# Removing Cyanobacteria or similar



## Dave_m13 (May 10, 2005)

Hi I have had my tank for about a year now, i haven't really had too much problems with algae but in the past month or so I have started to see a black substance cover Vallis at the tops of leafs and also on the powerhead and slate. 

I am not entirely sure what it is but it feels very oily on the plants and is pretty difficault to remove from the plants. From the powerhead I just scrub it off, it does take a while to come back so i have not been to bothered about it. Its just very annoying as I do not want to add any new plants as i will just grow on them. 

At the moment due to Clown loaches and several other loaches I only have vallis as this seems to be the only thing they do not eat or uproot. 

Any ideas on what it could be and how to remove it, i also seem to be scrubing the tank every week to remove Green spot algae anything good to get rid of this.

Thanks
Dave


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

That sounds like Black Beard Algae, not Blue Green Algae/Cyanobacteria. BGA is easily removed and grows quickly. BBA is more slow growing and attaches firmly to a surface. Is the stuff growing in little clumps that look kind of like tiny bushes? 

If it's BBA your best best is to remove the affected leaves and give any hardware a strong bleach treatment. You can give more hardy genera like Anubias and Echinodorus a brief bath in a dilute bleach solution to kill the algae on them as well. Mix up a 1:20 ratio of bleach:water and soak the plants for a minute and a half then rince very well. If it's not too bad right now cutting the affected leaves of is better for the plant. 

Regards,
Phil


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

As Phil says, it sounds like BBA. Are you adding CO2? If so, make sure it's cranked up around 30ppm and it's steady. If not CO2 start using Excel. Both scenarios will go a long way towards keeping it under control. Also try to get an SAE or two, they will eat the stuff. Good luck.


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## Dave_m13 (May 10, 2005)

Hi Thanks for the information. 

I am not really sure what it is really, I have tried to locate pictures of what it maybe on the web but so far have not been able to locate anything similar. It is very slow growing but it has started growing on rocks now, turning them gradually black. I can take them our and give them a good clean but I would rather try and get rid if possible. 

I do not use CO2 as I do not have many plants in this tank, only Vallis at the moment as its the only thing that stays rooted and I have a powerhead near surface that produces alot of oxygen. What is Excel? Do you mean florish excel (Sorry do not know). It grows at the top and around the edges then I cut the plant back so you cannot see it. 

I wish I could get some SAE but i think I am pretty much stocked at the moment. When I first initially got the tank I got a Flying fox thinking it would be the same as advised by lfs bt it does not do anything other than chase Tiger Barbs around. 

I have in 200 litre tank

7 tiger barbs 
flying fox
3 clown loaches
2 zebra loaches
3 glass catfish
1 clown pleco
2 hillstream loaches

Thanks

Dave


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Yes, Excel is Flourish Excel. There are a lot of reports from people who use it or have used it to get rid of algae issues. Do a search here, you should find some threads that deal with algae and Excel.


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## TNguyen (Mar 20, 2005)

I would highly recommend some nerite snails. They keep my rock and wood clean.


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