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Problem Algae on Leaves

G

Greenview

Member
Joined
12 Jun 2011
Messages
196
I would really appreciate some help with the algae that has appeared in my tank. A short while after changing the position of my CO2 diffuser (to get better CO2 distribution) I noticed what seemed to be a couple of tufts of BBA on the rocks at the front of my tank. I increased the CO2 slightly, but this nearly gassed my fish so turned it back a touch (it has always been lime green in the drop checker). I also overdosed Easycarbo (2-3x dose) directly onto the hardscape and did daily water changes for a few days (I had recently disturbed the substrate quite a bit). I continued this for 2 weeks (though had to miss a couple of days because I was away). The hardscape algae improved but some algae began appearing on the plants, although this could be controlled with careful pruning of affected leaves.

After 2 weeks I had lost an Oto or three, and assuming this was the Easycarbo I stopped. I also returned to weekly 50% water changes. I have been a little busy over the last couple of days and have not been able to prune the leaves that well and now find what I assume is BBA on quite a few leaves in different arts of the tank (see photos below). There is also a little thread algae on moss.

img1874r.jpg

img1871lc.jpg

img1869cx.jpg

I know a couple of these leaves are damaged, I am about to prune them, but they make the best photos.

So: is this BBA?
Any suggestions as to what I should do to clear it up?

Tank: 180 litre
Light: 90W T5 with reflectors for 5 hours
CO2: pressurised at 5bps with lime green dropchecker
2x Eheim 2217, Koralia 1800lph and another 900lph powerhead. Many of the affected leaves are in areas of high flow.
Ferts: TPN+ 6ml, TPN 3ml daily

Thanks
 
Any fluctuations in the tank can cause algae, like moving the co2 diffuser, putting Easycarbo in (bad idea) or disturbing the substrate to much or as you said experimenting with how much and turning it up and down. Most tanks do have algae, it is a natural thing, you just need to control it.

Keep everything at a constant steady level like co2, lights, water perams, or as close to ready constant and correct as you can. Maybe start using Flourish Excel, that helps get rid of basic algae problems like yours. Manually remove as much if it as you can with a toothbrush or something else and it should go.
 
Spyder, thanks for the algae identification, I had not noticed the branching nature in the tank itself, the magnification in the photos does make it clearer.

Emyr, why Excel and not easycarbo? I thought that they were much the same thing. Easycarbo was great at killing the stuff on the rocks, but I was concerned about overdosing it for too long.
 
They are pretty much the same thing. Maybe saying bad idea was a little extreme aha. I know people who have used EasyCarbo and said that it doesnt work and that Flourish excel is a tried and tested Algae prevention fert, that according to most is the best one. I have used it with a similar algae to yours in my tank and using the technique that I wrote above it went within a week. Overdosing it is the bad idea. That is another fluctuation that isnt good. Dose excel with a capful every day, manually remove it, large water changed, keep your water perams as constant as possible.
 
Greenview said:
Spyder, thanks for the algae identification, I had not noticed the branching nature in the tank itself, the magnification in the photos does make it clearer.
Click to expand...

I've seen lots of Staghorn I've gotten used to it. I find it tends to crop up after moving plants, disturbing substrate and being slack with maintanence. I once double dosed daily with EC and after a few days it turned reddy pink, I presume the oto's ate it after that.
 
Stability was hard over the last couple of weeks as I was away for a few days each week. Should be easier to achieve now. Will keep on with the EC for another couple of weeks and keep trimming and hopefully should win. Think it was a substrate disturbance that did it: I was having lots of trouble with dead spots to flow and had to move a couple of rocks and build up the substrate in one section, I guess there was quite a spike of ammonia despite large water changes. It was all essential tank work though.I am quite new to a planted tank so it is all helpful experience. Thanks both of you.
 
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