# Dark, slime "algae"



## Andrey (Nov 5, 2004)

Hello,

I have problem with "algae".
I got them with frozen food.
First few days they were staying quite (I did not see them), than, few days late, they had started to spread around.
Unfortunately, my very good SAE do not eat this at all. My Gurami does not eat it either ( I have seen them eating beard algae in a past)
They are slime and cover plants. Especially they like places where water flow is. 
I can remove them from plants, but cannot remove from tank.
They are so soft and very slippery that I cannot catch them at all even with any net I have.
It forms itself and attach to everything. If you touch they go away almost as a dust.

I read about possibility to kill them by antibiotic (it is a bacterium I suppose). It did work with another kind of "algae" in a past but not with that species.
It took just two weeks and almost everything is covered by this in my tank.
Could you please help me to identify it and may be you have some ideas how to fight with it?

Thank you in advance for any advice.

PS
I have two pictures with them. Sorry for the quality. I still do not have digital camera  , only video but it produces bad picture quality (a little bit old)


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## pineapple (May 4, 2004)

In order to provide an accurate answer to your question, please use the following template when asking for help.

1. Tank water volume:
2. Tank lighting (type, watts per gallons, litres, etc.):
3. Tank filtration:
4. Tank substrate:
5. Plants:
6. Fish:
7. Test kits used (brand and type):
8. Fertilization regimen (include products used):
9. Do you CO2?
10. Water change routine:
11. How long has the tank been set up?
12. Describe your question or problem in detail:

Thanks! 

Andrew Cribb


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## Andrey (Nov 5, 2004)

Ok, sorry for lack of information.


pineapple said:


> 1. Tank water volume:


 200 L


pineapple said:


> 2. Tank lighting (type, watts per gallons, litres, etc.):


 4 x 36-40wall T8 105cm (2 - daylight [1-Hagen AQUA-GLO]; 1 - warm wait; 1 - Hagen SUN-GLO)
~160 watt


pineapple said:


> 3. Tank filtration:


 Internal volume ~ 5L; Stuff: sponge + wadding


pineapple said:


> 4. Tank substrate:


 Gravel: 2-4 mm


pineapple said:


> 5. Plants:


 Microsorum pteropus 'Windelov'
Hygrophila polysperma 'SUNSET'
Egeria densa
Echinodorus bleheri
Echinodorus ?
Echinodorus ?
Cryptocoryne wendtii 421
Cryptocoryne wendtii 422
Cryptocoryne parva
Ceratopteris froesii
Ludwigia repens
Mayaca fluviatilis
Micranthemum umbrosum
Nymphaea stellata
Echinodorus tenellus



pineapple said:


> 6. Fish:


 4 FadenFish Mosaik
2 Trichogaster trichopterus
4 SAE
6 Botia Striata


pineapple said:


> 7. Test kits used (brand and type):


 Juwel Rio-240


pineapple said:


> 8. Fertilization regimen (include products used):


 Irregularly: 
Time to time based on Fe test result (JBL test kit): trace elements from Topica or JBL
Switched to Edward's fertilizing scenario. The amount is not clear yet. I add it based on JBL NOx and POx test results. In my tank they are going to 0 without firtilazing)


pineapple said:


> 9. Do you CO2?


 Yes + pH Controller. Ph ~6,64


pineapple said:


> 10. Water change routine:


 between 20 - 40 l weekly (from osmosis + buffer to 4°dKH)
Tap Water has too high amount of POx


pineapple said:


> 11. How long has the tank been set up?


 ~1 year


pineapple said:


> 12. Describe your question or problem in detail:


 It is in the first post

If you need additional info I would be glad to provide it.


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