A tank can experience algae in bacterial blooms during the first months after setup. If you have a small bowl without any external filtration then you need to be reduce the bioload to the bare minimum, otherwise the system might not cope with it. You need to provide more details about your setup, including the water change regime. At this stage you should actually be worried about the livestock, because a 3-4 week small bowl without filtration should have plants in it, not fish.This is in my planted bowl, it's only about 3-4 weeks old so I was expecting algae but I don't know what this is and I'm worried that it's slowly gonna choke everything (...)
I don't have any flow except a few 1" fish and 3 cherry shrimp. I'm using Tropica ferts and liquid carbon. This is the bowl pre-algae...
I get what you're saying and I realise that's why I didn't get much response to this thread but I really just wanted an ID on the algae. I didn't think all this info would be required for someone to recognise the type of algae from a picture? I'll happily use the search function to figure out the solution if someone can tell me what this algae is.Need more information!
Dear Member
Please give as much detail as possible regarding your aquarium set-up, when requiring advice/help!
1. Size of tank in litres.
2. Age of the set - up.
3. Filtration.
4. Lighting and duration.
5. Substrate.
6. Co2 dosing or Non-dosing.
7. Fertilizers used + Ratios.
8. Water change regime and type.
9. Plant list + When planted.
10. Inhabitants.
11. Full tank shot and surface.
I've followed MD Fishtanks procedure on YouTube, he's done several bowls like this with fish in cycling. I changed water every day for the first week, slowly reducing it, I'm currently changing 50 percent every 3 days. I've got a thick substrate layer, for biofiltration, much is made up of inert gravel, there is some aquasoil and a thick layer sand to reduce leeching... And as you can see the bowl is heavily planted including floating plants.A tank can experience algae in bacterial blooms during the first months after setup. If you have a small bowl without any external filtration then you need to be reduce the bioload to the bare minimum, otherwise the system might not cope with it. You need to provide more details about your setup, including the water change regime. At this stage you should actually be worried about the livestock, because a 3-4 week small bowl without filtration should have plants in it, not fish.
The reason why "all this info" is required is because it is often quite hard to identify the type of algae from a picture without any context about the tank, and even harder to understand what caused it without knowing the details of the setup. In short, without "all this info" you will only get guesses. If your goal is only a visual match then you can <start here>.I get what you're saying and I realise that's why I didn't get much response to this thread but I really just wanted an ID on the algae. I didn't think all this info would be required for someone to recognise the type of algae from a picture? I'll happily use the search function to figure out the solution if someone can tell me what this algae is.
Afaik, MD uses mature substrate, gravel and hardscape from his other tanks in his new setups. So, he is actually not doing a classical fish in cycling. If you are using new substrate, then you are not using the same procedure as MD's. Having a heavily planted bowl does not mean you should introduce livestock right away. You will need to keep up with the water changes. Has MD showed the usual algae and bacteria that appear during the initial setup of a tank? These are often edited out so that new tanks are always algae-free and pristine...I've followed MD Fishtanks procedure on YouTube, he's done several bowls like this with fish in cycling. I changed water every day for the first week, slowly reducing it, I'm currently changing 50 percent every 3 days. I've got a thick substrate layer, for biofiltration, much is made up of inert gravel, there is some aquasoil and a thick layer sand to reduce leeching... And as you can see the bowl is heavily planted.
much response to this thread but I really just wanted an ID on the algae. I didn't think all this info would be required for someone to recognise the type of algae from a picture?
I think we would like to help, but as @Konsa says it is difficult to be sure, but my guess from looking at the picture is that it isn't algae, it is "fungal" in the widest sense and that normally relates to damaged plant tissue . It might be from the EasyCarbo, or it might be a nutrient deficiency.pics are quite unclear so can't really comment on the algae but I will really be careful with Easycarbo as rapid melt on plants and their roots is often a result of misuse of such products in high concentration .I haven't really seen such plant melt due to algae yet in my experience.
I don't have any flow except a few 1" fish and 3 cherry shrimp.
