# Which kind of algae?



## Elroy (11 Jul 2022)

Hi,

Due to my condition of being uninformed or uneducated I now got myself some kind of algae. It looks like this: 





A while ago, In the "Lighting discussion", I sought advice regarding Chihiros WRGB II Pro light, which I acquired recently. Didnt know it is as strong as it turned out to be. I was too slow to adjust it to a level where I didnt ruin the plants. Had it going at the following positions: Red:105%, green 85%, blue 65% white 50%. Way too much intensity. Guess I have to learn the hard way. Since yesterday the light level is at a more reasonable level (I hope): Red:45%, green 40%, blue 45% white 45%. Maybe still too much? Since friday some plants looks like the one at the photo. They are covered in something black. Cant identify it propperly from any photo on the internet. Maybe you can help me out?

Can any identify what kind of algae the "black" on the plants is - and what to do to get rid of it? And while I was reading about algae, I often ran into the phrasing "Lean dosing method" What does that mean?

*My reference looks like this:*

• Juwel Rio 350 - well planted. Not heavy but not minor either

• Lighiting: Chihiros WRGB II Pro, Red:45%, green 40%, blue 45% white 45%, 8 hours a day, (sync with CO2)

• River Stone Modul K from Rock Zolid as filter, filled with Bioelements and two kinds of sponge  with Oase OptiMax 800 powerhead

• The filter above will in a short while be replaced with: Juwel internal filter - 1000L/hr pump (Sponge (fine and coarse sponge), purigen, Eheim Substrate Pro) (top right towards top centre)

• Pressurized CO2, Drop checker is green

• Tunze 6020 powerhead turns on when CO2 is on for better circulation, and turns off when light is off for fish to rest.

• Dosing 6 ml of Tropica Specialised Nutrition on a daily basis .

• 12 five banded barb - They will soon leave

• 12 red phantom tetra

• 9 Siamese algae eater

• 9 Corydoras sterbai

• 4 Bolivian Ram

• 2 Apistogramma Macmasteri Red Mask - To arrive soon

• 12 Cardinal Tetra - To arrive soon - If the space is there


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## _Maq_ (11 Jul 2022)

Elroy said:


> Due to my condition of being uninformed or uneducated


... but I envy your strooong teeth 🤣


Elroy said:


> I now got myself some kind of algae.


It's cyanobacteria, I believe.


Elroy said:


> And while I was reading about algae, I often ran into the phrasing "Lean dosing method" What does that mean?


I understand it like this: Maq


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## Elroy (11 Jul 2022)

Thanks for reply 

Must read about it. Thought at first it was BBA - hopefully its not. Cyanobacteria is "more easy" to deal with, as far as I know

Forgot to say that last time I mesured, nitrate and nitrite was zero. Ph was 6.8 and KH was approx 13. Phosphate test kit will arrive the day after tomorrow.


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## Elroy (11 Jul 2022)

And water changes once a week - approx 30%


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## tigertim (11 Jul 2022)

Cyno top right hand side, BBA underneath with the black leaves ?
The lighting may well be the issue, way to much messing about and variables, people should just stick to 6500k (natural daylight) lights, start at 7 hours in a new tank and take it from there ie up the level when tank is settled and things are on track.


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## Elroy (11 Jul 2022)

tigertim said:


> people should just stick to 6500k (natural daylight) lights, start at 7 hours in a new tank and take it from there


Thats just what I asked of in the "light  discussion" earlier. So when talking about Chihiros WRGB II Pro light, what settings to use in order to hit 6500-7000 Kelvin? There is no manual and I have found nothing on the subject on the internet, so far.


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## tigertim (11 Jul 2022)

Elroy said:


> Thats just what I asked of in the "light  discussion" earlier. So when talking about Chihiros WRGB II Pro light, what settings to use in order to hit 6500-7000 Kelvin? There is no manual and I have found nothing on the subject on the internet, so far.


Thats a bit off if nothing available from the manafactuer, i remember another thread on Chihiros lighting, i tried to recommend Fluval Plant lighting which i use, might be more costly but no messing about needed.


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## Elroy (11 Jul 2022)

Im not interested in a light which I dont own. Im intetested in which settings to use in a light I do have. Sry, but thats the way it is.


