# Algae heritage



## Manuel Arias (18 Oct 2015)

Hi all,

Well, after reading many posts about algae, I found that many people start from scratch when facing an algae problem that they do not manage to solve, so they decide that dropping off that tank and start again is better than fighting an uncontrolled or persistent algae.

Thinking about this, the easiest way is to use all the stuff you already have: The lights, the already established and cycled filter, and basically all the equipment, so in essence you only change the plants and hardscape (maybe), including possibly the soil.

Under this situation, I wonder what is the best approach. I mean, by keeping the established filter for instance, or part of the equipment that was in the former tank, we could be just introducing the seeds for algae in the new setup.

What do you think about this? Is likely you will suffer the same problem or you think that the new setup is a faster solution to the problem meanwhile you also correct any potential mistake you did in the previous tank?

I think is interesting to see what people thinks or experiences they have. 

Cheers,


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## AndyMcD (18 Oct 2015)

I'm really interested in this question too. 

I'm about to do an upgrade to a larger tank and it would be a lot cheaper / I'd have a much bigger plant biomass day one if I moved the plants from my old tank to my new one. 

I understand some people dip the plants in bleach. If so, what is best to do (concentration and how long)?

I considered cutting off all the leaves from the crypts and just transferring the roots. It would avoid them melting. You may avoid transferring algae on the leaves. Plant biomass may not be there day one, but they'd grow back quite quickly.

However, as Manuel says, I will have to transfer the mature filter.


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## Martin in Holland (19 Oct 2015)

Algae are already in the water and in the air, I've tried to just get a bottle with RODI water and put it in a nice sunny spot to see if it would get algae....guess what?.....it did, so IMO no matter what you do (although I'm sure it'll help) with you plants, filter, substrate and what ever, you will have/get algae in your tank, the challenge is to not let them grow  out of proportion and make your tank look ugly (some people might even like algae).
First it's best to get down to the problem before starting a new scape, otherwise you bound to end up braking it down again due to algae problems.


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## Edvet (19 Oct 2015)

Martin in China said:


> Algae are already in the water and in the air


Those spores are everywhere!


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## ian_m (19 Oct 2015)

AndyMcD said:


> I understand some people dip the plants in bleach. If so, what is best to do (concentration and how long)?


I have used diluted liquid carbon to remove algae (mainly BBA) from plants, works well.

I finally "dunked" the last plants during this weekends water change, after a minor BBA outbreak due to me over feeding (or fish getting picky and not eating some types of food) a couple of weeks ago. This morning the BBA had gone red/pink and was being picked off by my Otto's (and other fish).

If the liquid carbon solution is too strong it will kill the plants as well, so a bit of experimenting is needed, probably around 25% liquid carbon 75 % water is what I mixed.


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## EnderUK (19 Oct 2015)

I've decided that Algae is part of my scapes, but then I'm lazy. If you have a algae farm, stripping the tank down and doing everything exactly the same so you don't fix the problem means chances are high you'll have another algae farm. Find the cause of why you're getting algae in the first place.


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## rebel (20 Oct 2015)

It certainly would be disheartening to have a persistent problem such as spirogyra etc. A total reset might be a good thing more for psychological benefit than anything else. I've never had to do it in my short involvement in the hobby.

As a partial reset, I would consider 1-2 punch, 1-2-3 punch and finally 1-2-3-4 punch treatments a possibility but at risk to your livestock and filter.


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## BruceF (20 Oct 2015)

It is popular around here to do a treatment of excel (glutaraldehyde) followed by a treatment of h202, treating the whole tank.


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## Manuel Arias (20 Oct 2015)

BruceF said:


> It is popular around here to do a treatment of excel (glutaraldehyde) followed by a treatment of h202, treating the whole tank.



Thanks for the idea BruceF. Just a question, is that not too aggressive treatment? Do you apply also to the filter? The latter situation will harm clearly the pre-established colonies of bacteria...


