# What kind of algae is this?



## Raws69 (8 Oct 2020)

Hi  new to this hobby, wondering what this is pls and if there is scything I need to do.... 

Ada 60x45x45 tank around 5weeks cycle
OASE 600t filter
Twin star lights currently on for 7hrs at 70%, with 30min dimmer before/after.
Tropic soil and soil powder
Co2 in-line on the low side re levels (see picture drop checker just as lights are coming on)
Fertiliser TNC complete around 1.5ml daily, with TNC carbon 2ml daily
Currently doing 50% water change every 4 days, moving to every 5 days next week. Then weekly thereafter.
Plants mini sword grass, Christmas moss on bonsai and can’t remember what the others are (planted first week)
Only inhabitants are cherry shrimp, unwanted snails and some hydra which I’ve started treating with “no-planaria”

Pictures attached


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## dcurzon (8 Oct 2020)

Stag Horn
Remove what you can by hand (if you can), or trim off leaves that have it on, or direct dose with Excel (Seachem, not Microsoft) should clear it.

Look into increasing co2, reducing light time, improving flow


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## dw1305 (8 Oct 2020)

Hi all,
Tank growth looks pretty good. You don't need to add the liquid carbon if you have CO2, although it may have algaecidal properties. 





Raws69 said:


> and can’t remember what the others are (planted first week)


A _Blyxa_ sp., _Cyperus helferi or Juncus repens? Eleocharis _sp. and Amazon Frogbit?





Raws69 said:


> around 5weeks cycle





Raws69 said:


> Only inhabitants are cherry shrimp


I'm intrigued by this, when you say "cycle",  what exactly do you mean?

cheers Darrel


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## Raws69 (8 Oct 2020)

I’m cycling the tank in order to build up good bacteria so that I can put fish in the tank. As I understand this is somewhere between 6-8 weeks in duration. Apologies if I’m using wrong terminology.


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## Raws69 (8 Oct 2020)

Yesterday, I replaced the 2nd layer of spong in the filter with soft neo media, so should help with improved flow, otherwise I’ll re-position the outlet to the front of the tank. I’ll prune the affected areas and see where I go with that.  

Cheers


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## dw1305 (8 Oct 2020)

Hi all, 





Raws69 said:


> I’m cycling the tank in order to build up good bacteria so that I can put fish in the tank. As I understand this is somewhere between 6-8 weeks in duration.


Perfect, once the tank has grown in you can add fish. If you are worried about ammonia, you can just let the floating plants grow a bit more.

cheers Darrel


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## Raws69 (26 Oct 2020)

is this still stag horn algae?  Pruned the original pieces, but this seems to come back in clumps.  Is seachem excel safe for shrimp and fry?


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## tiger15 (27 Oct 2020)

It does look like staghorn from the branching threads.  Check this web site for photo and treatment.  Seachem excel is safe for adult shrimp used  according to recommended dosage, but prolonged use will likely affect their reproduction.

https://greenaqua.hu/en/alga-tajekoztato


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## Raws69 (27 Oct 2020)

It does look like stag horn, but I have no ammoni, flow is good oase600t for an ada60x45 tank.  Nutrition should be ok, adding tnc complete daily 4ml.
also is seachem excel not the same as tnc carbon? Which I’m currently using


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## tiger15 (27 Oct 2020)

Excel and liquid carbon is different name of the same chemical, Glutaldehyde.  There are other names too such as Easy Carbon. The only difference is the concentration.  So read the instruction for recommended dosage.    I dose  2 ppm Glutaldehyde  to my shrimp tank occasionally and have not killed any shrimp, but my shrimp aren’t multiplying which can be attributed to a multitude of factors.


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## dw1305 (27 Oct 2020)

Hi all, 


Raws69 said:


> It does look like stag horn


Definitely Stagshorn (_Compsopogon_). You might find with less media in your filter that once this has been removed you don't get it again. We don't know <"what causes it">. 

cheers Darrel


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## Raws69 (27 Oct 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Definitely Stagshorn (_Compsopogon_). You might find with less media in your filter that once this has been removed you don't get it again. We don't know <"what causes it">.
> 
> cheers Darrel


Sorry what do mean by less media in the filter?  I’ve been gradually removing the sponge and replacing with neo media soft.


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## dw1305 (27 Oct 2020)

Hi all,


Raws69 said:


> Sorry what do mean by less media in the filter? I’ve been gradually removing the sponge and replacing with neo media soft


I'm guessing that the <"Neo soft"> is going to impede flow through the filter less than the sponge, leading to <"higher levels of oxygenation"> and potentially <"complete oxidation">. These are unalloyed good things, whatever you may read on the WWW.

We think that Staghorn Algae outbreaks may be more likely where we have higher levels of dissolved organic matter (DOM).

cheers Darrel


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## Raws69 (27 Oct 2020)

Hi. Forgive my ignorance, but “unalloyed”? and in terms of DOM is there anything I can do to test this, or resolve the issue?

cheers


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## dw1305 (27 Oct 2020)

Hi all,


Raws69 said:


> “unalloyed”?


<"_complete and unreserved_">


Raws69 said:


> in terms of DOM is there anything I can do to test this, or resolve the issue?


Testing is problematic, "five day BOD" is the appropriate test, but it isn't the sort of thing you can do without a dedicated lab.

Have a look at <"Do healthy plants...."> for a, fairly complete, description and discussion.

cheers Darrel


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