Help me with this algae please!

**Amazonfish** · 01-05-2010, 09:57 PM

I went away for 2 weeks and came back to this!

I tried researching, but I couldn't even figure out what type of algae this is. What caused this?

Here are the parameters for the 2-week period that I was away:
Tank: 48x13x18.5 (47 gallons)
Lighting: 108 watts T5HO for 5 hours/day
CO2: 2 bottles DIY, set up the day before I left. It looks like they stopped producing before the 2 week period was up.
Fertilizer: 2x per week N,P,K, trace

I'm so frustrated. You can also see some green spot algae there, too. Can you help me figure out what caused this algae, and how I can get rid of it?

Thanks

**cah925** · 01-06-2010, 12:11 AM

Check out this link.

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

**Amazonfish** · 01-06-2010, 01:05 AM

Thanks for the link. I'm still unsure about which algae this is. Rhizoclonium? For the hair/thread/fuzz algae, the article says that they're green, while rhizoclonium can be brown. Is that right?

PHalas · 01-06-2010, 02:35 AM

The Lack of Co2 & the fact your lights were still running did'nt help, I'm sure.
To start with manually remove as much of it as possible. Do a water change or two, get your Co2 cranking & test your water, Nitrates etc. see what your lacking or low on, dose accordingly & give it a few days & see what happens.
Spot treating with flourish or tank blackouts maybe an option after that.

**Amazonfish** · 01-06-2010, 04:15 PM

I'm definitely going to remove as much as possible today and do a 50% WC. I'll test nitrate before and after the change (to confirm results). Then we'll see if it comes back! Can anyone confirm what type of algae this is?

**wkndracer** · 01-06-2010, 04:52 PM

I don't know what it is (sorry) but had it (exactly the same as your photo including sand substrate) in my 10g snail tank last year. It grew on a clump of java fern and on the filter sponge. Cleaned off easily with a piece of airline tubing used as a syphon (pulled right off and out the tube) and disappeared after about 3 weeks of keeping after it and seems not to be returning. Only thing I did was tighten up on my water change schedule.

**Amazonfish** · 01-07-2010, 03:30 AM

Thanks, that certainly helps. It's also consistent with the fact that I was away for 2 weeks, so no water was changed during that period. That's all fixed now :-) I hope the algae will clear up!

01-05-2010, 09:57 PM	#1
Amazonfish Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (44/100%) Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,042	Help me with this algae please! I went away for 2 weeks and came back to this! I tried researching, but I couldn't even figure out what type of algae this is. What caused this? Here are the parameters for the 2-week period that I was away: Tank: 48x13x18.5 (47 gallons) Lighting: 108 watts T5HO for 5 hours/day CO2: 2 bottles DIY, set up the day before I left. It looks like they stopped producing before the 2 week period was up. Fertilizer: 2x per week N,P,K, trace I'm so frustrated. You can also see some green spot algae there, too. Can you help me figure out what caused this algae, and how I can get rid of it? Thanks

01-06-2010, 02:35 AM	#4
PHalas Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (51/100%) Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tampa Fl Posts: 466	The Lack of Co2 & the fact your lights were still running did'nt help, I'm sure. To start with manually remove as much of it as possible. Do a water change or two, get your Co2 cranking & test your water, Nitrates etc. see what your lacking or low on, dose accordingly & give it a few days & see what happens. Spot treating with flourish or tank blackouts maybe an option after that. __________________ Algae Architect....Yes! I have Algae, but it's all very tasteful...

01-06-2010, 04:52 PM	#6
wkndracer Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (68/100%) Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Citrus County,Florida Posts: 6,045	I don't know what it is (sorry) but had it (exactly the same as your photo including sand substrate) in my 10g snail tank last year. It grew on a clump of java fern and on the filter sponge. Cleaned off easily with a piece of airline tubing used as a syphon (pulled right off and out the tube) and disappeared after about 3 weeks of keeping after it and seems not to be returning. Only thing I did was tighten up on my water change schedule. __________________ *The Fraternity of Dirt* If at first you don't succeed,,, keep kicking it RubberSideDownOnTheLanding, 2-75g planted, 5-55g planted, 5-20g planted, 110g w/30g sump, 8-10g, Refugium, doghouse/newbie 2012 update adding table top pleco pans & a 90g (Nutz)

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01-06-2010, 12:11 AM	#2
cah925 Fear the Swamp! (View User Tanks) PTrader: (163/100%) Join Date: May 2007 Location: Riverview, FL Posts: 2,379	Check out this link. http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

01-06-2010, 01:05 AM	#3
Amazonfish Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (44/100%) Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,042	Thanks for the link. I'm still unsure about which algae this is. Rhizoclonium? For the hair/thread/fuzz algae, the article says that they're green, while rhizoclonium can be brown. Is that right?

01-06-2010, 04:15 PM	#5
Amazonfish Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (44/100%) Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,042	I'm definitely going to remove as much as possible today and do a 50% WC. I'll test nitrate before and after the change (to confirm results). Then we'll see if it comes back! Can anyone confirm what type of algae this is?

01-07-2010, 03:30 AM	#7
Amazonfish Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (44/100%) Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,042	Thanks, that certainly helps. It's also consistent with the fact that I was away for 2 weeks, so no water was changed during that period. That's all fixed now :-) I hope the algae will clear up!