Exponential brown algae!

[Beckyx]

The brown algae in my tank is doing my head in- surely this can’t be normal?!!

- biube 15l
- one male betta
- feed bettagran, not too much just the size of his eye (though suspiciously this is the same red colouring as the algae)
- algae appearing daily on glass and rocks
- currently treating for fin rot and he is responding well but have removed carbon from filter
- filter brown with algae (due change at weekend)
- no sunlight getting in
- use tetra tap water safe and 1ml anti algae solution with no effect
- ammonia 0, nitrites 0 but tap water has 23 nitrate

Help!

 

[Colin_T]

If you can post a picture it can help us identify the issue. However, if there is no light and the brown algae grows rapidly each day, then it is probably Cyanobacter bacteria (blue green algae). This is a photosynthetic bacteria (bacteria that can use light) that loves slow moving water, low oxygen levels and lots of nutrients. It smells musty and lifts off in pieces, a film or sheets when you try to clean it.

The easiest way to deal with it in a small environment is to move the fish into another container and wash the contaminated tank out, then start again.

In a big tank you can syphon out any algae and do a big 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate each day until it goes.

Check the lighting on the tank, if it has fluorescent globes that are more than 12months old, replace them with new globes and a new starter in the light unit. Use globes that have a 6500K (K is for Kelvin) rating. Fluoro globes lose their Kelvin rating over time and after 12 months they might be producing primarily red light that can encourage this. LED globes shouldn't have this issue.

Try a different type of food. Dry foods regularly contribute to this problem.

If you have a heater in the tank you can treat whitespot by raising the water temperature to 30C (86F) for 2 weeks and it will kill off the parasites without using medications.

If you are using medications in an aquarium you should increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise the oxygen levels in the water (not a big issue for Bettas) and to circulate the chemicals around the water. It's a good idea to leave the filter running too. If you don't have a filter running on the tank then you should use medications at half strength.

 

[NickAu]

How often are you doing water changes and how much, and what are you treating the finrot with?

Finrot is the direct result of poor water conditions, the best way to treat finrot is with lots of clean water and sometimes maybe a little aquarium salt.

 

[Beckyx]

I have uploaded a photo for reference:

 

[Colin_T]

It looks like blue green algae. If it wipes off in a film or sheet then it is.

 

[Beckyx]

It doesn’t it wipes off really easily!

 

[Beckyx]

This is what I find covering my rocks pretty much daily and my ceramic media is filthy too despite a thorough vacuum every week

 

[NickAu]

I guess I dont get my questions answered, Its a pity because your fin rot problems are a direct result of poor tank conditions and solving one will solve the other, also some medications can kill the cycle in your tank.

Good luck with your fish you will need it.

 

[Beckyx]

30%-50% king British fin rot treatment

 

[Beckyx]

Could this be rust? When deep cleaning today I discovered some rusty stuff at the bottom of the aquarium- will do a thorough wash out tomorrow and restart!

 

[Colin_T]

no it's not rust, its just blue green algae.

If you are cleaning the tank out, be careful with the filter otherwise you could get rid of the bacteria that keep the water clean.

 

[Beckyx]

I am thinking of upgrading my tank but had hoped to have saved up a bit more first- is now the time? Is there any hope of getting rid of such stuff?

 

[Colin_T]

Yes it's easy enough to get rid of. Just try doing daily water changes and sucking/ wiping the stuff out. Increase water movement if you can, but not too much so it disturbs the fish. Avoid red light and try to have natural daylight (6500K globes). It normally goes after a few weeks when the tank starts to settle down and other types of algae and bacteria grow in the tank.