This algae is irritating me

1779 Views 9 Replies 8 Participants Last post by ~T~, Mar 19, 2007

edacsac

Discussion Starter · Mar 6, 2007

I've been collecting algae more and more, faster and faster. From what I've been reading and the advice I've been taking, it seems to come down to adding more co2. Since I got some new co2 parts, I've more than quadrupled my co2 input, and I'm getting to my limit. I actually had to back it off a little bit. My ph is between 5.5 and 6, which is to low for my DP's.

I had recently moved a blyxa closer to the front of the tank and the next day it was covered with a hair algae. I have better luck with the algae on the glass with the higher co2, but the hair seems to grow faster with more co2. If I manage to pick some out of the hc, it's back again the next day.

I'm dosing basic EI amounts for a 10 gal, WC at least once a week. I can't pull this stuff off the hc and blyxa without the plants comming with it. I also get some tiny dots of some dark green slimey stuff that I can clean off and control. It's just the hair stuff thats bugging me.

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danepatrick

· #2 · Mar 6, 2007

that's staghorn algae. defenately comes down to co2. are you testing your pH out of the tank? if so, that's not the true pH of the water. take some water in a shallow container and let it set out for 24 hours and then test it. it will then be degassed. that will give you the real pH. (right guys?)

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edacsac

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 6, 2007 (Edited)

Yes I do test my PH right from the tank. I did find something about testing from the tank, then testing the degassed sample and measuring the difference to come up with a ppm of CO2 though. But I can only measure PH to the .5, so that method is out.

Hmmm. I read a little about staghorn and it seems that staghorn comes from ammonia, and I haven't tested postive for ammonia in awhile. It grows fastest right after a WC, at a time when even if there is ammonia present, it will be at it's lowest. It also looks similar to thread algae since some of grows very long, but the long threads are easily removed. I can get some of it out of the hc as well, but on the blyxa it's attached hard.

I found an algae page linked from another post, and it seems I'm also starting to get blue green algae, and what I thought was GSA is actually GDA.

I guess I'm going to up the CO2 again tonight. I'm at 1 bubble pers second, but I'm going to try to hit 4 bubbles per second and really max it out. I hope I don't have to move the fish to a bowl. When I upped it the last time, I lost 4 ghost shrimp that day, and the DP's where not and are still not happy. They aren't gasping or anything, but they are noticably stressed and their behaviour has changed since upping the co2. I use a limewood diffuser (because I keep breaking the glass ones), but I'm at a point where the bubbles don't come out small anymore. I guess I'm pushing the limits of the limewood. I wish some LFS's would carry some of these things. I'm not one for ordering online all that much. Its funny, algae is heaviest on the the limewood diffuser.

I may do some artsy photos of the front of my tank breaking from impact with the water flowing out. Thats how much fun I'm having right now. Bah...

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oblongshrimp

· #4 · Mar 8, 2007

start dosing Excel....it works wonders for killing this algae.

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mistergreen

· #5 · Mar 9, 2007

oblongshrimp said:
start dosing Excel....it works wonders for killing this algae.

it makes sensitive fish sick though... like tetras..

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edacsac

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 9, 2007

Or Dwarf Puffers?

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PeteyPob

· #7 · Mar 9, 2007

the smell alone gets me sick! I feel you on the algae issue! I have a horrible outbreak of hair and thread algae. Keep with the dosing and dont give up! I have also have my co2 at a max along with dosing excel regularly. I have 15 amanos and about 9 cheeries in there and havent lost one yet with my high co2 levels. Just push it as far as you can and make sure the sirface of your water is getting "rolled" with the water coming out of the filter.

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macclellan

· #8 · Mar 9, 2007

have you tested your tap water for ammonia?

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ringram

· #9 · Mar 9, 2007

You have pretty much problem I'm having right now. Except that I have both staghorn and BBA. It's definately a Co2 issue in both cases I am told. What I did was remove and/or cut off as much as I could and turned the Co2 up a notch. I have some cardinal tetras in there and am worried about killing them if I overdose excel. I am told that OD'ing excel is not recommended in any application. I doubt that your problem is ammonia. Check your Co2 dissolution method. I'm using a Rhinox 5000 and have been pretty happy with it. ~$30 off Ebay.

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~T~

· #10 · Mar 19, 2007

I'm having a staghorn outbreak.Do planorbid ramshorn snails eat it by any chance?

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