Stag Horn Algae

[Wombat]

I may have made a school boy error and have managed to grow some Stag Horn algae

I think the mistake was trimming my Montecarlo far too low at the same time as massively cutting back my Rotala Wallichi. I further compounded that I think by adding some more fish around the same time.

The Rotalla Wallichi is now growing back so I might have the upper hand again with increased plant growth but my Montecarlo is taking it's sweet time growing back where I'd scalped it.

• I've been manually removing the algae as best I can
• Reduced photo period to 6 hours
• Removed my reflectors
• Been changing 20% water every couple of days (in addition to my weekly 50% change
• Reduced ferts (because of low plant growth due to plants sulking from being scalped & shorter photo period)
• Added a couple of Nerite Snails [which I'm pretty sure ignore the algae, as do my Amano Shrimp & Ottos]
• started cleaning my external filter once per week instead of once per month or so.

I am loath to blitz my tank with chemicals such as Excel but will resort to chemical warfare if I have to.

The algae isn't increasing very noticeably although it's now trying to grow in my hairgrass & montecarlo as well as on my rocks where I'd first noticed it. It's easy enough to pull out with my fingers as it's quite strong stuff and doesn't break apart too much.

Is there anything I should do differently or am I on the right track with the measures I've taken so far?
Also, am I right in how I managed to introduce the algae in the first place?

Edit: Tank Stats -
Juwel vision 180
2 x 35w t5ho bulbs
Crystalprofi e1501 external filter
Hydor 1600 lph power head
Pressurised co2 via in line diffuser
EI fertilisers

 

[zozo]

Depends on how bad it gets but using peroxide as spot treatment with a syringe works pretty good on staghorn and is relatively safe to use.. Just chase all critters away before admistering it, it will distroy their gils if they inhale it purely. It's a chemical alright but when its done reacting it just turns back into oxygene and water. If you see it bubbling it's already harmless and you might see shrimps or oto's go on top of it.. Or use a litle spray dispenser bottle on staghorn which is emersed during a water change. Most plants take it very well, tho some mosses may turn brown if you use to much or to often at the same spot. Also be carefull with the true aquatic plants if you have any, most of them are not so font of peroxide nor excel. Slightly over dosing excel also kills it off, but affects the whole tank at the same time, it might cause some plants to melt.
Spot treatment with excel works also ofcourse, but i experienced mosses and some plants don't take that very well, peroxide is a less agressive spot treatment.

The staghorn will die and go pinky in color, at that stage it is a snack for shrimps and oto's they will eat it..

Introducing some floating vegitation something like salvinia is easy to control and very effective, could give better results, it dims the light intensity naturaly and it takes up excess ferts. Might be more effective than reducing ferts and dimming the lights manualy. With floating vegitation you can keep up with the fert and co2 regime and other plants have it readely available if needed. Staghorn loves fluctuations in co2 and fert regime, so keeping this steady in the firts place is a pre.

If you have densly planted bushes in the corners, inspect these very closely inside the bush, staghorn likes to hide and thrive in those low flow dead pockets between plants and infest leaves. Especialy if you see strains of staghorn float around and have no idea where they come from, they come from such places. That's also how staghorn likes to spread around, it can grow long strains, till pieces break off and float around and end up in another plant to grow on. Up filter cleaning.. When i had it, i remember my filter was always full of it.

Good luck..

 

[Wombat]

Thanks for the advice zozo. Much appreciated

Where's a good place to acquire peroxide?

 

[zozo]

Usualy every pharmacy has it in small botlles, see the label it should only contain water with 3% peroxide. (content: Aqua, Hydrogeni peroxidum) and nothing else.. Mostly the pharmacy version for desinfections like wound cleaning is pure peroxide.The one for dental use or hair dye is likely mixed and probably no good.

DIY markets usualy also have peroxide 3%..

 

[Wombat]

Quick update: I found even more algae hiding in my Eleocharis and in my Monte carlo. I could pull it off my monte carlo but not off the Eleocharis so I gave the hair grass a good trim in a few places. I also reduced the photo period down to just 4.5 hours per day. Ferts are still about 25% normal dosage and lights still without reflectors. I have also upped my co2 - now running a fire extinguisher so I have plenty of gas in reserve (I was burning through a sodastream cylinder every 3 weeks previously).

The Stag Horn appears to have got the message and seems to be losing the battle.
Probably helped no end by my Rotala Wallichi bouncing back and growing furiously again.

Will keep you posted...

 

[Wombat]

As promised here is a quick update.

It's worked. I cannot see any more stag horn algae. There was 1 lone bit on a rock for ages. I couldn't be bothered to remove it so I just left it. It didn't grow, it didn't shrink. Eventually I just scraped it off.

It wasn't a massive outbreak so it wasn't like I was struggling against a huge amount in the first place, although there was quite a bit hidden in the carpet plants.

Anyway, if anyone else is interested, this was how I got rid of it in just 3 weeks. No extreme blackouts. No chemicals were used either.

By the way, I went back to just once per week water changes after I reduced lighting to 4.5 hours per week. Purely laziness as it happens but it didn't seem necessary to do any more at that amount of light.