How to get rid of black beard algae

[bentech4u]

Hello Forum,

I am new to this forum and new to aqua scaping.

recently my tank got black beard algae and it is growing.

I have reduced light and still no luck.
Tank size: 90cm and it has CO2

 

[sparkyweasel]

Welcome! 🙂
Please give some information about your tank so that we can aadvise you.
Tank info guidelines here.

Thread 'Please read the guidelines for Algae help!'

27 Apr 2020

Dear Member

Please give as many details as possible regarding your aquarium set-up, when requiring advice/help!

The above will be posted at the start of each help request.
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Copy and Paste the list below...and add your answers to each number on the list!
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1. Size of tank in litres.
2. Age of the set - up.
3. Filtration + Media/Sponges.
4. Lighting and duration.
5. Substrate.
6. Co2 dosing or...

• G H Nelson
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Algae

• 

 

[bentech4u]

Thanks for the response,

Mine is 90 cm, 120 Ltr tank.
New setup. 3 months old
it has external filter, placed under the cupboard
lights : 5 hours
Co2: 5 hours (3 hours before light)

 

[G H Nelson]

If I get Blackbeard Algae, it's due to poor filter maintenance and a build-up of organic waste!
Therefore have a look inside the filter and give the sponges a clean....do regular water changes.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Welcome to UKAPS.
Normally I'd say that you are in the right place and <"we will be able to sort things out">, but BBA is a strange one <"What exactly causes BBA?"> & <"What exactly causes BBA? Part 2 - Bacterial imbalance">.

A "warts and all" full tank shot would also help us in judging plant health etc. I know it is difficult but, just at the moment, you probably need to concentrate on plant health. I really like a picture <"What is the “Duckweed Index” all about?">.

Also do you have a plant list? Some "aquarium" plants are much better suited to <"life under water"> than others.

I have reduced light and still no luck.

lights : 5 hours

I'd probably put the light duration back up, personally I don't see how 19 hours of darkness is going to help and I'd look on 6 hours of light as the very minimum.

it has external filter, placed under the cupboard

If I get Blackbeard Algae, it's due to poor filter maintenance and a build-up of organic waste!
Therefore have a look inside the filter and give the sponges a clean....do regular water changes.

What filter media do you have in your filter? It may seem a strange question, but it is why @G H Nelson asks his question.

Co2: 5 hours (3 hours before light)

Are you adding fertiliser? and if so which one? <"Plant problems - advice please!">.

cheers Darrel

 

[Connswater]

New setup. 3 months old
it has external filter, placed under the cupboard
lights : 5 hours
Co2: 5 hours (3 hours before light)

BBA - some say CO2 dead spots in the tank, so check flow, and that rocks etc., aren't creating dead spots. Rosy barbs will eat it.
BBA often however, appears on filter outlets etc., low CO2, lack of grazing by shrimps etc.,?
Not a lighting issue.
5 hours is as Darrel said too short a photo period, you will damage the plants and shift the bio load advantage towards algae, 7-9 hours is about the usual. I use 7, with 3 of intense light roughly 2 1/2 hours in and 1 1/2 hours before lights off, I use 260 watts of white LED (4000 K and 5,500K) for 7 hours with an additional boost mid photo period currently from a 52 watt for 3 hours (8,000 K), on a 250 litre tank. I get fierce pearling during the intense lighting period, the plants grow quickly and dominate the environment to the disadvantage of algae. But my water is very clean and lean, Nitrate <20 ppm, Phosphate < 1 ppm. CO2 levels between 20 and 25 ppm. I do not have any BBA, I do have some green alage, on bog wood and of course routinely on the glass.
CO2 on before lights is very popular - but not with the fish I suspect, they often experience low oxygen levels towards the end of the dark phase - gasping at the surface, this affects the larger fish more and is a classic red alert. Some folks aerate their tanks for a few hours before lights on. I check regularly for fish distress towards the end of the dark phase religiously. The fish health is our priority.
With a decent bubble rate from pressurised CO2 and decent flow, and a large external, a hang on the back and a small internal, I hit good CO2 levels within 30 minutes of my lights firing up.
Not sure about filter maintenance, filter sludge is good - the mucky brown paste - low flow not so good, that is why pre-filters are now so popular, you can clean them weekly and leave the main media to do its magic for maybe a year with low fish stocking levels.
I would urge strong light, 7 hours a day, plenty of floating plants, good CO2 levels and keep an eye out for nutrient deficiencies - check the theads on the Duckweed Index, just don't put any duckweed in the tank! Lots of floating plants are much easier to manage, Hornwort, Indian Fern and my favourite, Fogbit. Well growing plants quite quickly reduce sensible Nitrate levels. High Phosphate is bad news and low Potassium and Iron are often problems, the latter especially with hard water. If the plants start to fail, they release key nutrients for algae growth.
Algae, certainly green and blue-green, are only a high light issue if duration and intensity is not balanced with nutrients - i.e. in ponds and rivers, often warm Spring days with longer lighting periods, or Summer days with high temperatures and very strong light combined with, high organic load = green algae.
BBA is a bit more of a conundrum I am afraid, but healthy fast growing plants , clean water, and Rosy barbs, will do the trick. Rosy barbs don't appreciate temperatures above the mid-20s and will show distress if oxygen levels are low, they are indicator fish.
Hope that helps, others will no doubt have slightly different suggestions.

 

[Connswater]

My smaller tank illustrates my use of plants, clean water and lighting to fight algae.

 

[Andy Thurston]

My cube had bba on the hardscape. All the plants wear clean and healthy. I did the chemical warfare and it never returned, even when I stopped adding co2 and reduced the light. The tank never had less than 9h of light per day. You can find the details in my cube journal

 

[Andy Thurston]

I used hydrogen peroxide to kill it😂
I can’t remember how much I used but there is a thread about somewhere here with dosing guidelines

 

[Connswater]

My cube had bba on the hardscape. All the plants wear clean and healthy. I did the chemical warfare and it never returned, even when I stopped adding co2 and reduced the light. The tank never had less than 9h of light per day. You can find the details in my cube journal

That's really interesting, most authorities suggest low CO2, fluctuations in CO2 levels and dead areas are favourable to BBA, I don't know, and am unconvinced. My only firm conviction is that lighting is not the issue, I've seen BBA in very low light tanks.

 

[bentech4u]

MIne is still there, I trimmed all the plants which is affected, cleaned as much as i can. chancing water, added more plants. still, it is there

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I trimmed all the plants which is affected, cleaned as much as i can. chancing water, added more plants. still, it is there

Ramshorn snails (Planorbella duryi) will <"graze it off"> over time. <"Asellus aquaticus"> are also BBA eaters.

most authorities suggest low CO2, fluctuations in CO2 levels and dead areas are favourable to BBA, I don't know, and am unconvinced

I agree with you, I'm not sure any of them are relevant. Low flow <"definitely isn't"> a factor.

cheers Darrel

 

[Happi]

@bentech4u​

I am very confident in stating that low CO2 is not the cause of BBA, also see this link.

 

[harryH]

Its horrible stuff. As has been said keep filters well maintained and avoid any detritus build up along with a good water flow. Be vigilant and at the first sight remove by hand. I often cut off leaves and discard and if on hardscape remove and use bleach or H2O2 to soak then rinse well before returning. Obvious steps such as caution with lighting and over feeding too.