Weird green stuff

[David]

There is this weird green goopy stuff spontaneously appearing on my plants and substrate, can anyone tell me what it might be? I used to think it was algae, but now I don't think so anymore. If it was algae, wouldn't there be some on the glass as well? It's really disgusting and annoying and I hate it, and I try to get rid of it by rubbing the plants' leaves between my fingers, which does get it off but it reappears several hours later. It completely envelopes some of my plants, and it looks nothing like real algae, instead it's like green slimy goop. It's also on the substrate in small patches. What can I do to get rid of it? I've always had this problem in my tank, but I've never said anything, but now it's really starting to bother me. It doesn't do the plants much good either, as it lowers their ability to photosynthesize.

 

[reg2k2]

If it's a bright green slime....prob. blue-green algae. You're right, not an algae, but a bacteria...cynobacteria, I believe.

 

[David]

Ah. How do you get rid of it?

 

[reg2k2]

...I felt lucky to remember the name lol...well, almost >>>cyanobacteria.
I did run across some info the other day saying a couple of med's on the market can take care of it....not exactly a solution w/ fish in the tank tho. or I wouldn't think so.
Do check your nitrates...w/c, gravel-vac as necessary.

Haven't read thru them, but here's some previous threads on the subject.

And: blue-green algae

hth a little

 

[David]

Thanks a lot. That really helps.

 

[reg2k2]

Sounds like a pain...hope you're rid of it soon.

 

[David]

Man so do I. Do you think by the end of the cycle it will be gone? One of the posts you showed said that it often appears in uncycled tanks. it's really starting to stink too, which is pretty unpleasant.

 

[reg2k2]

Yeah, I think that would make sense...at least you should be able to combat it better once the nitrate's in check.
Altho I read it can 'fix' its own nitrogen. But, I imagine if there's not a nitrate *spike* to feed it, your odds have got to be better...