# Treating Possible Brush Algae



## Fishthusiast (Jul 18, 2013)

Hi,

First of all, can anyone tell if this is the beginnings of the brush algae I had in the past on this wood, or if it looks more like a fungus? It is white in color and is growing all over my wood. 

The wood has been boiled, which got rid of it, but it has returned.

Secondly, if it is brush algae, what is the recommended treatment? I have read of Hydrogen Peroxide elsewhere on this forum and I have also read that Excel treats it as well. Do you just pour Hydrogen Peroxide straight into the water? If I use Excel, generally what is the dosing and for how long? I have no fish/livestock in the tank whatsoever, so I am willing to bomb the entire tank, water and all, if need be. I am also wondering if I should bleach the water, but I am trying not to use bleach on the wood.

I apologize if the pic is hard to see or if it is opening up sideways. You can see the white 'substance' if you look closely, hopefully well enough for someone to diagnose what it is.

It would make sense that it is a fungus since the tank is new, but I have had the brush algae on this wood in the past and had problems with the wood afterwards also.
Any feedback is much appreciated.


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## Dejlig (Jan 20, 2013)

Looks like fungus to me. I've had that on a couple pieces of wood before and the fish cleared it right up (they ate it). Do you have any fish?


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## Fishthusiast (Jul 18, 2013)

Dejlig said:


> Looks like fungus to me. I've had that on a couple pieces of wood before and the fish cleared it right up (they ate it). Do you have any fish?


No fish. I am in an 'experimental' phase of my fish keeping, having just gotten back into the hobby after a five year layoff. Which fish did you have that ate it?


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## chipster55 (Apr 21, 2008)

I asked the same question a year ago. It has to do with the type of driftwood (can't remember name) . It will eventually go away. It took mine a few months. I just removed it each time I did a weekly water change.


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## Fishthusiast (Jul 18, 2013)

chipster55 said:


> I asked the same question a year ago. It has to do with the type of driftwood (can't remember name) . It will eventually go away. It took mine a few months. I just removed it each time I did a weekly water change.


I don't have a problem with the actual removal, but when I put my driftwood in the configuration that I prefer, I have to disassemble the design and remove it from the tank, then bring it to the sink to clean it off properly. And if I can't keep the driftwood in one spot, then there is no use trying to get live plants to put in around the driftwood, since I will just end up dislodging them. Ugh. This hobby... Now I remember why I abandoned it before. It's love/hate.

So I guess the general consensus is that this is NOT a type of algae but more along the lines if a fungus. Ok...


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## Zapins (Jul 28, 2004)

Yes its a fungus, it will go away on its own after a couple of weeks. It won't harm anything.


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## Fishthusiast (Jul 18, 2013)

There is a fungus among us?

At the bottom are a couple more thumbnails for photos that give much better examples of the supposed fungus on my driftwood. I took the pieces out and scrubbed them and took these shots before I did. The black stuff is just my black sand.

So, questions:

-Any idea where this 'fungus' is originating from? Is it from the water or from the wood itself? It was there before I boiled it and then returned after I boiled it. Actually, I boiled it to get rid of it because I thought it was the return of the brush algae, just lighter in color.

-Do water changes help make it go away or will they aide in it staying around longer?

-Will keeping the light on more help get rid of it since fungus does not like light?

-I have my heater on in the tank. Will turning it off help get rid of it? I also have no fish in the tank, so no issues with turning the heater off if necessary.

-For those of you who have had this, did it get worse before it got better? If you look at these pics you can see that there are no signs of it regressing, which is why I scrubbed them.

-What type of fish would eat it?

Scrubbing the fungus off is easy, but I expect it to return rather quickly.


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## chipster55 (Apr 21, 2008)

It will go away on its own. I had it for 3 months and then it just dissappeared. I would just leave it be and clean what you can. It's common certain type of driftwood which I cannot remember the name but your pics are exactly like what I had. I knows it's a pain in the ass right now, but it will eventually go away on its own.


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## Fishthusiast (Jul 18, 2013)

chipster55 said:


> It will go away on its own. I had it for 3 months and then it just dissappeared. I would just leave it be and clean what you can. It's common certain type of driftwood which I cannot remember the name but your pics are exactly like what I had. I knows it's a pain in the ass right now, but it will eventually go away on its own.


Yeah man, total pain in the ass. It makes no sense to set up my driftwood how I'd like if I have to clean this all the time, since I'll just end up dislodging it and moving everything around every time. But it is good to see that other people are experienced with it and that it is indeed some type of fungus.


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## Fishthusiast (Jul 18, 2013)

Do you guys think that the fungus went away in your tanks because you had fish/plants growing along with it, and the natural balance of the aquarium eventually killed it off?

I am afraid that the fungus will persist indefinitely, simply because I have nothing else in the aquarium except for the wood and sand. 

Just a thought.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

If you believe you have only wood and sand in the aquarium soon you will believe that you have only wood, sand, and fish.

You forget that what we are doing is striving to maintain a very healthy population of microorganisms. You need to take care of them as good as you take care of the fish. Never forget that the microorganisms make or break your tank despite what you do or think.

And keep in mind that most people don't think much of the microorganisms. Biofiltration is not a popular topic. If you read a bit about it in the Filtration section of this forum you will know more than most people in this hobby.

The emergence and disappearing of your "fungus" is due to exactly that - microorganisms growing or dying and creating/removing factors that allow the tank to do this or that.


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## Diana K (Dec 20, 2007)

Fungus spores are drifting around all over. There is no way to keep them out of the tank. 
As Niko says, ultimately the aquarium is its own habitat of microorganisms and macroorganisms living in some sort of balance. 

In the case of this fungus on the wood:
Fungus does not make its own food the way plants do. It lives of once living things, like driftwood, fallen fish food, dead leaves and so on. Since this is basically what is in the tank, then fungi will grow. Many of them are microscopic, so you can ignore them (out of sight = out of mind). 
The larger fungi, like this one, are often controlled by fish like Loricariads (plecos and relatives). I have no idea if shrimp would eat it, they might. 

__________________________________________________

What I would do:
Finish setting up the tank: Plant it, do a fishless cycle, add fish, including some Otos. 

Do the water chemistry experiments in a bucket.


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