Black beard algae! help!

[Killybeys]

so i have to admit ive been leaving my light on over my planted tank a lot more than i should have (just forgetting its on and leaving the room) and its starting to look like i have black beard algae on some of my plants. it only seems to be on certain plants and not others. anyone have any solutions on how to get rid of it? im currently leaving the light off for most of the day. But if anyone has any hidden tricks i could use some help!!

 

[Cory]

First thing I would do is get the light on a timer. You need your plants to be growing to help out compete the algae. Maybe try say 8 hours a day.

 

[Anonymous]

My trick..... stabile supply of carbon dioxide.

 

[Anonymous]

First thing I would do is get the light on a timer. You need your plants to be growing to help out compete the algae. Maybe try say 8 hours a day.

 :iagree: 
Then black out a few days and take plants with bha put them in bucket of solution of 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 2 parts h20 for 2 minutes. Then plant them back while black out for a few days. Bha will turn brown and die. I'd do partial water change after.
I did that no more bha in my tank.

 

[Anonymous]

First thing I would do is get the light on a timer. You need your plants to be growing to help out compete the algae. Maybe try say 8 hours a day.

My trick..... stabile supply of carbon dioxide.

From my experience BBA growth excels when water column nutrients are unbalanced. You can use peroxides,  pull plants and decor out, medicate, ect... However, does this fix the problem? will you have to do it all over again  disrupting the ecosystem? Planted tanks when balanced should have very little issues. When BBA begins to form in my tanks I take a look at what part of my tank is unbalanced and figure out what I can do to bring it all back into balance. This ideal goes into play with any algae, or bacterial issue.

Your tank is planted. Take a look at the spectrum of lighting used (is the spectrum and out put optimal for plant growth)? Plants eat up nutrients in the water and once certain nutrients are diminished the ecosystem becomes unbalanced making it a haven for BBA to flourish. These nutrients should be replenished.

Once the tank is brought back into balance the BBA will recede .

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/algae-control/removing-hair-algae.php

 

[Anonymous]

Only problem I had was just like killbeys is too much light. My tanks both have co2, 1 is dirted (no need ferts), and 3 others are not dirted (ferts). Its timed but I sometimes turn it manually and forget to turn off. Its normally on at 8am off at 12pm on at 4pm and off at 8pm. 8hrs aday. But you manually turn timers and forget, thats 12 hrs of light.

 

[Anonymous]

Only problem I had was just like killbeys is too much light. My tanks both have co2, 1 is dirted (no need ferts), and 3 others are not dirted (ferts). Its timed but I sometimes turn it manually and forget to turn off. Its normally on at 8am off at 12pm on at 4pm and off at 8pm. 8hrs aday. But you manually turn timers and forget, thats 12 hrs of light.

In this situation I would still trouble shoot a deficiency. Although extreme lighting will help BHA grow it still needs other conditions to thrive. All my tanks are now considered high light & are on 13 hours a day. I do get BHA and this is kept in control with both nitrogen and carbon supplements. If either of these supplements are removed BHA will creep in.

 

[Killybeys]

First thing I would do is get the light on a timer. You need your plants to be growing to help out compete the algae. Maybe try say 8 hours a day.

My trick..... stabile supply of carbon dioxide.

From my experience BBA growth excels when water parameters and nutrients are unbalanced. You can use peroxides,  pull plants and decor out, medicate, ect... However, does this fix the problem? will you have to do it all over again  disrupting the ecosystem? Planted tanks when balanced should have very little issues. When BBA begins to form in my ranks I take a look at what part of my tank is unbalanced and figure out what I can do to bring it all back into balance. This ideal goes into play with any algae, or bacterial issue.

Your tank is planted. Take a look at the spectrum of lighting used (is the spectrum and out put optimal for plant growth)? Plants eat up nutrients in the water and once certain nutrients are diminished the ecosystem becomes unbalanced making it a haven for BBA to flourish. These nutrients should be replenished.

Once the tank is brought back into balance the BBA will recede.

Ill have to test my water tomorrow and see whats out of whack. i have to admit i havent been able to do as many water changes as id like due to work being crazy but now its slowing down so ill definitely check and fix what i can tomorrow. Also im using a Finnex ray 2 for a 120 gallon tank. Is there a ratio for how much light output is optimal per gallon??

 

[CrazedAce]

Add more fish. More fish = more waste = more nutrients for plants. I would assume... Lol

 

[Killybeys]

Add more fish. More fish = more waste = more nutrients for plants. I would assume... Lol

There is already a lot of fish in the tank currently. I think thats why it took so long for it to appear cause i left that light on a lot.

