Algae problem

FatCat · Post by **FatCat** » 12 Jun 2003, 15:18

This algae im plagued with is something i have never heard described by anyone else so i have been at a loss for curing it. It is just a regular green color and it forms on everything. glass, rocks, plants, and will eventually form a blanket or like a thin sheet that is very slimey if i dont keep up on cleaning it off at least every few days. Now correct me if im wrong here. Algae feeds on excess nitrates? Which can only be removed from water changes or live plants? I dont have live plants because I prefer to keep my lighting a bit lower so that my fish will come out ocasionally during daylight hours. (30 watts flourescent) Any live plants that i have had do not do well because of light issues with the exception of java moss wihch now just coats with this stuff. Would it be benificial to aquire some form of floating live plants to consume nitrates and at the same time being at the surface in the good light. Or am i just cursed with this plague of @#*& that will haunt me forever and send me to an early grave

Post by **Silurus** » 12 Jun 2003, 15:23

It sounds like you have cyanobacteria (aka blue-green algae...they're not really algae, btw). A google search will turn up plenty of info on them.

FatCat · Post by **FatCat** » 12 Jun 2003, 20:42

Yep that is the stuff sounds like a potentialy hazerdous infestation to have because some strains are toxic to people and whatever is in the water. but im guesing i have one of the more common varietys that is not toxic. From what I found an antibiotic "erythromycin" would kill it, unfortunately along with some of my much needed bacteria in my biological filtration, but I should be able to get through that with good water changes for a while. so Im gona keep an eye out for this stuff and give it a try. O BTW from what i read i do beleive I aquired it when i had live plants and put some plant fertilizer in there for the plants. That is what happeed to someone else and coencides with the timeframe i first experienced the onslaught of this stuff.

Marisa · Post by **Marisa** » 10 Jul 2003, 13:07

I also had this problem and thus far seem to have controlled it. First up I cleaned it off evrything..and like you it was on evrything and anything in my tank apart from my Tandanus! My local aquarium shop told me it was probably due to the light and recommended a product called AlgaeFix which is made in the US by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. Since I have been adding this it has virtually dissappeared and what little has reappeared doesnt seem to be spreading at all. Its active ingredient is
poly(oxyethylene(dimethylliminio)ethylene (dimethylliminio)ethylene dichloride. And that is typed as it is spelt with all the right brackets on the label!!

I really thought I was stuck with it too. When I
cleaned my ornaments and rocks I did it under really hot water and let them dry a bit before putting them back in.
Let us all know how things work out for you

FatCat · Post by **FatCat** » 10 Jul 2003, 22:14

Yes i had tried alage fix that did not work because a cyanobactera is not an alage. i had to treat it with an antibiotic (Ethromyacin) if i spelled it right. sounds like you didnt have a cyanobacteria if that alage fix killed it so you were fortunate. I have added some floating live plants to keep nitrates down and have been good for several weeks now. I dont expect any relapse and the plants have helped me have almost no algae as well.

pturley · Post by **pturley** » 10 Jul 2003, 22:34

I keep live plants (and the prerequisite higher light levels) on every tank possible! And all my tanks are either catfish only, or catfish + dither or hosts (S. multis).

Don't be afraid to put catfish in a well lit tank. See the links below.

http://www.webcityof.com/ffpw3.asp?IID=478
http://www.webcityof.com/ffpw3.asp?IID=479
http://www.webcityof.com/ffpw3.asp?IID=480
http://www.webcityof.com/ffpw3.asp?IID=481

This is one of my male Auchinipterichthys thoracatus fanning and flaring in mid-water, mid-day in a 38 gallon tank with ~1.5 watts per gallon full spectrum fluorescent.

IMHO: Most catfish are more likely to come out in the open regardless of lighting conditions if they have plenty of hiding places. Given that a well planted tank provides an excess of these... ...well you get the picture.

Sincerely,
Paul E. Turley