# How do we fight this algae? or is there a way?



## FernMan (Jun 4, 2006)

HI...

This might have been addressed before but not knowing the algae name not sure ...

I've uploaded a photo I saw in a blog, same algae now and then. It's sort of under control, but have had episodes where is went crazy. Many crypts succumbed to it and other beauties. 

Read that keeping the ferts. up descourages algae growth, is there any other measure that can be taken? 


Thanks,


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Algae is Black Beard Algae (BBA). BBA and Cladophora are the worst algae you can get. Congratulations.

Fighting when established already: Frequent water changes. Manual cleaning. Excel. Styphodon sp. gobies.

Prevention: Consistent water changes. Styphodon sp. gobies. Amano shrimp.

You have some source of organics that this algae feeds on. Scraping it leaves "roots" inside the leaf or plastic and the algae will come back. Don't overfeed, clean all dead leaves, remove damaged leaves, fish that stir the substrate help feed the algae.

Playing with nutrients up or down does not work. Blackout does not work. Altering the flow may work, but usualy doesn't. Tearing up the entire tank and restarting may not work either.

Prevention is the best approach.

--Nikolay


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

Any shrimps not really going to do any thing to it. Shrimps can only take care those BBA that our eyes can not really see. Good thing it is on your wood take it out and use Acid Buffer by Seachem... such big black one would turn white to red or even grey, that means they are dead. Sprinkle on top with direct contact and it should only take you less than a min to see something happen. Some people here also use H2O2, which it work for some and you can try that too.


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## armedbiggiet (May 6, 2006)

forgot to mention that once they are dead let your algae eaters take care the rest. Now Amano shrimp can really do some damage on them.


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## MrSanders (Mar 5, 2006)

As was mentioned prevention is the only way to fight BBA. In my experience BBA almost always comes about when flow is poor, and CO2 levels are not consistent. In order to keep it from continuing to grow you MUST be sure to have good water flow to all parts of your tank... and you MUST maintain a consistent level of CO2 through the photo period. Some ways to accomplish this are power heads, larger filters, adjusting your filter out flow to eliminate dead areas. Also starting CO2 to come on and hour or two before lights come on, and using a efficient method to dissolve the CO2 into the water almost always improve things.


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## FernMan (Jun 4, 2006)

Thank you all for the great advice... yes it is on the wood.... I've been doing some of the suggested presented and it has become spotty... now the H2O2 suggestion works wonders!!!! the algae begins to bubble like crazy and it seems like the fish must pick on what ever the odor is being produced and start eating like if they are having a salad feast!!!! amazing. But I can only get some sections while it is in the water, so taking the drift wood out and treating it will be the sure thing... I haven't seen it on the leaves much, seems that the CO2 level has taken care of that side of the coin....

Sure the spores will be there waiting for the proper environment to grow and prosper again, maybe I can use it as a proper parameter tank indicator... hmmmm anyone care for some??? I offer it free of cost.. you pay shipping!!! LOL


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Use excel to get rid of BBA. Dose it with a syringe slowly directly over where it is growing. It turns red within a day and dies.


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