# Algae appearing on Vallis



## justissaayman (14 Jun 2013)

Hello All

I have a little community tank in my daughters room and I have noticed a little bit of black algae on the Java Fern which has never spread so it was never a concern.

Of late my Twisted Vallis has started getting this same black algae on its tips, I shall upload a picture tonight. Is there anything wrong or what can I do?

Specs: Aqua One AR620, with a little ADA Substrate and covered with Unipak Fine Gravel
Filter: Stock 550lph filter with good flow around the tank.
Lights: 2x 18W Stock lights (on for 8 hours a day (10 - 6) and recently changed to 7:45 to 4+- due to work commitments.

Since the tank was set up in April I have been dosing a full bell from the Ista CO2 cans daily (occasionally missing a day in the first 4 weeks).
Mid April I started dosing 0.75 and moved up to 1ml of Easylife Profito
Beginning June (this month) I started dosing Easylife Carbo at 0.5ml for a few days, then 0.75ml and now for the last 3-4 days 1ml of EasyCarbo whilst also filling the ISTA Bell 1/2 way as I want to just finish it so I can take it out.

Could this be caused by the (what I can only assume) increased CO2 levels in the tank?

Lots of photos available (wil take black algae pic tonight): Flickr: infernox224's Photostream


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## ian_m (14 Jun 2013)

James' Planted Tank - Algae Guide

I have this as well, I  either treat with neat liquid carbon, if on something that it can be applied to or just remove the affected leaves.


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## justissaayman (14 Jun 2013)

Thanks Ian, Ill be removing those leaves then on the vallis, Can I just cut the affected part of the leaf on the Java fern as it is my mother plant?

Also:

Should I just drop the Ista system all together now so I can stabalise the CO2?


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## ian_m (14 Jun 2013)

justissaayman said:


> Can I just cut the affected part of the leaf on the Java fern as it is my mother plant?


I snap mine off right at the base of the plant.

Read about it here A general guide to plant maintenance | UK Aquatic Plant Society

"To remove a leaf just slide your hand down the leaf stem to the crown and gently pull the leaf away from the crown. Do not snap the stem as this will rot and look unsightly. Try to push down on the crown with one finger whilst pulling the leaf with the other finger. You don't want to pull the whole plant from the substrate! When you have removed the leaf you should see a white fleshy bit at the very base of the leaf stem."



justissaayman said:


> Should I just drop the Ista system all together now so I can stabalise the CO2?


I assume this is one of those CO2 things with an inverted CO2 bubble in, just seen in your photos. These were invented to cause money transfer from your wallet to the manufacturers at a high rate, mean while causing algae due to poor CO2, forcing an even higher money transfer rate 

If you are happy dosing liquid carbon, that is a fine albeit not cheap way of supplying carbon.

The algae therefore, I suspect is due to poor plant health due to either too much light and/or not enough nutrient and/or not enough carbon and/or poor nutrient/CO2 distribution.


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## justissaayman (14 Jun 2013)

Thanks again Ian. Ill be taking the Ista system out tonight then as dosing the EasyCarbo is cheap and easy for me and a bottle is going to last ages. Would 36 watts in total for 8 hours be too much in essentially 72 liters of water (90 liter tank - the stuff inside)?


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## ian_m (14 Jun 2013)

36Watts in 23 gallons (US) is 1.5Watts/gallon so not in major high tech league (starting 2watts / gallon), but you could try reducing hours on to see if it keeps the algae away, though this light level for that long is not excessive. Most plant problems (and algae) are caused by way too much light for the levels of CO2 and nutrients present in the tank.


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## justissaayman (14 Jun 2013)

I have a strange feeling the varying levels of CO2 and the longer days (sunlight through the window) could be driving this. I shall look at reducing light.


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## justissaayman (15 Jun 2013)

Ista system is out and I tried to spot dose onto java fern to no avail whilst the water was low nd filters not on. Did a good clean up of plants and the vallis is thriving. Happy days

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## aliclarke86 (15 Jun 2013)

It might take a day to see improvement after spot dosing


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## justissaayman (17 Jun 2013)

The BBA on the one leaf started turning brown yesterday. I had to dose another leaf and then cleared off quite a few leaves after the fact as well.


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## justissaayman (24 Jun 2013)

BBA on the dosed leaves are gone. Need to do one or two again and then we gold!


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## aliclarke86 (24 Jun 2013)

As long as you have fixed the problem so it won't come back 

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