Getting Rid Of Rhizoclonium

[ZoddyZod]

Hello,

I've been HERE to confirm that it is Rhizoclonium that I've had in the tank for a few months. I regularly use a toothbrush to remove it but as it likes to anchor in my java moss, it's very difficult to remove it entirely.

After a recommendation from this forum I've started dosing Flourish Excel (half a cap full) daily and a full cap full after each 30% water change, but I've not seen the growth of the Rhizoclonium diminish.

I've read that Amanao shrimp will eat it......but mine have no interest in it at all.

Any other tips for getting rid of it?

My current lighting is 2x20w T8 on for 8hrs per day.
Other plants in the tank are only a single java ferm (which is struggling, its leaves start to form holes when they become larger than 2 inches long) and about a pint glass worth of java moss.
Currently I add 1.5ml of TPN+ daily (which I'm using to try to help the fern).

 

[lljdma06]

What is your waterchange regimen? What is your filtration?

llj

 

[ZoddyZod]

What is your waterchange regimen? What is your filtration?

llj

I run an internal Fluval U3 (600 lph) and an external Fluval 305 (1000 lph).

Water change is weekly and between 30-40% each time.

 

[lljdma06]

You don't inject CO2, so you are creating unstable CO2 levels by doing larger, weekly waterchanges. In my experience, when you have lower light levels and opt to not inject CO2, you create stable levels of the CO2 already present (there always is) by reducing the frequency of waterchanges. This may or may not work for you. A cause of Rhizoclonium is low or unstable CO2 levels. How old is the tank?

 

[ZoddyZod]

You don't inject CO2, so you are creating unstable CO2 levels by doing larger, weekly waterchanges. In my experience, when you have lower light levels and opt to not inject CO2, you create stable levels of the CO2 already present (there always is) by reducing the frequency of waterchanges. This may or may not work for you. A cause of Rhizoclonium is low or unstable CO2 levels. How old is the tank?

The tank was running for about 6-7 months before the algae started to appear. It's now been running for about 9-10 months. I have always perfomed 30-40% water changes weekly. The addition of TPN+ and Flourish Excel only began after the algae appeared.

 

[lljdma06]

You don't inject CO2, so you are creating unstable CO2 levels by doing larger, weekly waterchanges. In my experience, when you have lower light levels and opt to not inject CO2, you create stable levels of the CO2 already present (there always is) by reducing the frequency of waterchanges. This may or may not work for you. A cause of Rhizoclonium is low or unstable CO2 levels. How old is the tank?

The tank was running for about 6-7 months before the algae started to appear. It's now been running for about 9-10 months. I have always perfomed 30-40% water changes weekly. The addition of TPN+ and Flourish Excel only began after the algae appeared.

Yes, this confirms what I was saying previously. Either add CO2 or consider taking more time between waterchanges, especially now that the tank is older. My 36g is on its second month now without a waterchange. If the lighting is right, then the low, stable CO2 levels will be enough for the plants. I would also say wait and see what the excel does. You have significantly more light than I do. Your CO2 levels might not be enough for the amount of light you have.

What is your stocking level?

 

[ZoddyZod]

Yes, this confirms what I was saying previously. Either add CO2 or consider taking more time between waterchanges, especially now that the tank is older. My 36g is on its second month now without a waterchange. If the lighting is right, then the low, stable CO2 levels will be enough for the plants. I would also say wait and see what the excel does. You have significantly more light than I do. Your CO2 levels might not be enough for the amount of light you have.

What is your stocking level?

The stocking is in my sig. As you can see I'm quite full for a 33g tank, and therefore I didn't think that leaving it for longer than a week between water changes would be a good idea (am I wrong?)

 

[lljdma06]

Yes, this confirms what I was saying previously. Either add CO2 or consider taking more time between waterchanges, especially now that the tank is older. My 36g is on its second month now without a waterchange. If the lighting is right, then the low, stable CO2 levels will be enough for the plants. I would also say wait and see what the excel does. You have significantly more light than I do. Your CO2 levels might not be enough for the amount of light you have.

What is your stocking level?

The stocking is in my sig. As you can see I'm quite full for a 33g tank, and therefore I didn't think that leaving it for longer than a week between water changes would be a good idea (am I wrong?)

I must have a warped sense of stocking, you don't seem all that heavily stocked to me. Only the plec produces enough waste to make a difference. The rest are small, slim fish that are minimal waste producers.

llj

 

[ZoddyZod]

I must have a warped sense of stocking, you don't seem all that heavily stocked to me. Only the plec produces enough waste to make a difference. The rest are small, slim fish that are minimal waste producers.

llj

Since setting up the tank almost everything I've read on the subject suggests weekly water changes of 20% as a standard process, no matter what the stocking. I'm very interested to hear that you've been happily leaving your tanks for much longer. Is that because they are heavily planted and not highly stocked?

I freely admit I have no clue about keeping plants happy, but after a bit of reading I thought that an 8hr photo period and dosing Flouris & TPN+ daily would be enough for a simple java fern and moss as my entry level into plants.

Any other advice you (or anyone else) could give would be greatly appreciated.