[lurchone]

well title says it all... I have blueish green mold growing in the substrate on one side of the tank, not something I have ever seen before.... It kind of looks like mold you would see on a piece of bread maybe?

Substrate is maricle grow organic capped with pea gravel, diy c02 and liquid fertz. Plants all seem to be doing quite well, as well as about 3 different kinds of algae going on in controllable quanties (bba, red algae, and some hair algae that seems to be on its way out)

but once again, mold growing UNDER the substrate is something ive never seen before and was wondering if anyone else had any ideas?





and its only on the one side of the tank in one of the thinnest spots of the substrate, so I don't think its an anaerobic pocket but maybe im mistaken?

 

[Aqua Jon]

My first thought is anaerobic or microphilic bacteria, not mold, likely the infamous BGA (blue-green "algae"). I have not successfully slain this beast without dismantling my tank or going dark for 3 days or more. Hope others can input for ya!

 

[lurchone]

Certainly hope its not blue green algae. If it is and i try black out for a few days should i kill c02 or leave it on to try and suffocate the algae? Also should i block off that side so it doesnt get any light from my other tank? (70g brackish no special lights)

 

[jmsaltfish797]

looks like cyanobacteria. aka blue green "algae". is it kind of slimey to the touch?

 

[lurchone]

Dunno havnt dug down to check it out yet, like i said its below the gravel line

 

[Aurie]

If it is blue green algae it won't stick to the substrate, it'll float up in sheets. Also might get bubbles in it (a dead give away IMO) .. EM kills it if a blackout doesn't. High nitrates can be a cause. Try a gravel vac and get as much out as you can before blackout.

 

[zachawry]

I've had cyanobacteria (BGA) growing under the surface of my substrate against the glass for basically the entire time my aquarium has been in operation. It has never been a problem. I think it looks kinda cool.

 

[lurchone]

What is EM?

 

[The Trigger]

What is EM?

It's an antibiotic usually used to treat bacterial infections in fish. It's also very effective against Cyanobacteria. Usually used as a last resort.

 

[OldMike]

I've used erythromycin at a low dose and it worked quickly. Maybe you're overfeeding?

 

[discuspaul]

It certainly appears to be cyanobacteria - blue-green algae - which usually develops under somewhat similar circumstances to anaerobic pockets - i.e. in areas which get little or no oxygen, and have poor, or no, water circulation.

I've had overnite success destroying it by dosing it with H202 (hydrogen peroxide) at full strength and at close range, using a plastic syringe, or test kit pipette.

The method is to turn off your filter(s), lower your water level so you can easily get to the affected areas to dose them. You'll need to insert the syringe below the substrate surface level to get at the areas that are situated below the surface.

You' should immediately note air bubbles (oxygen) gathering en masse over the dosed areas of BG, which will soon begin floating up - a sign that the H202 is working. Leave the filter off for at least a half hour after the treatment, so that the filtration does not remove the H202 from the areas you've treated.

Refill the tank and leave it overnite, and you should see significant improvement the following day. You may need to repeat the treatment the next day to do away with any residual portions, and perhaps even do a third dosage.
Before you start your treatment, I suggest you remove a good portion of the rocks/gravel from the tank, as the level of coverage is unusually deep and is no doubt a cause of the BG getting such a large foothold in non-aerated areas. Try to reduce it by about half the depth.

In order to keep it from returning, I feel you need to step up your tank cleansing routine, substrate vacuuming, and the level & frequency of water changes. In addition you should significantly improve overall water circulation within the tank, by using a circulation pump, and/or a power head, or power bar - and perhaps a larger, stronger filter.
Best of luck to you.

 

[mistergreen]

Don't use antibiotics to kill blue green algae. Use it to kill fish diseases instead. You're likely to create super bugs in your tank and wipe out the good stuff in your filter.

I wouldn't worry about that little amount of algae. You can simply scrape it off and suction in a water change.

 

[lurchone]

Was already xonsidering h2o2 treatment as there are some bba spots that could use it as well. I might be overfeeding a bit but im pretty religous about my weekly water changes of 20-50% depebding on how fiesty i feel, it helps keep the tannins down. So i think im going to try a good vacum as well as peroxide tonight and see where i end up. Probably buy a power head this weekend as well

 

[lurchone]

Thanks for everyones input and advice by the way

 

[metsfan421]

Shortly after reading your post I noticed it in the front of my 75 gallon planted hi tech tank under the substrate against the glass as well. I am going to leave it, shouldn't be a problem right?

 

[discuspaul]

Probably not. But now that you've noticed it, perhaps it will bug you enough as you keep spotting it on a regular basis, that you'll want to do something about cleaning it up. lol

 

[zachawry]

Shortly after reading your post I noticed it in the front of my 75 gallon planted hi tech tank under the substrate against the glass as well. I am going to leave it, shouldn't be a problem right?

It grows in the plane where there is no oxygen or flow, but there is light. Since those conditions don't obtain in the rest of the tank, why worry about it?

Those little critters oxygenated the atmosphere billions of years ago, and were directly responsible for the evolution of all higher life forms. Give 'em a break!