Keep up the water changes because of the livestock, personally I'm not keen on <"sacrificial fish / in tank cycling"> and I would remove them. You don't need <"an ammonia source to cycle a planted tank">, so there really isn't any reason to potentially expose them to high ammonia levels.I've followed MD Fishtanks procedure on YouTube, he's done several bowls like this with fish in cycling.
Nope not on this forum....you need to clean off any bacterial growth on any wood, or get some other form on inhabitants that will eat the bio film/bacteria/fugal growth!.the consensus on here was it should be fine anyway. I have been wondering if the driftwood is the cause...
I think we would like to help, but as @Konsa says it is difficult to be sure, but my guess from looking at the picture is that it isn't algae, it is "fungal"
Hello @ZeeDeveelKeep up the water changes because of the livestock, personally I'm not keen on <"sacrificial fish / in tank cycling"> and I would remove them
I tried the sticky to get a visual match but I don't see anything that matched it and judging by some reactions in here it's clear it's not obviously a common algae. I'm beginning to think Darrell is right and it's a mix of fungi/mould/detritus. MD only shows algae in tanks that he's neglected AFAIK and is doing a rescape video. YouTube is super misleading. I didn't have any mature substrate but I did use overdoses of bacterial starter (for what it's worth)The reason why "all this info" is required is because it is often quite hard to identify the type of algae from a picture without any context about the tank, and even harder to understand what caused it without knowing the details of the setup. In short, without "all this info" you will only get guesses. If your goal is only a visual match then you can <start here>.
Afaik, MD uses mature substrate, gravel and hardscape from his other tanks in his new setups. So, he is actually not doing a classical fish in cycling. If you are using new substrate, then you are not using the same procedure as MD's. Having a heavily planted bowl does not mean you should introduce livestock right away. You will need to keep up with the water changes. Has MD showed the usual algae and bacteria that appear during the initial setup of a tank? These are often edited out so that new tanks are always algae-free and pristine...
I'm happy to keep doing water changes every 2-3 days for the next month or however long it takes. In my defence MD Fishtanks says you need the fish in to cycle which is why I did it, he says without the fish the bacteria will starve.Hi all,
I think we would like to help, but as @Konsa says it is difficult to be sure, but my guess from looking at the picture is that it isn't algae, it is "fungal" in the widest sense and that normally relates to damaged plant tissue . It might be from the EasyCarbo, or it might be a nutrient deficiency.
Personally I'd turn the light intensity (and light period) back up, and that would at least allow you to exclude lack of light as an option. Salvinia is adapted to <"full tropical sunlight"> and has access to atmospheric CO2, you aren't going <"to fry it"> whatever happens.
Keep up the water changes because of the livestock, personally I'm not keen on <"sacrificial fish / in tank cycling"> and I would remove them. You don't need <"an ammonia source to cycle a planted tank">, so there really isn't any reason to potentially expose them to high ammonia levels.
You also have the issues of no water movement and a <"large volume to surface area ratio"> which in both cases is going to limit dissolved oxygen levels in the bowl.
cheers Darrel
I've scrubbed a lot of it off now so this isn't the best picture but it's the best I've got available. Hopefully you can see the white fluff on the wood which does seem to be attaching to the roots on the Anubias!Woods often produce a bacterial or fungal film on its surface when submerged... it is difficult to see from your photos if there is such film in the wood and in the plants.
View attachment 182671
I created a thread and several people said its most likely fine to put it in without sterilizing as I had no way of doing so. Then when I got this fungi most people seem to say just leave it and it will take care of itself but I am now diligently removing any trace of it.Nope not on this forum....you need to clean off any bacterial growth on any wood, or get some other form on inhabitants that will eat the bio film/bacteria/fugal growth!.
hoggie
Thanks I'm beginning to suspect it'd the fungi too as it doesn't obviously look like a common algae and I had a lot of fluff growing on the wood.Hello @ZeeDeveel
I also suspect it's fungal.
And, yes, your livestock are very unlikely to survive unless you act soon. They are literally swimming in their own waste, which is toxic. At the very least, use an air pump and air stone to bubble some oxygen into the water.
JPC