# Green fuz/fur algae, very prolific!



## ElodeaC (Jan 7, 2012)

Hey, here are my tank specs:

My shrimps aquarium

10G freshwater
2 6400K 9w FC bulbs in clip on light fixture
Fluval stratum substrate
Aquaclear 20 HOB
Elite radiant 50w heater keeping the water around 23C (77F)
Was using a sponge filter attached to a air pump but removed it
Cleaned 1 per week, 20 to 40% changed because of the algae...

Fauna:
-12 cherry red shrimps, probably all females
-Ridiculous amount of Malasian trumpet snails

Flora:
-Java ferns
-Java moss
-Unknown Vals
-Water sprites

Ferts:
In 200ml of water, dose in the aquarium 5ml x 2times/week
15 gr KNO3 -> 6.07 ppm of N
8.2 gr KH2PO4 -> 3.78 ppm of P2O5
K2O 5.38 ppm (when adding KNO3 and KH2PO4)
1/8 tea spoon Seachem Equilibrium x 1 times a week, after water change

1ml of Excel/per day, in the morming

(Ferst calculator used is this one http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/calculator.htm and the levels I want to reach I took from here http://www.sudeepmandal.com/hobbies/...-planted-tank/)

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Now that its out of the way, I am having this problem with green algae growing like tiny green/greyish hairs everywhere on the plants, decorations, equipments and glass.

I started this tank couple months ago, first I was waiting for the plants that I had ordered but it took over a month to get them. So my tank was running with nothing. I turned off the lights and kept them turned off when I saw these algae appearing in my empty tank.
When I finally put the plants in I had big diatom algae problem. A week after putting my 12 red cherry shrimps in there I didn't have diatoms anymore but the other green fuzz is still there!

Am I using a back type of bulb or are they badly placed? I see that the place where the light doesn't touch my plants are clean of algae.

Also, when I added a sponge filter attached to a air pump, since I read that shrimps liked to graze on it, the out tube was covered in white gunk and was creating whitish goop. So I took it out.

Now I clean my tank once or twice a week, when the algae level is getting ridiculous.

The shrimps don't seem bothered by it since they are active, eat well and are crazy red. Tho I had 2 that were berried and now I don't see them with their eggs anymore.

If you cannot see the pictures here you can go in my album, I loaded them there. You can see that on the things I don't brush as often the fuzz is longer, on the window its thick and tiny, also you can see that the snails went through it without that much effect.

So, what should I do? If i take down the tank and clean everything, will I have to throw away my new plants? The new substrate? Is there a problem with my fertilizing regime?

If you guys have spare time, can you identify the ''worms'' in my tank to? Of course, it this tank, i couldn't have just one problem, I had to have them all!

Thank you in advance for your help!


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

The worms aren't a problem, just the alga. The upper one is a small flatworm (phylum Platyhelminthes); the other is a small oligochaete (phylum Annelida). Both are harmless. 

Sorry, I don't know how to get rid of the fuzz algae other than to set up another aquarium, free of the algae, give the plants a bleach treatment, and move them to the new aquarium.


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## ElodeaC (Jan 7, 2012)

Thank you so much, it is really appreciated that you took the time to answer me 

I was sure that I had to do that, restart it and all. Do you think I can re-use my filters components and such? How do I treat them? I once tried to boil them but that just got me to buy another filter...


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

There may be people on this forum that can give advice on how to control the fuzz algae with various management techniques. I don't know how to do that. I have always kept it out by bleaching tanks, gravel and equipment, if necessary and bleach-treating new plants I have a short article on the bleach treatment here.


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