Uh Oh, What's Happening To My Plants?

[JasonMichael]

Hi guys,

I've posted a picture of this black stuff growing on my plants, they look like little moss balls and a big black thing coming off one of the leaves... any help would be great thanks!

I've had CO2 installed in for around a month now, dosing with ferts too and my plants haven't seen to have gotten better. I've seen some new really green leaves sprout but other than that it's looking really dull and makes me want to rip them all out and buy new ones...

Also, the white diffuser part on my co2 has turned brown, how do i clean this? (if needed).

If anyone could please help with some advice that would be great, thanks.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Got any better pics?

 

[JasonMichael]

Got any better pics?

Yep just took some below!

 

[phishyphil]

Looks Like an outbreak of Algae. My guess (from the blurry pics) is BBA (black beard/brush algae) or Straghorn Algae. I am currently going through the same. I found out mine was to do with a flow problem, found a blockage in my filter pipes so flow was pretty poor.

BBA

Causes : Fluctuating Levels Of Co2
: Lack of Flow/movement around the tank
; Intense Lighting.

Is your co2 Pressurised?
What turnover does your tank run at?

 

[JasonMichael]

Looks Like an outbreak of Algae. My guess (from the blurry pics) is BBA (black beard/brush algae) or Straghorn Algae. I am currently going through the same. I found out mine was to do with a flow problem, found a blockage in my filter pipes so flow was pretty poor.

BBA

Causes : Fluctuating Levels Of Co2
: Lack of Flow/movement around the tank
; Intense Lighting.

Is your co2 Pressurised?
What turnover does your tank run at?

Hmm, I've checked the pipes and no blockage, I am going to buy a Hydor powerhead to place near the CO2... my CO2 is a pressurized system, at the moment my turnover is 1450 l/h.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

That's staghorn and BBA.both caused by CO2 fluctuations, got a drop checker? Also keep an eye on the rate of bubbles per second on your bubble counter.

 

[JasonMichael]

That's staghorn and BBA.both caused by CO2 fluctuations, got a drop checker? Also keep an eye on the rate of bubbles per second on your bubble counter.

I've been using the drop checker and it seems to be reading fine :\ same with the bubble counter.... hmmmmm anything i can do?

 

[phishyphil]

1) What size Tank are you running?

2) Is your turnover from the your filter, or powerheads or a combination of the two.

3) Which filter are you using?

4) How much light are you running (e.g. 2 x t5 39w etc)

5) How long do you keep them on?

6) Is your CO2 on 24/7 or on a timer?

7) Are you completing water changes when the tank is lit or dark?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Have you moved the drop checker round your tank to check levels in different areas and are you changing the liquid in it every week?

 

[JasonMichael]

Have you moved the drop checker round your tank to check levels in different areas and are you changing the liquid in it every week?

yes and yes

 

[JasonMichael]

1) What size Tank are you running?

2) Is your turnover from the your filter, or powerheads or a combination of the two.

3) Which filter are you using?

4) How much light are you running (e.g. 2 x t5 39w etc)

5) How long do you keep them on?

6) Is your CO2 on 24/7 or on a timer?

7) Are you completing water changes when the tank is lit or dark?

1) What size Tank are you running? 350 liter, 4 foot

2) Is your turnover from the your filter, or powerheads or a combination of the two. currently only have the filter which is 1450 liters p/h, i am going to buy a power head though..

3) Which filter are you using? Fluval 406 external

4) How much light are you running (e.g. 2 x t5 39w etc) x4 T4 54w lights, I run x2 day lights for 6 hours followed by x2 blue lights for 4 hours

5) How long do you keep them on? as above

6) Is your CO2 on 24/7 or on a timer? CO2 is on for around 6 hours or so daily, it is on a timer

7) Are you completing water changes when the tank is lit or dark? completing when the tank is lit, otherwise it's hard to see lol

Thanks for your help in advance, really appreciate it!!

 

[Ps3Steveo]

You really need to complete them ioutside the photo period as when you add water to your tank it has a high concentration of CO2 dissolved in the water which is a fluctuation, best to do it a few hours before lights on or after lights out, also the power head will help as you need to be looking at 3500lph turnover at least in a high tech planted tank.

 

[DrRob]

Agreed, the issue here is flow. Once that's sorted you can start playing around with other things, but without good flow anything you add won't get to where it's intended.

 

[JasonMichael]

Agreed, the issue here is flow. Once that's sorted you can start playing around with other things, but without good flow anything you add won't get to where it's intended.

You really need to complete them ioutside the photo period as when you add water to your tank it has a high concentration of CO2 dissolved in the water which is a fluctuation, best to do it a few hours before lights on or after lights out, also the power head will help as you need to be looking at 3500lph turnover at least in a high tech planted tank.

I'm buying the power head today I didn't know you had to clean the tank before/after lights on/off, thanks for the tip! Will the black algea start to disappear slowly ??

 

[Ps3Steveo]

It will take a long time hence spraying a little excel/water 1:20 ratio mix over the algae clears it quickly and most people do it after finding out the cause.

Otherwise it can take forever to get rid.

P.S. If you do the WC before lights on do it a good few hours before.