Blue-Green Algae

[XeroTolerance]

Hi everyone. Recently I have found what I think is blue-green algae in my freshwater 10 gallon aquarium. I took some picture for hope that some of you can confirm it and offer me a solution on how to minimize/eliminate it. Here are some pictures of the tank.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[mike455555]

its defo blue green. aglae im finding it a pain to get rid of at the moment. (im blacking out the tank) but heres a

link to how to get rid of it (your in the states so your lucky)

 

[hensonc4098]

It's caused by low nitrates, so may be an idea to look into ferts containing nitrate once you get it cleared up

 

[mark4785]

Conduct a 4-5 day blackout and then ensure your nitrates are at 35-50ppm and that your filter is clean before the aquarium lights are turned on. This will without a doubt fix the issue with the BGA/cyanobacteria.

 

[Chtheo]

Hi,

I had massvie BGA outbreaks! my tank went through 2 4-5 day black outs,

About a week after each black out the algae came back, i repeated the process for the second time, and same again. So i switched to using ferts with nitrates, and while i did not notice an immediate fix i think it did help.

However, as i was having other algae issues at the time, i stopped all ferts, and all CO2, and repositioned items to allow for better flow to the intake of my filter, and this seems to have got rid of the pesky BGA all together!

Your root cause may not be the same as mine, i still think flow may be important (while i cant see all of your tank from those pictures, it looks like the algae is located in places that may have obscured flow) if its not possible to re-position ornaments, i would consider using a circulation pumo or soemthing.

Certainly dont go out and buy one if you can help it, and do try what others have recomended first as they will most likley provide a long term solution!

 

[mark4785]

Hi,

I had massvie BGA outbreaks! my tank went through 2 4-5 day black outs,

About a week after each black out the algae came back, i repeated the process for the second time, and same again. So i switched to using ferts with nitrates, and while i did not notice an immediate fix i think it did help.

However, as i was having other algae issues at the time, i stopped all ferts, and all CO2, and repositioned items to allow for better flow to the intake of my filter, and this seems to have got rid of the pesky BGA all together!

Your root cause may not be the same as mine, i still think flow may be important (while i cant see all of your tank from those pictures, it looks like the algae is located in places that may have obscured flow) if its not possible to re-position ornaments, i would consider using a circulation pumo or soemthing.

Certainly dont go out and buy one if you can help it, and do try what others have recomended first as they will most likley provide a long term solution!

I would only advise cutting your ferts / co2 in a non-planted aquarium due to the fact that cutting co2 and ferts in a planted aquarium causes the higher plants to die and leech ammonia which fuels any sort of algae growth.

Where you are providing co2 for photosynthesis, adding MORE nitrate and phosphates is the solution to stopping BGA and other algal formations.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Was gonna say make sure you find out the cause otherwise you'll get rid of it and it will just keep coming back. I had this in my 35L not long after it was set up, upped the dose of N&P as I use a pre mixed fert and its on its way now.

 

[watertown28]

Hi,

I had massvie BGA outbreaks! my tank went through 2 4-5 day black outs,

About a week after each black out the algae came back, i repeated the process for the second time, and same again. So i switched to using ferts with nitrates, and while i did not notice an immediate fix i think it did help.

However, as i was having other algae issues at the time, i stopped all ferts, and all CO2, and repositioned items to allow for better flow to the intake of my filter, and this seems to have got rid of the pesky BGA all together!

Your root cause may not be the same as mine, i still think flow may be important (while i cant see all of your tank from those pictures, it looks like the algae is located in places that may have obscured flow) if its not possible to re-position ornaments, i would consider using a circulation pumo or soemthing.

Certainly dont go out and buy one if you can help it, and do try what others have recomended first as they will most likley provide a long term solution!

I would only advise cutting your ferts / co2 in a non-planted aquarium due to the fact that cutting co2 and ferts in a planted aquarium causes the higher plants to die and leech ammonia which fuels any sort of algae growth.

Where you are providing co2 for photosynthesis, adding MORE nitrate and phosphates is the solution to stopping BGA and other algal formations.

How can that be? I thought when you have too much nitrates and phosphates that also spurs the growth too. Would you want just trace just enough for your plants to use, but not enough where there is too much and then the left overs are for the algae? I could have sworn just a trace of PO with a NO3 of under 25....

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Its true, low Nitrates is often the cause, here is a very good link for algae probs. Click Here