Any Idea What This Is ?

[stanster]

http/i1320.photobucket.com/albums/u538/stanster30/IMG_20121115_122558.jpg

Is it harmless and if I want rid, what can I do ?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Its black brush algae, its caused by low or fluctuating CO2 levels, and you should identify the cause before treating other wise it may come straight back. Do you water change with lights on, have a CO2 system or run an air pump?

 

[stanster]

Nope, none of those.
Lights off when changing water (once weekly) and I've no air pump.

Seems to be isolated to a single plant at the moment.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

What's the surface movement like on your tank? Lots of or a little bit?

 

[stanster]

I'd say a gentle ripple.
Internal pump, so its up to the filters, across and back onto the surface.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Well if what you say is true then I dont know how you have got it unless our flow isn't too good, clearing it in a low tech tank can be done by doing no water changes for ashorttime but I suggest spraying it with liquid carbon mixed with water 1:20 ratio which will kill it.

 

[stanster]

So maybe miss out a weekly partial water change (I'm taking out ~ 25% once a week).

Is there a product I need to buy if I go down the spray route ?

And I guess I'll need to take the offending bogwood out of the tank to spray and then leave on or rinse off before replacing ?

Had a look at the other plants and there are small colonies on some but not all of the other plants.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Yeah you'd need to buy some flourish excel or neutro co2 to make the spray up, drop water level to expose algae and spray then refill.

 

[stanster]

So shall I go straight to the spray or leave it a week without water change ?

Assume the fish will be safe but the plants may become more unsightly ?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

The plants you spray should be fine so long as you don't have Vallis and you don't leave it on them for ages,just a quick spray on the algae then refill.

 

[stanster]

thanks again