Blackbeard Algae ID & Help?

[Revan]

Hey everyone,

I have a new 5 gallon vertical tank, its not cycled yet but I've been letting it run so that colonies can grow. I noticed today what I thought was strange decay on my Java fern, but now I'm scared that it's blackbeard algae (or staghorn?). Can anyone confirm, and if it is, what do you recommend? Thanks in advance!

 

[Fishfur]

Ferns that are transitioning will lose the old fronds one by one, it’s normal, though some of them usually produce some fernlets before they die.

I don’t see any algae at all so I don’t think you need to worry about that.

 

[Revan]

Ferns that are transitioning will lose the old fronds one by one, it’s normal, though some of them usually produce some fernlets before they die.

I don’t see any algae at all so I don’t think you need to worry about that.

Here's a zoomed in version, you're saying this is just the fern decaying?

 

[TClare]

I think that fuzzy stuff is probably BBA but it only seems to be attacking the old, decaying leaves. Maybe remove the affected leaves and see what happens. Keep lights low initially as well.

 

[Revan]

Is it just me, or are there smidges of it all over the plant? Do you think I should just toss it out, or can I save it?

 

[TClare]

Is it just me, or are there smidges of it all over the plant? Do you think I should just toss it out, or can I save it?

You can save it if it is all over the plant, its difficult to tell from the photos. Keep the lights very low for a good while and don't add any nutrients. It will probably disappear.

 

[Revan]

Noticed some stuff on my driftwood as well, is this also algae, or is it just decaying biofilm mixed in with driftwood stuff?

 

[TClare]

Noticed some stuff on my driftwood as well, is this also algae, or is it just decaying biofilm mixed in with driftwood stuff?

Hard to tell but I would not worry about that, it won't do any harm whatever it is and if it is algae it should disappear with low lights and low nutrients.

 

[Revan]

Hard to tell but I would not worry about that, it won't do any harm whatever it is and if it is algae it should disappear with low lights and low nutrients.

Alright, I'm going with the blackout strategy, won't dose any fertilizers either. How long do you think I should keep the blackout for?

On a side note, are there any ways to dim a static light other than floaters? I don't want to risk the super bright tank light causing this again.

 

[TClare]

Alright, I'm going with the blackout strategy, won't dose any fertilizers either. How long do you think I should keep the blackout for?

On a side note, are there any ways to dim a static light other than floaters? I don't want to risk the super bright tank light causing this again.

You don't necessarily need a total blackout, if you cannot reduce light intensity, reduce the number of hours it is on for, maybe start with just 3 hours of light a day for a week or two and see if this has any effect. Definitely don't use fertilizers yet.

I am not sure about reducing the light levels, it depends on the type of light, mine are not dimmable but I use floating plants, there may be other types of shade you can use over the lights. But why not floating plants? They also use up excess nutrients and help a lot with water quality, also many fish like the security the roots and shade provide.

Anyway, you should find that as the ferns became established and start to look more healthy, you will be able to gradually increase the hours or brightness of light.

 

[Revan]

You don't necessarily need a total blackout, if you cannot reduce light intensity, reduce the number of hours it is on for, maybe start with just 3 hours of light a day for a week or two and see if this has any effect.

Sounds good, I'll try this.

But why not floating plants? They also use up excess nutrients and help a lot with water quality, also many fish like the security the roots and shade provide.

My LFS is a while away, I'm waiting until my tank is cycled so that I can go to get fish as well in the same order. I'm probably going to get some Salvinia when I end up going.

 

[Revan]

Wanted to post an update here since its been a while. I've basically kept my tank unlit since the last post, although my room's ambient light isn't completely negligible. Haven't dosed any fertilizers either, and here's what the tank looks like now (turned on the lights for a picture).

The brown clump on the large driftwood makes me hopeful that if it is staghorn or BBA, its dying off, but the smaller pieces of driftwood are throwing me off. What's even weirder is that the algae that was originally on the trident fern is almost all gone now, while the driftwood seems to be the same. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[BeachCruiser]

For me, BBA pops up in areas of high flow when the tank is dirty. Smoothing out the flow rate & water changes usually knocks it out.

 

[TClare]

Personally I wouldn't worry much about the driftwood, you may find this gradually disappears too. But as long as it is off the plants it is not doing any harm. But, yes, the above is correct I believe.

 

[Revan]

Here's another update picture.


I think I have a theory as to why I got in this mess in the first place. I never ended up washing my old pieces of driftwood before putting them in this new tank, and they were probably really messy in my old 20 gallon. The fern probably started the whole thing since I never bothered to quarantine it from my LFS, while the driftwood kept the algae going even after the fern started doing better (you can still see specks of it on the plant). I removed the main problem piece, there's still some but I hope as I throw in some floaters (and hopefully more plants) later they should be taken care of.

On a side note, does anyone have any recommendations on how to keep the glass on a tank clean of dust? Never had this issue before with the 20 gallon but this little one seems to be a dust magnet.

 

[3Fishnight]

For me, BBA pops up in areas of high flow when the tank is dirty. Smoothing out the flow rate & water changes usually knocks it out.

In his pictures to me all i saw was staghorn algae. For me BBA is impossible to get out lol. I have never successfully got rid of it completely but only controlled it. I have heard if you spot treat with seachem excel before the bba gets bad that is a good way to control/ knock it out.

Here's another update picture.
I think I have a theory as to why I got in this mess in the first place. I never ended up washing my old pieces of driftwood before putting them in this new tank, and they were probably really messy in my old 20 gallon. The fern probably started the whole thing since I never bothered to quarantine it from my LFS, while the driftwood kept the algae going even after the fern started doing better (you can still see specks of it on the plant). I removed the main problem piece, there's still some but I hope as I throw in some floaters (and hopefully more plants) later they should be taken care of.

On a side note, does anyone have any recommendations on how to keep the glass on a tank clean of dust? Never had this issue before with the 20 gallon but this little one seems to be a dust magnet.

To keep dust and water marks off the glass i just wipe some water on the glass to get everything damp then wipe it off with a microfiber towel. Thats the important step microfiber towels or paper towels seem to leave behind no streak.