Algae ID

[BexHaystack]

Hi all,

Could someone please help ID this algae for me? New setup 54L (about 10 days in), low-med light on for 6 hours daily, no CO2 - only easy carbo being dosed daily, 50% changes every day. See journal here.

When it started it was only on the Hygrophila and for a while it did not spread anywhere else but today it is on almost everything (plants and rocks! I added my first dose of TNC complete last night after the water change, not sure if this is related (there seems to be a lot of conflicting info out there!)



And any advice on what to do with it would be very welcome!

Many thanks,
Bex

 

[tim]

Possibly filamentous diatoms Bex, keep rubbing it off the plants and syphon out with a waterchange, common in new setups, it'll disappear as your tank matures, the hydrocotyle looks like the emersed growth is dying off, trim and remove all the damaged leaves as the decomposing plants will feed the algae.

 

[BexHaystack]

Possibly filamentous diatoms Bex, keep rubbing it off the plants and syphon out with a waterchange, common in new setups, it'll disappear as your tank matures, the hydrocotyle looks like the emersed growth is dying off, trim and remove all the damaged leaves as the decomposing plants will feed the algae.

Thanks Tim, I have been doing my water changes with the lights on the whole time, I saw something (but can't remember where) that implied that water changes should be done with the lights off because of algae - is there any truth in this?

Thanks,

Bex

 

[sciencefiction]

Thanks Tim, I have been doing my water changes with the lights on the whole time, I saw something (but can't remember where) that implied that water changes should be done with the lights off because of algae - is there any truth in this?

I'd say, don't make your life more difficult. It probably doesn't make any difference. Diatoms are extremely common in new setups. It's due to lingering low levels of ammonia not taken up efficiently by plants and filters. Just keep cleaning it up, gently rub the leaves you can save, etc... Eventually it will run its course when the tank establishes. How long it takes depends on the tank, could be two weeks, or two months, etc..

 

[tim]

Thanks Tim, I have been doing my water changes with the lights on the whole time, I saw something (but can't remember where) that implied that water changes should be done with the lights off because of algae - is there any truth in this?

Thanks,

Bex

Yes Bex, it's supposed the fluctuating co2 levels can trigger algae, when I was a new hobbyist I followed this advice, I could only change water very early before work or very late after work, needless to say I only changed water when I was off and had no end of algae issues, untill reading the advice on ukaps of ceg 4048, just change the water, a clean tank is more important in the inhibition of algae IMHO than worrying about when or if you can change the water, in an ideal world do it just before lights on so the plants have excess co2.

 

[BexHaystack]

Thanks for you advice guys, I've given everything a good clean today and will continue with the daily water changes for now and see how it goes...