Help: Identify Algae

[Desmond Wong]

Hi all.

I have spent quite a lot of time on the internet trying to find out, but
cannot work out what type of algae I have...

I have a picture of it here: http://www.deswong.com/images/algae1.jpg

It is black, and starting to grow in all places. I cannot seem to get rid of
it by less light, so I am looking to find out what type exactly it is so I
can see how to remove it.

If you can assist at all please drop a reply to the newsgroup.

Thanks,

Des.

[Dogma Discharge]

Hi Des

Its BBA or black brush algae. Shes a tenacious bitch :)
You have this because either:
A) You are using too much light and no co2.
B) You do not have your co2 high enough.

Generally if you add co2 (30ppm stable for the entire photoperiod) your BBA
will stop growing. You will have to manually remove what is there now, that
won't go away by itself. Good luck.
--
Kind Regards
Cameron

"Desmond Wong" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all.
>
> I have spent quite a lot of time on the internet trying to find out, but
> cannot work out what type of algae I have...
>
> I have a picture of it here: http://www.deswong.com/images/algae1.jpg
>
> It is black, and starting to grow in all places. I cannot seem to get rid
of
> it by less light, so I am looking to find out what type exactly it is so I
> can see how to remove it.
>
> If you can assist at all please drop a reply to the newsgroup.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Des.
>
>

[Elaine T]

Dogma Discharge wrote:
> Hi Des
>
> Its BBA or black brush algae. Shes a tenacious bitch :)
> You have this because either:
> A) You are using too much light and no co2.
> B) You do not have your co2 high enough.

or...
C) You need a siamese algae eater (Crossocheilus siamensis)
http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/cyprinid.html They actually eat the
stuff. Even better, I've always found them to be peaceful community
fish that are fun to watch.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Dogma Discharge]

I beg to differ, I think Crossocheilus is *highly* overrated. Apparently
Florida Flagfish are best for this kind of algae. Gouramis also like to pick
at it but they will also destroy your plants!

Its better to deal with the root cause than treat the symptoms.
--
Kind Regards
Cameron

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
...
> Dogma Discharge wrote:
> > Hi Des
> >
> > Its BBA or black brush algae. Shes a tenacious bitch :)
> > You have this because either:
> > A) You are using too much light and no co2.
> > B) You do not have your co2 high enough.
>
> or...
> C) You need a siamese algae eater (Crossocheilus siamensis)
> http://www.aquatic-gardeners.org/cyprinid.html They actually eat the
> stuff. Even better, I've always found them to be peaceful community
> fish that are fun to watch.
>
> --
> Elaine T __
> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
> rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Elaine T]

Dogma Discharge wrote:
> I beg to differ, I think Crossocheilus is *highly* overrated. Apparently
> Florida Flagfish are best for this kind of algae. Gouramis also like to pick
> at it but they will also destroy your plants!

Nice to know another fish that will eat the stuff! Interesting that
your and my results with C. siamensis are so different. I've had them
clean up a tank completely with no changes to the tank other than
introducing the fish. It's gradually becoming clear that Crossocheilus
is a species complex, though. There are reports of agressive C.
siamensis which I've never seen either.

Out of curiosity, which gouramis will pick at it?

> Its better to deal with the root cause than treat the symptoms.

Fair enough. :-)

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Dogma Discharge]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
.. .

> It's gradually becoming clear that Crossocheilus
> is a species complex, though. There are reports of agressive C.
> siamensis which I've never seen either.

Bingo, I have the the agro version :)

>
> Out of curiosity, which gouramis will pick at it?

Trichogaster Mic???.....Moonlight Gouramis tear at the stuff but at the same
time pieces of leave also come away with the BBA. Tank ends up looking like
a salad bar thats just been hit by Katrina.

> Fair enough. :-)

Will you marry me? :)
--
Kind Regards
Cameron

[sworrall]

Dogma Discharge Wrote:
> Hi Des
>
> Its BBA or black brush algae. Shes a tenacious bitch :)
> You have this because either:
> A) You are using too much light and no co2.
> B) You do not have your co2 high enough.
>
> Generally if you add co2 (30ppm stable for the entire photoperiod) your
> BBA
> will stop growing. You will have to manually remove what is there now,
> that
> won't go away by itself. Good luck.
> --
> Kind Regards
> Cameron
>
> "Desmond Wong" wrote in message
> ...-
> Hi all.
>
> I have spent quite a lot of time on the internet trying to find out,
> but
> cannot work out what type of algae I have...
>
> I have a picture of it he http://tinyurl.com/dok2b
>
> It is black, and starting to grow in all places. I cannot seem to get
> rid-
> of-
> it by less light, so I am looking to find out what type exactly it is
> so I
> can see how to remove it.
>
> If you can assist at all please drop a reply to the newsgroup.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Des.
>
> -

I had this in my planted tank and have managed to mostly get rid of it
now.

Ive introduced about 20 Amanoi shrimps into the tank that spend all day
cleaning my hair grass and plants of the algae.

I also found that I was dosing too much fertiliser. I was putting in
5ml of Sera Florena a week to get a decent reading of Fe (iron).

I did a test and didnt put any fert in and found that the algae stopped
growing and seemed to be getting shorter on the tufts and dieing back.

Obviously I couldnt not fertilise as the plants would suffer so ive
started adding 0.25 - 0.5ml of fert through a syringe once a day when I
feed the fish

Ive foudn this has kept the algae down to almost nothing (although its
still there) and the plants are happily pearling and growing well.

Hope this helps

Stu


--
sworrall