# Not sure if it's algae... or something more sinister!



## mad_frankie (Nov 5, 2010)

Hello all,

Hoping I can sponge some help here. 
I've had a highly successful planted tank for my Axolotls for a number of years now with no issues. Just recently however, something grey, green and furry started growing on the leaves of my plants and rapidly spread to plague proportions. It seems to be indiscriminate at to which plants it attacks and I now have it on various species of Anubias, Java Fern and Amazon Sword.

When it first started taking over the tank I immediately ceased all ferts in the hopes that it would die off; it appears to have slowed it down, but not stopped it.

I've attached some pictures of what it looks like in various stages of development on the plants, hoping someone can identify it and tell me what to do to get rid of it!




























Any help is much appreciated!
Thanks!

Frank.


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## DVS (Nov 20, 2005)

Its BBA (Black Beard Algae). Usually associated with inadequate CO2, and/or inadequate NO3, based on light intensity. Since this tank has been successful for a number of years, can you think of any changes lately


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## mad_frankie (Nov 5, 2010)

Thanks DVS, 
Because it's an axolotl tank I have always been limited in what I can add to the tank in terms of CO2, Flourish Excel is about the best I've been able to do as many of the normal methods are harmful to caudates.
Light intensity is very low - a single 40W fluorescent tube that's on for 5 hours a day, again because the axolotls can't deal with too much light. 
The only change I can think of is a new piece of driftwood was added and may have been carrying it. Perhaps I didn't clean it well enough prior to introducing it to the tank...

I ceased adding Flourish and Flourish Excel when the algae started taking over as I thought (clearly I was mistaken) that it was possibly feeding on the fertilisers. 
Perhaps if I removed the axolotls temporarily and started a high-dose course of the Excel it might help? 
Is there a 'standard' way to deal with this type of algae?


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## DVS (Nov 20, 2005)

My "standard" way of dealing with any algae is improving plant growth by making sure CO2 (excel, in your case), NPK and traces are sufficient based on light levels. I'm not seeing anything obvious in your post that would lead to a new algae problem in an established tank. The 40 watt bulb is a T12? How old is it? What size tank? T12s lose about 20% of their effectiveness over their total life span. Could it be possible your lighting has fallen to the point it will no longer sustain plant growth. I would suggest 5 hours is a very short lighting period, but you say you have had success with it in the past. I'm kind of at a loss to explain the change in your plants' health, and I do believe this is where you're problem lies.

The excel treatment will get rid of the BBA. If it was just a fluke that BBA started, the problem likely won't return. If it's a systemic problem, you'll end up back where you started. I don't know a thing about Axolotls, so am a little reluctant to offer too much advise.


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## mad_frankie (Nov 5, 2010)

Thanks again, DVS.
My light is a Hagen 'Aquaglow' 40W florescent tube and the tank's 150L. I'll have a look at replacing the tube and go with the Excel treatment. Hopefully that will put things back in order.
Thanks for your help!


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