Extreme Green Algae Problem! Please Help!

For the past month or so, green algae has completely taken over my tank. It's on the walls, the plants, the caves, and every other place you can think of. It's even growing on the fins of my poor butterfly fish! I've tried everything from water changes to using flourish excel to kill the bba to using some apI algae killer to get rid of it, but nothing seems to work. I just put the algae killer in 2 days ago, so maybe it will work, but it says to add another dose every 3 days, so you'd think I'd see a tiny, tiny bit of the algae turning colors or falling off, but that isn't the case. I have a rubber lip pleco and 2 nerite snails in there, but the never touch the algae on the plants or caves, and seem to be losing the battle with the algae on the glass. I have no idea what to do, and if I don't kill this stuff soon, then it will starve my rotala and anacharis and leave my tank a dirty, green mess. If you have any info on how to kill this algae, please help!

 

That is cyanobacteria. My guess is that you currently have 0 nitrates. Increase water circulation in the tank and dose ferts for the plants.

 

Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae. It is not a plant, but a photosynthetic bacteria. It likes the following conditions:

>bright lighting on for extended periods of time
>high levels of waste organics
>areas with little or poor circulation
>warm, oxygen depleted water

Cut your lighting back to 6 hours a day. Siphon as much of the slime out as your can. It can be treated with erythromycin and hydrogen peroxide, but keep in mind these may affect your cycle. Adjust your outflow so you get better circulation or add a powerhead/circulation pump. Do a thorough gravel vac and heavy water changes to reduce waste organics, and if you can add a lot more plant mass to the tank, especially floating plants such as frogbit.

Nothing will eat cyano, although there is anecdotal evidence that viper shrimp do. However, adding livestock will not solve the root cause.

 

s are not showing up. but if the tank is all green then UV Sterilizer

 

For the past month or so, green algae has completely taken over my tank. It's on the walls, the plants, the caves, and every other place you can think of. It's even growing on the fins of my poor butterfly fish! I've tried everything from water changes to using flourish excel to kill the bba to using some apI algae killer to get rid of it, but nothing seems to work. I just put the algae killer in 2 days ago, so maybe it will work, but it says to add another dose every 3 days, so you'd think I'd see a tiny, tiny bit of the algae turning colors or falling off, but that isn't the case. I have a rubber lip pleco and 2 nerite snails in there, but the never touch the algae on the plants or caves, and seem to be losing the battle with the algae on the glass. I have no idea what to do, and if I don't kill this stuff soon, then it will starve my rotala and anacharis and leave my tank a dirty, green mess. If you have any info on how to kill this algae, please help!

Pics aren't working but it sounds like cyano and if its that bad I would scrap of as much as I can during a water change then dose erythromycin.

 

The s aren't visible. Please try to repost.

Is the water green or is it green growth on surfaces? What (if anything) changed before this happened?

Filling out your profile info could help so folks know what kind of tank, filter, and inhabitants are involved.

 

Just tried the pictures again, so they should work. The water is clear and not green at all, but the algae has basically grown entirely over my anacharis and rotala and I'm worried it will smother it because I can't siphon it or tear it off myself.I have 1 african butterfly fish, 4 zebra danios, 1 rubber lip pleco, 3 khulI loaches, 2 nerite snails, and 1 dwarf orange crayfish (the snails and crayfish aren't in there because of the algae treatment that I put in). I have one airstone and my fluval 406 going at 3/4 max speed.

 

The pictures are visible now. I agree that it looks like cyanobacteria, AKA blue green algae (BGA).

I second everything Fahn wrote and don't think I could say it better. First and foremost, address the root cause.

Please re-read the given advice and circle back with any questions.

 

You can kill it with erythromycin but unless you address the reason it is there, it will likely come back.