Algae In The Tops Of My Plants

[SouthernCross]

Hi

I've got a dark green algae that consistently is growing on top of the plants that are close to or floating on the tanks surface. It sways with the water movement, if that helps with ID, but I think its maybe a beard algae. I'm assuming its because they are so close to the light and getting much more light than down below. Other than the algae I like having some tall plants, I would hate to have to cut them all back shorter . And my gouramis like the surface cover.

It looks really yucky, is there anyway I can try to get rid of it?

I've tried sliding the reflector box back and forth from the back to the front as theres a bit of room for movement but its not solving the problem, especially for the plants in the middle where it always seems to be concentrated.

My tanks currently on a five hour on, two off, five on cycle.

Any ideas?

 

[fishwatcher]

Are they all real or fake? (I know you mentioned cutting them back, so I'm assuming they're real, but you never know!)
If they are fake it's bc there is nothing competing for the nutrients, so the algae just runs crazy. (That's what happens in my tank.) I know how to treat that, but with live plants I'm afraid the bleach-dip trick may kill them. Plus, it won't tell you what the problem is so you'll know how to prevent it.
I'm sure someone will be on soon that will have a good answer for you.

 

[SouthernCross]

Yeah, they're real, and theres quite a few plants in there, when my tank was newer and I was having trouble with all sorts of algae all over the tank people told me to whack as many plants in there as I could to soak up the nutrients, which I did. I only get the odd bit on the glass now, other than this stuff at the top I'm trying to deal with now - like I said, my theory is that its light related because they're so close to the lights being up the top but I don't know how to fix it...

 

[fishwatcher]

Could you add some floating plants, like riccia or parrot's feather? That may block out just enough....

 

[Dave Spencer]

I have plants growing to the top of my tank with 3.4WPG and no algae. Do you add CO2, and if so, what method?

Dave.

 

[SouthernCross]

Could you add some floating plants, like riccia or parrot's feather? That may block out just enough....

Well lots of strands of the plants that are in there now are floating on the surface are getting this junk on them now already...

I have plants growing to the top of my tank with 3.4WPG and no algae. Do you add CO2, and if so, what method?

Dave.

No Co2. Too technical for me...

Just plants in gravel, lights, and I add liquid fertiliser every now and then. I have just a single tube in a reflector. I can't pull it out tonight but I can check the wattage of the fluro tube tomorrow if you guys think it might be important - when we got it (< 6 months ago) we were told it was fine for growing plants.

 

[Dave Spencer]

If you have been running successfully without algae for a period of time, then something has triggered the algae. The main culprits are unstable CO2, light and ammonia.

There could be the option of adding Excel as an organic form of carbon for your plants. If you have enough of them, they will be your best option for getting on top of the algae, along with a bit of hard work from yourself. A photo would come in handy so I could see the algae and how well planted your tank is.

It`s all very well adding more and more plants, but they need to be growing successfully without any nutrient deficiencies to outcompete the algae, especially when the algae is already established.

Dave.

 

[SouthernCross]

Ok, I've scrounged up some pictures for you, but I don't have a good one of the algae - I'll take the lid off tomorrow and try and get a better shot from above but I can't take any new ones tonight.

This was my tank back in May. The algae wasn't so bad then. The areas I've put red circles around are the prime algae problem spots. Now though, the one on the left has grown longer and more across the top, and the one in the middle has bushed out more and grown along the top to the front, so it kinda covers the area below, but its hard to tell from front on. The tall skinny long grass at the back gets it growing on the tips, especially in areas where theres lots of flow from the filter running over them. It also grows on top of the rock (lots of unblocked light there too it seems) The hygrophila polysperma in the back has minor algae on it compared to the others. It used to have loads, but the new growth coming in is not getting it. You can kinda see that in the pic below where it used to be. This shot had no flash so it was nice and bright, but not necessarily clear.

Going through photos of my fish that I have (because really, who sets out to take pictures of algae ) this was the only shot that even remotely shows some of the algae - very dark green, nearly black, fuzzy looking, and moves with the current. This is on the hygrophila, and is only sparse but as I said, its mostly on the other plants circled, and especially on the one with the arrow (off the screen that plant grows up to touch the top, see the other picture to orient where it is - the piece shown there is low enough to be fine it seems) - to the point where it completely covers some of the leaves. This shot had a flash so yucky colours, but shows the algae detail (sorta, but imagine that fuzz all over the leaves of the other plants).

 

[Dave Spencer]

I`m wondering if it is BBA, which I find is definitely down to CO2 fluctuations and likes to hang around in the filter outflow. Hopefully, you can get some pictures that identify the type for sure.

Dave.