Any idea what this is?

gramas · 02-15-2013, 08:15 AM

Hi,
I seem to have this fluffy browny/green algae on my fern, it only appears to be on the fern, none of my other plants seem to be effected. As you can see in the photo the worst of the outbreak is on fern that is close to the top of the water and closest to the lights.
Does anyone know what it is and more importantly how to get shot of it.
The tank has been up and running for 6-8 weeks.
The lighting i have is 2x 39W powerchrome Aquaflora tubes and also a Powerchrome Midday 39W (which is only on for 3 hours per day, the other lights are on for a total of 8 hours.)
Thanks

**karce87** · 02-15-2013, 11:37 AM

It is diatom, a new tank algae. Give it time or throw a couple of otos in there. They'll love it

gramas · 02-15-2013, 11:43 AM

ah great thanks for clearing that up, is it likely to kill the moss underneath? I am trying to remove the thick but there is no real way of doing that without taking the moss with it, there wont be any left at the rate im going.

houseofcards · 02-15-2013, 11:49 AM

That looks like a fuzz or another type of algae along with the Diatoms. Diatoms are usually easy to remove from the plants. How big is the tank, heavily planted? co2? dosing?

gramas · 02-15-2013, 12:03 PM

tank is 330L, ive only just started co2 via compressed gas (today), Ive previously been using co2 tablets dissolved via a sera reactor but that didnt seem to be ading to much co2 in to the tank if the drop checker is anything to go by as it never changed from blue. I have been dosing with Easylife profito once a week, nothing else.

In terms of planting it is medium planted I guess, tried to take a photo as best I could of the whole tank

Snowflake311 · 02-15-2013, 03:38 PM

I have this in one of my tanks. Not sure what it it. But I have my ideas on why I have it. Dirty tank . I neglect my tanks in the winter I hate to admit it. I was adding ferts to the tank and kept it nice and balanced. Well I stopped doing that and this stuff started growing more. It tends to like low flow areas with light.

Remove as much as you can. Do more water changed look into a basic fert. It's hard to say what works best for your tank because every tank is different.

gramas · 02-15-2013, 04:27 PM

I'm doing 50% weekly water changes at the moment and I have a powerhead pointed straight at the fern just under the surface of the water as well as that I have 3 filters 2x external that once filtered feed in to a hood filter (so they get filtered twice), this then outputs to 5 vents in the hood so there is quite a bit of flow, in terms of filtration I have approx 2200 Liters/hour going in and out of the tank.

I will carry on and hope that it is just new tank muck and it will go soon.

02-15-2013, 08:15 AM	#1
gramas Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Cramlington, Northumberland Posts: 14	Any idea what this is? Hi, I seem to have this fluffy browny/green algae on my fern, it only appears to be on the fern, none of my other plants seem to be effected. As you can see in the photo the worst of the outbreak is on fern that is close to the top of the water and closest to the lights. Does anyone know what it is and more importantly how to get shot of it. The tank has been up and running for 6-8 weeks. The lighting i have is 2x 39W powerchrome Aquaflora tubes and also a Powerchrome Midday 39W (which is only on for 3 hours per day, the other lights are on for a total of 8 hours.) Thanks Attached Thumbnails

02-15-2013, 12:03 PM	#5
gramas Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Cramlington, Northumberland Posts: 14	tank is 330L, ive only just started co2 via compressed gas (today), Ive previously been using co2 tablets dissolved via a sera reactor but that didnt seem to be ading to much co2 in to the tank if the drop checker is anything to go by as it never changed from blue. I have been dosing with Easylife profito once a week, nothing else. In terms of planting it is medium planted I guess, tried to take a photo as best I could of the whole tank Attached Thumbnails

02-15-2013, 03:38 PM	#6
Snowflake311 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (3/100%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: SL Tahoe , ca Posts: 884	I have this in one of my tanks. Not sure what it it. But I have my ideas on why I have it. Dirty tank . I neglect my tanks in the winter I hate to admit it. I was adding ferts to the tank and kept it nice and balanced. Well I stopped doing that and this stuff started growing more. It tends to like low flow areas with light. Remove as much as you can. Do more water changed look into a basic fert. It's hard to say what works best for your tank because every tank is different. __________________ 🐟20gal long planted tiger shrimp & RCS, 80gal planted discus community, 100gal SA cichlid delhezi, 7 gal planted crs, 20gal goldfish grow out.🌾

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02-15-2013, 11:37 AM	#2
karce87 Long-time Lurker (View User Tanks) PTrader: (21/100%) Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Fargo, ND Posts: 149	It is diatom, a new tank algae. Give it time or throw a couple of otos in there. They'll love it

02-15-2013, 11:43 AM	#3
gramas Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Cramlington, Northumberland Posts: 14	ah great thanks for clearing that up, is it likely to kill the moss underneath? I am trying to remove the thick but there is no real way of doing that without taking the moss with it, there wont be any left at the rate im going.

02-15-2013, 11:49 AM	#4
houseofcards Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (51/100%) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,099	That looks like a fuzz or another type of algae along with the Diatoms. Diatoms are usually easy to remove from the plants. How big is the tank, heavily planted? co2? dosing?

02-15-2013, 04:27 PM	#7
gramas Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Cramlington, Northumberland Posts: 14	I'm doing 50% weekly water changes at the moment and I have a powerhead pointed straight at the fern just under the surface of the water as well as that I have 3 filters 2x external that once filtered feed in to a hood filter (so they get filtered twice), this then outputs to 5 vents in the hood so there is quite a bit of flow, in terms of filtration I have approx 2200 Liters/hour going in and out of the tank. I will carry on and hope that it is just new tank muck and it will go soon.