weird algae

Greenbean951 · Post by **Greenbean951** » 12 Jul 2003, 02:39

I recently had to start my tank all over again because oof this algae thing. The algae started growing on the walls of the tank, it was a brownish color and it scraped off easily, and it grew back in a couple days. Eventually, a more greenish algae starting growing in smaller spots and it was really hard to get off. I think that was what you call bluegreen algae, but I'm not sure. Then, my entire tank turned bright green (the water that is) and I thought it might have been algae bloom since I had done a water change recently, but it didnt go away like normal algae bloom. It just got worse and 3 of my fish died. I had to empty the entire tank(46 gal.) to get rid of it all. What could have been going on???

Post by **Silurus** » 12 Jul 2003, 03:07

The ammonia levels in your water were probably through the roof. That explains the blue-green algae, the bloom and the death of your fish.

Post by **Shane** » 03 Aug 2003, 21:56

I have never figured out what causes outbreaks of cyanobacteria outbreaks. People will tell you that it comes from poor tank maintenance and this is probably true in most cases. That said, I have fought it in tanks that received 80 percent water changes every 4-5 days. Once it is established it is almost impossible to kill. You can try large frequent water changes and less light, but the easiest way I have found to kill it is with Jungle Products "Binox." One treatment will clear up even an over run tank. Cyanobacteria is the stuff that is blue green and grows in sheets. It can be tough to remove and makes your tank smell like a nasty pond.
One man's pest is another's pet. Look at this site
http://www-cyanosite.bio.purdue.edu/
They advertise "over 200 beautiful images or videos of cyanobacteria." Never thought of taking algae photos. Maybe someone wants to start the Algae-ELog?
-Shane

Sid Guppy · Post by **Sid Guppy** » 03 Aug 2003, 23:39

best check the substrate and the filters too.
Also how much do you feed? almost everyone feeds TOO MUCH!
It's not only ammonia that caused the damage, but a distortion of the Redfield factor too. This states that if the nitrates drop, but the phosphates don't, you can get Blue Greens even if the rest of the water is OK.

Your tank had too much nutrients to start with so first came the brown algae (diatoms), then the greens and blue greens all living off the nutrients. You do a waterchange, and this adds more oxygen; the green algae go through the roof and when the nitrates run out, they all die; then (or even before at night when the algae didn't produce oxygen) the oxygenlevels head for the cellar....result: dead fish.
And it could also be a pH spike caused by the ammonia; ammonia is a wasteproduct by the wrong bacteria......

Greenbean951 · Post by **Greenbean951** » 04 Aug 2003, 01:26

Well thank god there's a forum like this one, cuz I really don't know much about that stuff. I really appreciate all of your help. The algae is gone now, but I will definitely keep all that info in mind so it won't happen again.

Post by **Barbie** » 04 Aug 2003, 04:42

I have battled cyanobacteria a few times in reef tanks, but had only had it in a planted tank one time, due to a DIY yeast reactor bottle being spilled in the water column (don't ask, 2 year olds and DIY shouldn't reside under the same roof). That time, just water changes resolved the issue.

After I moved, I set up an 18 gallon tank with a flourite substrate, a large piece of driftwood, and a huge clump of java moss, under 36 watts of light, to establish a tank to raise cherry shrimp in. I used established tank water that has a low fish load, with nitrates under 20ppm, and a sponge filter from the same tank, but was just planning to squeeze a filter out in the tank before I added livestock, rather than try to keep the biobed really active.

The tank was filtered with a small powerhead and a sponge filter, and within a week or so, I had a serious outbreak of cyanobacteria. I tried no light, I tried more water changes (now mind you, there is no food going into the tank, and we have very low phosphate levels out of the tap water). Antibiotics would knock it back, but it would just come back within a week or so.

I decided to do some more in depth research, and found a site that said that increased circulation of oxygenated water would solve my problem, so the day before yesterday I added a larger powerhead and let it create good surface disturbance. The cyanobacteria is more than 2/3s gone already. I was amazed. They also said that cyanobacteria tends to thrive in water with LOW nitrate levels, due to its ability to use other nutrients in the water column, without requiring nitrates, like the plants would. Hope that helps at all. I'm frankly amazed at the turn around the tank has taken in such a short time.

Barbie