Staghorn

[Themuleous]

A quick questions re this type of algae

First a pic

Does the overdose excel treatment work on this type?

Any other advice on its removal would be appreciated I have a huge green spot algae problem on the glass at the moment too, so something might be up?

NH3 - 0
NO2 - 0
NO3 - 30ppm ish
PO4 - 2 (i think it is but its very hard to tell, if its actually lower would adding more help?)
pH - 6.6 lights on
GH - 7
KH - 6
CO2 - 45ppm when tested first thing in the morning. Although I will add that I tested it the other day and it was down near 20ppm, could this unexpected drop in CO2 have allowed the staghorn to invade? I have upped it from 1 bubble every 4 seconds to 1 per 3 seconds, so that should bring it back up.

I have also read about having a siesta might that help in my general fight against the algae. Photoperiod is at 10hrs.

Thanks people

Sam

 

[simonbrown403]

It looks like brush algae to me, if your keep your co2 to its upper limits it should stop any more growing.
To remove it you will have to do it by hand cut out any effected leafs and bleaching any effected equipment in a diluted bleach solution.
SAE are suppose to be one of the few fish that will eat it but you would probably have to starve them first.

green spot algae is usually a lack of phosphate or an excess of silica on the water column.
My PO4 is usually around 3/4ppm after a water change and drops to 2ish ppm by the end of the week, and i never seam to get any problems with green spot.

I'm not convinced by this siesta idea, I use to have my tank set at 5 on 2 off and 5 on again, i ended up with algae which i think was due to the co2 levels and lack of light during the off period.
Whether it was true is another thing.

Simon

 

[Squirrelbuddies]

Sam, I agree with Simon - I tried the siesta thing and it didn't make an appreciable difference - if at all.

I keep my lights on (in all tanks) from 7:30 AM to 9:30 PM with no siesta.

My nano has algae right now because it hasn't had CO2 for the past two days.
*runs off to change the nutrafin canister*

-Sondra

 

[Themuleous]

Cheers people, I wont try the siesta thing then. I reckon it was the lack of CO2 that caused the problem, not sure how long it was running low for so could have been several days for all I know. I hope the algae goes, whatever it is its all over my HC and I aint gonna be able to remove it manually from that!

Thanks again

Sam

 

[simonbrown403]

OUCH!!!

 

[zig]

Its definatly a type of bba, your CO2 was probably low or eratic for a while, probably a good bit longer than a few days, you could try ODing with Excel to get rid of it.

 

[Themuleous]

I did wonder if the excel route might work. I have a bottle so will give it a try at least then I'll know! I may also try the spot NO3 treatment, just for the sake of knowing! Cant stop treat the whole tank but would be interesting to see

Thanks Zig

Sam

 

[alanchown]

I did wonder if the excel route might work. I have a bottle so will give it a try at least then I'll know! I may also try the spot NO3 treatment, just for the sake of knowing! Cant stop treat the whole tank but would be interesting to see

Thanks Zig

Sam

That looks like the algae that began to take over mine. It's not the BBA that I'm used to which is very tufty and soft, whereas this stuff is a bit more wiry if you get my drift. I have dosed with some excel-not excessively, just 10ml every other day or so and it has all turned white, so so far so good. Not sure if it's the excel or the replacement of a crap filter-having said that the new filter is 'new' so not matured, so probably the excel.

Alan

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh I know the fluffy stuff too and mine aint that, its wiry like you say. Glad to hear the excel might work, I'll be trying it this week so will let you know how I get on.

Sam

 

[Dubby]

I get this type of algae only in areas which do not receive enough light.

The siesta has definitely helped my tank in getting rid of staghorn and thread algae.

Dont know if this helps

 

[Bloo]

Well I get this too

and if left, can grow quite long and wiry. I fail to see what the cause is. I pump bucket loads of CO2 in (1 bubble per second and at 35 ppm) and with 2.8w of light I fail to see how that's too little of either of those. I can't dose EI as I have excess tap NO3 & PO4 (30 ++ NO3 & PO4 4 ++) so to the best of my knowledge can only dose trace. Neither of those ever drop below or even to a level for me to start thinking about dosing.
And no: RO isn't an option.

I've tried the siesta versus no siesta - no difference!
(I've tried anything between 1 - 5 hours siesta with a total photo period of 10 hours per day).

Could it be that my water is too hard ? gH anything from 16-19 (
or could it be something like an iron deficiency - or excess ?

 

[Themuleous]

The more I look into this the more I think i have this because the CO2 dropped for a few weeks. Ive got mine up near 45ppm now.

Bloo - Im going to try the overdose excel thing, will let you know how I get on

 

[alanchown]

Well I get this too

and if left, can grow quite long and wiry. I fail to see what the cause is. I pump bucket loads of CO2 in (1 bubble per second and at 35 ppm) and with 2.8w of light I fail to see how that's too little of either of those. I can't dose EI as I have excess tap NO3 & PO4 (30 ++ NO3 & PO4 4 ++) so to the best of my knowledge can only dose trace. Neither of those ever drop below or even to a level for me to start thinking about dosing.
And no: RO isn't an option.

I measure similar levels too-but the water authority tested levels for my area are PO4 < 2 and NO3 < 20. I have little confidence in the test kits to be honest. I've started dosing a small amount of NO3 and K, too early to give any results as I've had other problems too.

Alan

 

[Bloo]

No, those are actual the figures by my water company - confirmed by my test kits. It does vary on time of year etc. and sometime it's higher - but never lower.

 

[zig]

bba is a CO2 issue, it just indicates your CO2 levels are too low or unstable when it shows up.