# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Black BRUSH algae treatment



## Southrock (Feb 3, 2003)

I feel terrible. I am so sorry if I led anyone down the Primrose Path by calling my BRUSH algae beard algae. When I went to find a picture of it, I went right to the Brush algae pictures, knowing it was brush algae, then realized that throughout the post, even in the subject header, I called it beard algae.

My sincerest apology.


On a lighter note, for anyone keeping watch on this, my tank looks INCREDIBLE! For anyone who hasn't read the "treatment for black beard algae" post, last week I treated my tank with something called Chemi-Clean, a saltwater product used to remove red cyano-bacteria from live coral. After three days, all BRUSH algae was gone, is still gone, and my plants are growing, well, the way I'm sure most of your plants are growing. Normally.

For the last two years I could NEVER cut back a plant and leave the bottom, rooted half in to grow into bushy plants. The brush algae would have been already crippling the plant, new stems would start, but a couple of weeks later I would have to remove the whole black, rotten mess.

Today, I did the routine water change and prune, cut back stem plants and re-planted the tops, and the foliage is filling in wonderfully! It will be 1 week ago tomorrow that I treated the tank. The real test, I suppose, is coming. When I tore the tank apart and cleaned it 3 months ago, it took the brush algae a couple of weeks to rear it's ugly head. I'll keep posted.

Once again, sorry for misleading anyone.

-SR


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## Southrock (Feb 3, 2003)

I feel terrible. I am so sorry if I led anyone down the Primrose Path by calling my BRUSH algae beard algae. When I went to find a picture of it, I went right to the Brush algae pictures, knowing it was brush algae, then realized that throughout the post, even in the subject header, I called it beard algae.

My sincerest apology.


On a lighter note, for anyone keeping watch on this, my tank looks INCREDIBLE! For anyone who hasn't read the "treatment for black beard algae" post, last week I treated my tank with something called Chemi-Clean, a saltwater product used to remove red cyano-bacteria from live coral. After three days, all BRUSH algae was gone, is still gone, and my plants are growing, well, the way I'm sure most of your plants are growing. Normally.

For the last two years I could NEVER cut back a plant and leave the bottom, rooted half in to grow into bushy plants. The brush algae would have been already crippling the plant, new stems would start, but a couple of weeks later I would have to remove the whole black, rotten mess.

Today, I did the routine water change and prune, cut back stem plants and re-planted the tops, and the foliage is filling in wonderfully! It will be 1 week ago tomorrow that I treated the tank. The real test, I suppose, is coming. When I tore the tank apart and cleaned it 3 months ago, it took the brush algae a couple of weeks to rear it's ugly head. I'll keep posted.

Once again, sorry for misleading anyone.

-SR


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## Chousal (Feb 8, 2004)

South, does the product has an internet site??

Saludos...

Acuariofilia most not be costly.


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## Lois (Jul 28, 2003)

Your experience with Chemi-Clean is very interesting. I have never seen it at the Fish Stores before. Is this a new product? 

I don't have much of a problem with B. Brush algae right now but was wondering if this might be able to help fix nutrient imbalances since I've always understood algae problems to be a result of this.

Also I was thinking of how Cyano Bacteria reacts to Maracyn by being killed off but returns if Nitrogen isn't fixed. I was wondering if Chemi-Clean reacts the same way to B.Brush algae allowing it to eventually return if nutrients arent balanced?

Lois


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## Josh Simonson (Feb 4, 2004)

Since the plants are intact (as opposed to pruning) it should be an uphill battle for the algae to recover from almost nothing while the plants are thriving.


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## Southrock (Feb 3, 2003)

There is a web site of sorts for Boyd Enterprises, but mostly what you'll get there is a phone number. Give him a call! (Russ Boyd). 

Drs Foster & Smith sell it (and a lot cheaper than my lfs). It's in the saltwater section, where the saltwater algae control; bacteria & fungus chems are.

No, Lois, I really don't know anything about this stuff other than it completely removed my Black Brush algae with no apparent side effects. I wouldn't use it on a regular basis to balance ferts, its probably best to do that on your own. I suppose if nutrients were out of balance enough, it could bring it back on, along with a host of other algae problems. But we don't want to do that, do we! With my tank, I've learned that if I can keep the water from turning green, I've managed to strike somewhat of a balance. I'm actually in the process of backing off of my fert regimen even more, now that the plants are doing so well - I am starting to get some green spot algae on the glass & on some older leaves.

Yeah, Josh, I'm hoping to make it as much of an uphill battle as possible. After 2+ years of dealing with this sh**, I hate it, really, with a marked passion!

-SR


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## Chousal (Feb 8, 2004)

South Im in México, Ill prefer keep it this way...









Saludos...

Acuariofilia most not be costly.


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## Southrock (Feb 3, 2003)

Hi, Chousal. Maybe you misunderstood me. Drs Foster & Smith is a catalog pet supply dealer. They have a website - I don't have the exact link but I think it's drsfostersmith.com. Check it out, it's pretty extensive, and the prices are better than any of the lfs' around here, anyway.

Anyway, to update, on Wednesday, I did the weekly water change, cut back some stem plants and re-planted more tops. The tank is really doing amazingly well. There is some water lettuce in the tank whose roots used to turn black after a couple of weeks, they are still green, and showing no signs of beard algae. Unbelievable.

I am starting to see hair algae in well lit areas and taller plants - not really a problem to keep up with now - hopefully it won't become an epidemic. Does that indicate too much or too little of any nutrient? Or is that a sign of too much light? A couple of years ago, I had this and got Rosey barbs, they did a fantastic job, but were a little too rowdy. I removed them about 6 months ago, thinking I wouldn't see any more hair algae. I like the tank better without them, so I'd rather not use them again.

I've also seen a few spots of what I think is staghorn algae - long black hairs extending from one single point on plant leaves. Pretty tough, too. I immediately removed the few leaves that I saw it on, I saw a little more tonight that I removed. I never noticed any before while I had the Brush algae, I can't really figure out where it came from. Could that be nutrient related as well?


-SR


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## Roger Miller (Jun 19, 2004)

I don't know if the new algaes indicate a nutrient balance or not. I suspect that you disturbed the algae community so that you effectively broke down its balance. What happens now may be similar to the algae outbreaks in a new tank. All you can really do is keep up on the routine and weather the storm.

Roger Miller

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_"The indispensible first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want" -- Ben Stein_


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## [email protected] (Feb 12, 2006)

I've been told that the stag horn algae is from to low of nitrates. Donna


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