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## parotet (20 Oct 2015)

I use both Excel or H2O2 for treating algae on my tanks. But I always use it n spot treatments, with a syringe or with a brush (in both cases with the filter off or in emersed conditions during water changes). Actually if you have a serious problem with algae all over your tank, Exvel and H2O2 are not the solution. In spot treatments I use what I need (thus very low amounts) and as a rule of thumb I never use more than recommended for my tank volume. 
I think Excel and H2O2 do not harm the bacteria in your filter unless it is used in massive amounts, but I have realized that shrimps are not happy in the longterm with these products.

Jordi


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## xim (20 Oct 2015)

Martin in China said:


> Algae are already in the water and in the air, I've tried to just get a bottle with RODI water and put it in a nice sunny spot to see if it would get algae....guess what?.....it did, so IMO no matter what you do (although I'm sure it'll help) with you plants, filter, substrate and what ever, you will have/get algae in your tank, the challenge is to not let them grow  out of proportion and make your tank look ugly (some people might even like algae).
> First it's best to get down to the problem before starting a new scape, otherwise you bound to end up braking it down again due to algae problems.



Since I've replied in another thread that we may have to seed BBA to get it in our tanks.
I feel that I've to respond.

Have you found filamentous algae in the bottle? IME, I have not.

Apart from Oedogonium, I don't see any familiar filamentous algae in the list here, including 
Rhodophyta (BBA). May be someone can spot the other ones.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=yrFG32oSWhcC&pg=PA56#v=onepage&q&f=false

Even for Oedogonium or Cladophora which is listed in some researches as being airborne.
I still think they are short-range. And the reason most of them are cosmopolitan is just
because they're very ancient.

But I agree that overtime you will definitely get algae, hitchhiked from plants and animals.


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## BruceF (20 Oct 2015)

I assumed you were still talking about restarting the tank so I also assumed you would remove all the livestock so I wasn't concerned about that. 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/23-algae/203684-one-two-punch-whole-tank-algae-treatment.html


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## dw1305 (20 Oct 2015)

Hi all, 





EnderUK said:


> I've decided that Algae is part of my scapes, but then I'm lazy. If you have a algae farm, stripping the tank down and doing everything exactly the same so you don't fix the problem means chances are high you'll have another algae farm. Find the cause of why you're getting algae in the first place.


You haven't got algae, you've got the highly beneficial and beautiful (see below) "periphyton" or "aufwuchs". 

I'm pretty lazy as well, and due to a certain amount of benign neglect I now wish that all the tanks that grew a bit more periphyton. 




 



 

cheers Darrel


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## Chris Jackson (20 Oct 2015)

I think a minor degree of algae is a natural part of a scape so the only problem is when it gets out of hand. I also think we're better off working through an outbreak to find a solution rather than stripping the tank and starting afresh. So much more can be learnt that way. 
A cylced, established filter is a wonderful thing and not to be discarded lightly, algae or not. I reckon that for a re-scape re-use the filter and keep a good helping (1/4-1/3?) of the old substrate as well...


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## parotet (20 Oct 2015)

This is beautiful! I'm pretty sure this will be trendy soon or later.

Jordi


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## Nelson (20 Oct 2015)

parotet said:


> This is beautiful! I'm pretty sure this will be trendy soon or later.
> Jordi


Bet you couldn't grow it if you wanted to .


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## parotet (20 Oct 2015)

Nelson said:


> Bet you couldn't grow it if you wanted to .


I can imagine dedicated threads such as "what's the secret for growing lush green thread algae in my tanks?". "How to attach green algae to driftwood" "my green algae is not doing well". And of course, hundreds of post discussing about co2, light and nutrients optimal levels. LOL... We are weird people! 
(We will be definitely crazy the day we will pay in vitro algae!)

Jordi


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## xim (20 Oct 2015)

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2004/show102.html




This one is Oliver Knott's.
http://www.pbase.com/image/38632659


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## EnderUK (22 Oct 2015)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> You haven't got algae, you've got the highly beneficial and beautiful (see below) "periphyton" or "aufwuchs".
> 
> I'm pretty lazy as well, and due to a certain amount of benign neglect I now wish that all the tanks that grew a bit more periphyton.
> ...


Pretty sure my first goldfish bowl of death looked like that, when it gets to the flowing mossy stage it does look very amazing


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