# gray fuzzy algae?



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

it is growing on my lava rocks, and also on my rotala rotundifolia. it looks like dead algae, but i have not used anything to kill algae on my tank. any idea what is going on?


----------



## NeonFlux (May 15, 2008)

I have no idea but do a water change, give us your parameters, and what your setup is like.


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

65 watts of lighting for 10 hours (130 watt fixture but only running one for now until the rest of my plants are delivered) on a 29 gallon tank, peat moss under gravel, diy co2 is not currently running (need to replace my lines i think). i also have a 6 watt uv sterilizer. i have seachem flourish tabs in my gravel, no liquid ferts.

params are currently:
ph - 7.4
ammonia - 0ppm
nitrite - 0ppm
nitrate - 5ppm

i have a grouping of about 4 crypt walkerri's and maybe 20 stems of rotala rotundifolia. 

fish include a stunted 3 inch discus, 1 celebs rainbow, 3 cardinals, two clown loaches, 1 pair apito agassizi's, a tiger pleco (2 inch) and an acanthicus adontis (3 inch, he gets huge i know, was sold to me as a spotted lyretail ancistrus, but to my knowledge from searching the web those do not exist.)

on the way i have cabomba carolinia, ludwigia glandulosa, and seom crypt wendtii red. also 5 nerite snails.


----------



## NeonFlux (May 15, 2008)

Your parameters seem okay. The lighting needs to go down to just 6-7 hours and you have to make more co2; you have to try and balance the lights and co2 out in order so that the algae doesn't grow.

And ouch, you need to restock. The clown loaches, tiger pleco will grow far too large and need a big tank...hate to break it to you, but, you have to sell them or find a bigger tank size. 

The plants seem growable to me, they don't need a lot of light at all.

Have a good one.


----------



## daverock1337 (Mar 14, 2010)

i know the clown loaches will get too big, they are only an inch and a half right now. i got them to scavenge my gravel while waiting on my lfs to get something better. i really want some khuli loaches, but they only had black ones and i would like striped ones.

planetcatfish has the tiger pleco getting about 4 inches long, he is barely two right now, closer to one and a half i believe.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=735

i am going to play with my lights to see if i can;t get the algae to stop growing...


----------



## NeonFlux (May 15, 2008)

I understand. Well yeah, experiment with the lighting; it will deal you good.


----------



## tug (Jul 23, 2009)

The fuzz could be Rhizoclonium, strands of fine threads which are soft and slimy. A range of causes including low CO2, low nutrient levels. Increase CO2 levels, give the tank and good cleaning. Adding excel and adjusting your water flow can often help.

Try raising the light if you can. IMO, you have mid to high lighting depending on the reflectors you are using. You could also try window screening to cover the tank. You will need to up your fertilizer regiment once you get more plants and have your CO2 up and running. Crypts and most plants will get nutrients from the water column. Look into adding dry fertilizers, much cheaper then flourish tabs and/or DIY your own flourish tabs with Osmocote® Plus and gelcaps.

The following link is an Introduction to algae issues that should help. http://www.aquariumalgae.blogspot.com/


----------



## nimo (Jul 14, 2009)

10 hours of lighting with DIY CO2 is way too much.. ideally speaking even 8 hours of full spectrum lighting with a pressurized co2 is more than enough for most tanks ...

Reduce the lighting period gradually to 6 hours ..
DIY co2 is inadequate and hence you have this algae.. 

do not minimize dosing .. improve circulation ..


----------