 

[Anonymous]

_________________
120 Gallon:    
7 Australian Rainbows | 1 Yomodanio    
2 Bosemani rainbows |  2 Plecos
3 Turquoise Rainbows | 12 Assorted Cory Catfish
1 Iranian Red Rainbow | 1 Black Ghost Knife
1 Lake Tereba Rainbow | 2 Angelfish
1 Gold Gourami  | 2 South American Bumblebee Catfish
1 Jurupari |  2 Roseline Sharks
3 Clown Loach

This planted tank is screaming " Siamese Algae Eaters "! They nibble on algae's, even BHA.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=830+888+1086&pcatid=1086

 

[Killybeys]

This planted tank is screaming " Siamese Algae Eaters "! They nibble on algae's, even BHA.

 http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=830+888+1086&pcatid=1086

Ive seen these before but wasnt sure if they really worked. Ill have to go see if cory has some on my day off! If they do work they are gunna get huge with alll the algae haha

 

[kingneptune]

This planted tank is screaming " Siamese Algae Eaters "! They nibble on algae's, even BHA.

 http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=830+888+1086&pcatid=1086

Ive seen these before but wasnt sure if they really worked. Ill have to go see if cory has some on my day off! If they do work they are gunna get huge with alll the algae haha

I was just at aquarium co-op last night looking at his siamese algae eaters, I think he has them listed at ~$4-5. Check out his left center planted tank to see a full grown SAE so you're aware of how large they get.

 

[Anonymous]

Siamese algae eaters will not irradiate BHA. Tanks no matter what get algae. They get BHA, GHA, all that stuff. A good clean up crew - especially in a planted tank is essential in my opinion. But, if there is excessive algae growth, excessive black hair growth the cleaners wont be able to keep up. Most of the fish in ALL my tanks are "cleaner" fish. There is Corydalis and loaches picking through the substrate for the left over foods. Small Plecos and Otocinclus to help maintain algae. Siamese Algae eaters swimming around picking away at hair algae. FYI, I would adopt an adult SAE if you didn't want it into adulthood. The smaller sub adults seem to be more active at picking away BHA.

 

[hyp3rcrav3]

The problem I have with siamese algae eaters is they will attack larger fish and eat scales. Maybe this casn be prevented with some sor tof calcium supplement. Algae Destroyer will safely kill algae but some mosses and liverworts are also harmed. It will not kill other plants or fish. It will wipe out invertabrates like snails or shrimp so it is up to you.

 

[Anonymous]

The problem I have with siamese algae eaters is they will attack larger fish and eat scales. Maybe this casn be prevented with some sor tof calcium supplement. Algae Destroyer will safely kill algae but some mosses and liverworts are also harmed. It will not kill other plants or fish. It will wipe out invertabrates like snails or shrimp so it is up to you.

SAE?!?! Whaaat? Ive never seen or heard of this. Im quite supprized! Ive housed these nearly from day 1 in this hobby. All mine have ever done is lay on leaves and nibble on the algaes on leaves. The most negative thing I've ever heard was reports of adults NOT eating algae anymore. Even this I have not experienced. All the adult SAE I've housed as adults still nibble on algae. Are you sure we are talking about SAE and not another species?!

 

[hyp3rcrav3]

It may have been something sold to me as an siamese algae eater but maybe it was another animal in a similar genus. This was decades ago. It would swim up to the side of the fish and start chomping away as if it was eating algae off of glass. It would let go and the fish would be lacking scales. It did this to Discus and Angels. Odd. Maybe it was bred out of them

 

[hyp3rcrav3]

How disruptive to a planted tank are CAE?

 

[Anonymous]

How disruptive to a planted tank are CAE?

I've heard of CAE being sold as SAE. I've never have had these due to stories of them becoming aggressive. The flying fox is an interesting critter. I've heard they eat BHA but get spunky like the red tailed sharks.

 

[Killybeys]

This planted tank is screaming " Siamese Algae Eaters "! They nibble on algae's, even BHA.

 http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=830+888+1086&pcatid=1086

Ive seen these before but wasnt sure if they really worked. Ill have to go see if cory has some on my day off! If they do work they are gunna get huge with alll the algae haha

I was just at aquarium co-op last night looking at his siamese algae eaters, I think he has them listed at ~$4-5. Check out his left center planted tank to see a full grown SAE so you're aware of how large they get.

Ya ive seen that guy before, hes huge! and ive had algae eaters before and out of the 3 i had, one of them grew freakishly large (like 5 times bigger than the other ones), lost all his color and started attacking everything.

the cave hes in is bigger than my fist.