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## Elroy (12 Jul 2022)

Hello,

I just stumbled upon this, which I want to share:

The Cyano bacterium has existed on Earth for 3.5 billion years. In the first half of earth's existence, it has been alone in the world and has thus been able to survive all natural disasters, which otherwise have struck many other species to death. Forget about exterminating it in the aquarium, it comes back with the water that becomes replaced and it's airborne, so it's everywhere, so to speak.

Even if you believe you don't have cyano in so think again, it's always there, waiting only for conditions that allow it to spread its slimy cover. Even if you can't see it, for example, it's in the bottom layer, it can take a stage where it exists under anaerobic conditions, i.e. oxygen-free conditions when there is a lack of light. If it receives light, it can form on its own oxygen and thus thus exist both in aerobic and anaerobic conditions. All it needs to could make a living, is water and carbon, so that it can exist like any other anaerobic bacterium, and is corroded say as such when there is no light present.


*The Hydrogen peroxide method. *If you want to help the algae a little on the way, it is possible to add 10 milliliters(ml) of 3% hydrogen peroxide per 100 liters of water (3-3.5 ml if using 10% hydrogen per 100 liters), (Both dosages correspond to Hydrogen peroxide. 

Less than 5 mg per liter is considered safe for both fish, plants and bacteria in the aquarium and biofilter, so it is a very weak solution used. Let the hydrogen peroxide seep out at the outlet of the filter/pump for a quick distribution in the aquarium. Hydrogen peroxide in that concentration is completely harmless to fish, plants and shrimps, etc. But do not spray it directly on plants and animals, then it is definitely not harmless, therefore, add it in the filter or pump outlet.

The addition should take place for a period of 1 - 2 weeks, it is a daily addition and the best effect is achieved by adding the hydrogen peroxide in the dark period, i.e. when the light is turned off in the aquarium, this is related to the fact that hydrogen peroxide is decomposed by light. The dosage is per time. You have to be careful with Hydrogen Peroxide, as it is a very powerful oxidizer, which will minimize the organic part with which a reaction is carried out and in principle it will work more strongly with each supply/dosage.

The actual dosage will have an effect for about 6 hours, then under normal conditions the effect will be "burned out", and you can in principle add a new dosage every 6 hours, but as mentioned, you must be aware that there will be less and less material with which the Hydrogen Peroxide will react and thus the effect or efficiency of Hydrogen Peroxide will increase, see any underlying warning, it will clearly be more gentle to follow the standard dosage as indicated by a daily allowance and the risk of unintended action will be very minimal.


*Blackout.* A blackout is best done with 5-6 layers of newspaper, which are tightly taped around the aquarium both along the side windows and at the top, so that the aquarium is completely hermetically closed to the inflow of light, the advantage of the newspaper layers, is that it is completely light-tight unlike black plastic bags, blankets, sheets, etc., which are permeable to light will not have it desired effect. No CO2, fertilizer and feeding during a blackout.

Before the blackout begins, what can be done manually is removed by soaking up the algae with a suitable bottom sucker, as well as from leaves and wherever else it is located. Subsequently, change 50% water and darken the aquarium completely, add the hydrogen peroxide and thus the cure continues until the blackout is removed, here again 50% water is changed and added subsequent hydrogen peroxide and the cure continue. CO2, as well as fertiliser addition, is omitted in the blackout period, but immediately resume the blackout is over.

What do you think of this - is this the way to go?

Cheers Elroy


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## jaypeecee (12 Jul 2022)

_Maq_ said:


> It's cyanobacteria, I believe.


Hi @_Maq_ & @Elroy 

I suggest that it's not cyanobacteria. To my eyes, the photo shows a black powdery deposit on the plant leaves. It looks more like fungus. But, I know very little about aquarium funghi. So, I searched to see what I could find:






						Freshwater Fungi
					

Freshwater Fungi.org is a website dedicated to the taxonomy and classification of the class Freshwater Fungi.




					www.freshwaterfungi.org
				




It's not much but it's a start!

JPC


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## _Maq_ (12 Jul 2022)

@Elroy, I'd suggest be careful with hydrogen peroxide. It works but in many instances you do more damage to the plants than to cyanobacteria.
@jaypeecee, you may well be correct. Still, I rather believe it's cyanobacteria.
And @Elroy, would you provide more pics so that we could judge better?


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## jaypeecee (12 Jul 2022)

Elroy said:


> The addition should take place for a period of 1 - 2 weeks, it is a daily addition and the best effect is achieved by adding the hydrogen peroxide in the dark period, i.e. when the light is turned off in the aquarium, this is related to the fact that hydrogen peroxide is decomposed by light.


