Hi there. It all started with an outbreak of black algae attached to the decorations and then it moved to plants. For months I slowly worked on killing it with hydrogen peroxide. I got the outbreak down alot. I also was treating with co2 booster by api. Great side affect of that was my vals took off with tons of growth after being dormant for a long time. anyway, I then started seeing redish/brown algae stringing off my plants. It is different though because all I have to do it wiggle the plant and it comes right off. It almost just seems like dead algae. Is it or is it some other kind of algae?


Recently bright green algae is starting to grow along the substrate.


Any ideas ?


brown algae.MOV

First one is blue green algae/cyanobacteria, likely caused by decaying organics/dirty substrate. You can try killing with excel/peroxide and removing as much as you can, and then do a pretty thorough gravel vac to get all waste out of the substrate. Maybe do a few additional water changes/gravel vacs to really clean up the substrate.

Second one looks like some kind of hair algae, maybe rhizoclonium. Could be cause by a combination of too much light and excess organics. Try and remove as much as you can, spot treat with peroxide/excel, maybe do a blackout for a few days.

I am getting so frustrated that these three algaes are growing (I also have black algae). I am strict about siphoning the gravel, putting in fertilizer 3 times a week, have plenty of water circulation. I have zero ammonia and zero nitrites. I keep nitrates between 10 and 40. It is a battle with nitrates because I have nitrates in my well water. I have to keep nitrazorb pouches in my tank at all times.

I also can't seem to get my ph down below 8.


I do have really deep gravel - can that create the problem?