# Need help identifying and getting rid of this algae



## jordan821516 (Sep 4, 2013)

Hello everyone. I've had aquariums in the past but never planted. Set up my first planted tank 4 months ago and have had algae issues ever since. I've tried reducing lighting and also adding more lighting to no effect. I was fertilizing under the pps system but have stopped that and not just add flourish twice a week. No noticeable change there either. I have also tried to add more flow to my tank thinking that I wasn't getting good nutrient distribution. Still nothing. That being said I don't know the exact type of algae I have and may be going about it the wrong way.

Here is my setup :
100 gallon
216W T5 lighting - 2 6000k and 2 roseatte(on for 8 hours)
Two fluval 406's
Pressurized C02(drop checker is always green same as the reference solution)

Fish :
16 Rummy nose tetra
13 Diamond tetra
11 Serpae tetra
4 Colombian tetra
4 Cory cats
7 Octo cats
1 Bushy nose pleco
1 small angel

Ammonia : zero
Nitrite : zero
Nitrate : 0 - 5ppm

I've included some pics...any help would be awesome!


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Black beard algae mixed with at least one other kind. Due to not removing organics.

Increasing the CO2 will not do anything to the BBA. Your two canister filters are not enough to clean this size tank. Read the 'Filtration' section for insight how to setup a good biofilter and how to establish the best water flow pattern.

From your description it looks like you do not have substrate in the tank. From the pictures it looks like you do but I might be wrong. Teasing you so you understand that certain things in this hobby cannot be skipped. What do you think will change if you add a substrate that helps the plant growth AND the also acts as a biofilter?

Reducing the amazing professional fertilization that you have started from the beginning is not a good idea. The plants have relied on it to grow. Algae will grow too if ferts are in the water and a few other things are not right. PPS will not tell you this but now you know how it goes. So figure out what you want to do from now on so you don't see the same problems again.

It seems that along with the BBA you may have Cladophora. That's the worst algae you can get. Doing everything right (filtration, clean tank, very good plant growth and no excess ferts in the water) will become very important if you want the Clado to go away some day.

Start off with 10-15% water changes every other day. Depending on how dirty your tank is you will see the BBA change color after a few weeks of frequent water changes. That will tell you that your tank is starting to become indeed clean. The Clado will not die so easily...

Also: Find the best biofilter media and throw away whatever you have in those canisters. Leave the mechanical filtration (the sponges). Make sure the flow pattern is such that all the plants gently wave in the current (no need for increased flow rate if you set it up right). Feed the fish every other day and mainly dry food (frozen pollutes too much).

Good luck.


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## jordan821516 (Sep 4, 2013)

Hi NIko thanks for the reply. Where to start? So I used Eco-complete substrate. Like I said I have never had a planted tank and it seemed like a fairly straight forward substrate to start with and had pretty good reviews from people who have used it. Perhaps this was not the best substrate to start with. I'm sure that aquarium filters are over rated on flow volume but since one 406 says can handle up to 100 gallons I thought for sure 2 of them would be plenty. Again perhaps this was a false assessment. Maybe it is enough to keep the water parameters in check but not the organics?

Currently I do a 40% water change once a week. I used to do 2 smaller changes a week and then went to one. Do you think that smaller more frequent water changes would be more beneficial than a once a week larger water change?

Also one last question. I have the fluval 406's, one on each side of the aquarium, with their output nozzle's pointed toward the center of the tank so that the two flows meet in the middle. Would it be better to have both output nozzles on the same side of the aquarium directing the water flow all in one direction?

Thanks,
Jordan


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Lets be honest here clado never really goes away. Your best bet is manual removal. Luckily I don't think you have clado, looks more like hair algae to me. Clado tends to fork, branch and grow in small mats but hair algae is long and wispy and can curl up on itself if the currents are right.

Hair algae dies off with extra nitrate addition (which you should be adding anyway since the plants can't get it from anywhere else), and BBA dies if you spot treat with flourish excel (use 3x the recommended daily dose NOT the initial dose).

As niko said a lot of this comes from filtration issues and organic buildups. You can get rid of the algae (cover up the issue) with the methods I mentioned but you can't solve the issue until you address what niko talked about.

I think 40-50% water change per week is fine. 

Eco-complete is actually a relatively inert substrate. It doesn't have a lot of nutrients in it as far as the plants are concerned. You'll need to dose all their nutrients in the water column.

If you aim both nozzles so they meet in the middle you'll get a lot of dead spots. Better to have one aiming down the front panel of glass and one aiming down the back panel so water swirls around the entire periphery of the tank. Double check niko's thread though he is the go to guy on filtration on APC.

A lot of starting up a planted tank is trial an error as you learn what they need. You aren't doing too badly at all and you seem to have the equipment you need. There are a lot of philosophies on how to grow plants, if you have chosen one method like EI or PPS-pro or Soil based then you should stick to the guidelines that describe that method. If you don't then you tend to run into issues like you are having.

Also, welcome to APC


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## jordan821516 (Sep 4, 2013)

Thanks guys,
For now I have turned the right side flow down the back of the aquarium and the left side pointed down the front. I cant definitely now see movement of the tank water is circular and almost all my plants are moving some from the current. I also restarted pps fertilization. Also have taken Niko's advice and been doing 15% water changes every couple of days to see if this will make a difference. Although now when I look closely at my water I can actually see tiny green threads of algae floating in my water. I know this can't be a good thing. Any suggestions? Would changing the light duration help or hurt?

Thanks


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## Luminescent (Aug 14, 2013)

You can use the 'siesta' method where you leave the light on for 4 hours- do a 3 hour 'rest' and then on again for 4. 

As algae takes longer than plants to get its photosynthesis 'motor' charged up. The 'siesta' interrupts the algal photosynthetic period.

Also, I would definitely try to get at least 7 or so nice long cuttings of fresh (green) willow branches and stick them into the substrate along the back of the tank.

And pick up a few bags of Flourite to mix with your Eco-Complete.


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

About the motor startup, this is absolutely not true. If anything it is the opposite. It takes a while before plants start photosynthesizing properly and algae can do it almost immediately. The reason why a siësta works in some tanks is if the CO2 is too low after 4 hours, it can recharge during the siësta. So this method only works if your CO2 supply is faulty to start with or no CO2 is added. In all other cases it will more likely than not induce algae because of the reason mentioned above. Follow the other advices


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

I'm more with Yo-han on the siesta idea. I've read a lot of posts about it and I remain unconvinced. Its more one of those experimental ideas rather than a mainstream staple of growing plants. There are other more tested and well documented ways of dealing with algae that you should try first.


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