Hi @Elroy 

Research has demonstrated that the use of hydrogen peroxide is most effective in eradicating Cyanobacteria in the presence of light.  May I ask where you obtained the information that you have quoted? But, as I said earlier, I don't see evidence of any actively-growing Cyanobacteria. It is possible that there are tiny fragments of Cyano (typically Oscillatoria) in your tank but they are unlikely to grow unless provided with the right conditions. So, let me ask - which water parameters have you measured and what figures do you have? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate are all important. Water pH, KH and GH would also be helpful.

JPC


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## jaypeecee (12 Jul 2022)

_Maq_ said:


> @jaypeecee, you may well be correct. Still, I rather believe it's cyanobacteria.


Hi @_Maq_ 

I'm happy to be proven wrong. Which genus and species of Cyanobacteria do you think it is?

I need to go offline now. Back a bit later.

JPC


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## Elroy (13 Jul 2022)

Hi,

This will be a short reply, as Im on my way to work - again.

Some minor things have happend since my last post. I didnt do anything exept adjusting a bit on my waterflow. It now runs with more power than before (and a bit longer) and I also  turned down the Chihiros light a bit. It now have following percentage: Red 40%, Green 35%, Blue 40% and White 40%. Thats it.

The result is visible.  Some (just some) of the black(ish) coating has dissapered. Pls see attached pics. And some of the leaves are looking quite "fresh" again - like the ones in picture 4 + 5.

The "thing" I stumbled upon and posted came from this web-page: USB - Akvarie Artikler  | USB Gødning ApS - Google translate to get info 

I do water changes once a week - approx 30%.  Temperature 24 celsius, PH: 6.8, KH:13, GH: 20, Nitrate: 0, Nitrite: 0, Phosphate? - test kit arrive later today. Daily  I dose 6 ml Tropica Specialised Nutrition - maybe too small an quantity?

Cheers Elroy


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## Elroy (13 Jul 2022)

And I do have CO2 - Lime green Drop checker


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## _Maq_ (13 Jul 2022)

Elroy said:


> PH: 6.8, KH:13


Tillmans chart says: CO2 72 mg/l. ... ????? ... I'd rather believe some of your measurements are imprecise. Couldn't it be that your pH is a bit higher, about 7.2?


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## Elroy (13 Jul 2022)

Could be. Ill test later tonight with another kit. The one I used is one which is not precise - colour pick, if you know what I mean. Ill be back


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## Elroy (14 Jul 2022)

Just done testing the phosphate level. The measure say zero phosphate in the tank. And I wrote earlier, that the result of the adjustment on the waterflow was visible - there were less black(ish) coating on the leaves. It turns out it was a optical illusion. So still black leaves. 

@_Maq_  did you have a closer look at the ekstra pix I provided? And btw I will test the PH tomorrow, as it is too late now.


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## _Maq_ (15 Jul 2022)

Elroy said:


> @_Maq_  did you have a closer look at the ekstra pix I provided?


Yes, and I still believe it's cyanobacteria. Far from sure, though. Can you remove that blackish coating easily?


Elroy said:


> Just done testing the phosphate level. The measure say zero phosphate in the tank.


Phosphorus belongs to the group of nutrients which get adsorbed in the sediment and assimilated by microbes. These processes are a natural part of phosphorus cycling, and plants can uptake phosphorus through their roots.
The point is that if you measure zero phosphate in the water column *it does not mean necessarily* that there is not enough phosphorus in the tank, available to the plants.


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## Elroy (15 Jul 2022)

Wondering if I add to little amount of fertilizer? I add 6 ml Tropica Specialised Nutrition on a daily basis. Shall I increase the quantity or shall I add Premium nutrition aswell or just keep things as they are?


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## Elroy (15 Jul 2022)

_Maq_ said:


> Can you remove that blackish coating easily?



When I rub the black on the leaves it wont come off. Its stuck - as I am - between a rock and a hard place


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## Elroy (15 Jul 2022)

delete please


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## _Maq_ (15 Jul 2022)

Elroy said:


> When I rub the black on the leaves it wont come off. Its stuck - as I am - between a rock and a hard place


Then I was most likely wrong. Cyanobacteria is always easy to remove. That's good for you because cyanobacteria is hard to get rid of.


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