on the tank walls and substrate surfaces, or it can turn into a massive growth that covers just about everything in the tank. This type of algae outbreak typically occurs when a tank is just completing or has finished the nitrogen cycling process

Thanks munchcarrot, but I'm not sure this is what it is. I have looked at Mary's pictures of the diatoms but this doesn't look like that.

It's more like long individual strands of greyish stuff. When it's at the top of one of the plants it sort of flows out from it as if it's a piece of cotton floating. I know that sounds daft but it's the only way I can describe it!

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Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:58 pm

Gypsy
Newbie

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 1:41 pm

Try this page and see if it helps, its a good page for algae problems and also on how to deal with it.

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

Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:58 pm

Looking at it it's either Staghorn algae or Oedogonium. For both of these it could be down to low CO2 (what would cause that??), but also says overfed fish (that's possible Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 085

Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 085

) and poor tank cleaning, but I am careful about cleaning the tank and gravel so I dont think it could be that.

It says to does with Flourish Excel but is that ok with fish as I dont have any live plants?

Sorry to keep on asking questions Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 001

Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 001

Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 8:59 pm

driver
Frequent User!
Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 1117962917474c7809d0b48

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:29 pm

I may be way wrong here but i think a low co2 could be caused by overoxygenating the tank? Do you have an air bubble going a lot?

This is only a guess by the way so wait for someone who knws what they're talking about to come and tell you Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 003

Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 003

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Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:00 pm

charley
Not so New-Bee

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 4:38 pm

so how do you measure co2 in a tank then? Are you supposed to? I'm just checking my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate as well as the ph, isn't that enough?

I can cut back on the feeding because I probably am overfeeding them, but if it's down to co2 I don't know what I am supposed to do about it?

Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:00 pm

kbekl
Frequent User!
Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Caged-cat-and-canary

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 4:43 pm

you can do a couple of things but the best thing is to have a lot of surface agitation which allows the gaseous exchange to take place ie swap carbon dioxide for oxygen

ways to do this are add a airstone or move the outlet of the filter closer to the waters surface

Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:01 pm

GUPPY
Not so New-Bee
Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF 1363914436474dc0f314d48

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:56 pm

If this algae is caused by a low co2, then perhaps if you have an air stone you can stop using it for a bit and see what happens. Just make sure your filter agitates the water slightly to provide enough oxygenation.

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Subject: Re: Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Fri Dec 14, 2007 9:02 pm

Gopherboy
Frequent User!
Is this algae? - transferred over from CAF Helm

Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 11:03 pm

Its probably staghorn

Its very common in new tanks, but you need to be sure really.

Lots of water changes means lts of new/fresh chemicals going in which is utter heaven for algae.

Too much light (on for too long during the day) is a prime cause, so get a plug timer and set it to have light on for 8hrs a day.

Airstones are only a problem if your sure you have low co2, co2 can be calculated using your pH and KH but its easier to buy a kit or a so called drop checker. You want 15-20ppm for good plant growth,

Another common algae issue is too much food for the fish, so cut back on the quantity. You can also consider algae eating fish, as you now have algae, these fish are a good thing to go for but not all these fish will eat all algae so you may need to get different ones for different jobs.

Staghorn likes phosphate, my guess is you have 3ppm or more in your tapwater. If you remove all the phosphate using removal media in the filter, you will eradicate the staghorn, great i hear you cry, but the downer is youll get pea algae on the glass instead and this is hard to remove.

Keep pulling off the staghorn with your fingers or use a brush. Also, seachem flourish excel is a liquid co2 fert that when used at double or triple the normal dose, will kill algae.

if you have real plants, you may want to consider a co2 system, but they can be expensive, if the tank is relatively small, you can build your own and produce your own cos with yeast, look online for instructions on this or you can buy small co2 kits from lfs for about £20 a pop that have refils to save on agro

Algae is a complicated thing and a whole website could be made to cover it.

So before rushing out for co2, try cutting down on food n light, and something else to consider is just buying more fast growing plants that will use up the excess food/light available to the algae.

You could try just having the air going during the night (when plants cant use co2) and see if this helps, but if the fish start to look unhappy with this, turn it back on again.

hope this helps, im off to get treatment for my repeatitive strain injury now

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