Black algae that won't go away

[yvonnedono]

Hi. Thank you in advance for any feedback you may give. I have been battling black algae for years and have posted many times. Nothing seems to work! I have bought algae eaters and that doesn't help. I take out ornaments and other removable equipment and treat with hydrogen peroxide and that does kill the algae on those items - but it comes back. I try treating the plants but they do not handle it well. it seems impossible. Theoretically,I would think the black algae is in the gravel too. I tried black out and that killed green algae and messed with my plants but the black algae thrives. Here are my stats:
55 gallon tank
ph: 7.6
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 5
Phosphate 5
KH: 65 ppm
GH: 135 ppm
ammonia: 0

I do a 1/3 water change weekly then treat with stresszyme, stress coat and possible KH drops.
I fertilize with thrive low tech fertilizer 3 times a week. And thrive under gravel capsule fertilizers every couple months.
Lights are led. See below photos for settings.

 

[Zer0Fame]

Hey,

I fertilize with thrive low tech fertilizer 3 times a week. And thrive under gravel capsule fertilizers every couple months.

I'd say there's your problem.
Any chance you could post a picture of the whole tank?

BBA absolutely love high micronutrients (especially trace elements), low CO2, high lights and high organics.

Attack their weak spots!

The solution will probably be dimmer lights, less micronutrients and bigger water changes paired with a slight filter and substrate cleaning (not all at once though).

 

[BeachCruiser]

^this^ Especially the high organics/water changes.

 

[Fishfur]

There’s not much point to attempting to clean these algae off leaves. It is far better to remove all leaves that have the algae growing on them, leaving only those that are not affected.

Typically the newest leaves are clear of these algae so leave those and remove the rest from plants like anubias. For stems, snip off the top growth that’s still clean and remove the rest of the plant.

Once these algae take hold of a leaf it will never look good again even if the algae is killed, due to the damage done. These algae dig deep into the tissue.

The damaged leaves actually encourage more algae to grow so rather than try to save them, get rid of them.

Do another scrubbing to get them off all hard surfaces.

Then reduce light intensity or duration and quit fertilizing so much until the tank has been clear for a few weeks.,

I have successfully cleared a tank of BBA so it is possible to do it.

 

[yvonnedono]

Any chance you could post a picture of the whole tank?

For stems, snip off the top growth that’s still clean and remove the rest of the plant.

I have been doing that but can't keep up there is so much. As a result, there are quite a few less plants.

For stems, snip off the top growth that’s still clean and remove the rest of the plant.

I have been doing that but can't keep up there is so much. As a result, there are quite a few less plants.

this is a video link on utube
lighting: The lighting is an led Fluval Aquasky 35 watts. I'm running it at . Sunrise takes 3 hours - then full daylight (63% red light; green, blue and white 100%) for 4 hours and then sunset is 2 hours.

 

[Zer0Fame]

Hey,

you don't need any ferts at all most likely.
I'd (at least) quadruple the plants, dim the lights by 20% and conduct big water changes (around 2/3 to 3/4 per week).
Combined with cleaning the gravel some (only an eigth of the tank per week) and cleaning the filter (a fifth of the filter per week)

No ferts unless the plants show very clear sings of malnutrition (white or almost white new growth).

If you can manage to remove the capsule fertilizer, remove them.

 

[Mudminnow]

If you plan to run this tank as a planted tank, you should get more plants--a lot more. Then, after you have a ton more plants, take one of these 2 approaches:

1. Inject CO2. Increase CO2 so it stays at a high level the whole time the lights are on. Fertilize your plants heavily. Do 50% water changes once a week and siphon out all the organic waste you can.

2. Don't inject CO2. Lower your lights way down dim. Stop doing regular water changes.