I thought I won war but it was only the 1st battle.

[BrandonInsoft]

So I’ve got a decent amount of my plants in my 10 gallon tall and everything was going great at first. Fluval nano light, root tabs, easy green feet from aquarium coop, and just one fish in the tank. Then the algae grew fast. I went to the pet store and got 6 before snails (3 small and 3 large) along with two oto cats. They cleaned the tank within days i was very impressed. About 3 weeks go by after adding two more fish to the tank and now my tank looks like this with all this weird dark green algae idk what it is but it is spreading very fast. It’s on the gravel rocks and plants.... does anyone know what this is? Also any tips for maintaining the algae level in the tank?

 

[86 ssinit]

Looks like a slime algae. I’d say more water changes and maybe start dosing flourish excel or api co2 booster. Both have nutrients for the plants are an Algaecide to kill algae. These are used daily. Other things to get rid of it would be a uv steralizer and a doctors 3-1. Both kill algae. I use all 3 in 2 of my tanks.

 

[KinderScout]

Maybe brown algae. Apparently common in fairly new tanks - let your tank mature! We had similar the first few months and a huge green hair algae bloom too. It all settled down after a few months. Consider C02 injection if you have a lot of plants rather than chemicals. Some people get on fine adding gluteraldehyde (eg Excel) some stop because it irritates their fish - so if you do use it add it gradually and keep an eye out for red & sore gills - don't overdose. Make sure no sunlight hits your tank - ours is by a window and we cover one side during the day. Here's a good article from George Farmer you might like. He posts a lot of YouTube videos too!
Algae prevention in your planted tank

 

[BrandonInsoft]

Maybe brown algae. Apparently common in fairly new tanks - let your tank mature! We had similar the first few months and a huge green hair algae bloom too. It all settled down after a few months. Consider C02 injection if you have a lot of plants rather than chemicals. Some people get on fine adding gluteraldehyde (eg Excel) some stop because it irritates their fish - so if you do use it add it gradually and keep an eye out for red & sore gills - don't overdose. Make sure no sunlight hits your tank - ours is by a window and we cover one side during the day. Here's a good article from George Farmer you might like. He posts a lot of YouTube videos too!
Algae prevention in your planted tank

So i have the Flourish Excel but haven’t used it yet. If i use it do i have to continue dosing the tank every single day until all the algae is gone and then stop or do i have to just dose everyday for ever. If it’s everyday forever it seems more practical to have a Co2 injector on a timer.

 

[angelcraze]

It looks like cyanobacteria to me. I am battling it still in my 120g, although i'm not being persistent in eradicating and really just keeping it under control.

You could try really keeping the substrate clean, spot dosing hydrogen peroxide, manual removal and probiotics. The latter is really just Septibac powder.
The Use of Probiotics in Aquaculture

Your plants look like they might need fertilizer, I don't know what effect they have on cyano, but I started getting it again when I got a new light and started dosing ferts again. My plants need the ferts in this tank, so I'm trying to get it all balanced out.

If it's spreading quickly, most likely bacteria. Does it have an odor? Mine smells like fish, ammonia (burns the nose a bit) or something else I can't identify, but it has a strong odor that I will never forget and always associate with cyano.

Actually, I just checked out the 3 in 1 Dr and I believe that should help you a lot. In fact i'm looking into one for my 120g. Thanks @86 ssinit

 

[KinderScout]

Not so sure - cyanobacyeria displays as deep blue/green easy to remove sheets. If you head down the route of CO2 injection it's work and expense to set up (easy once that's done though!) Keeping everything stable and keeping plant growth to a maximum seems to be the key. If it is brown algae, be prepared to be patient and let everything settle down.Use that time to research the route you're going to take. We're here for advice but research is key! I have a thread somewhere of our initial e perience of CO2 if you're interested? Plenty online otherwise!

 

[Blondeath]

Looks like a slime algae. I’d say more water changes and maybe start dosing flourish excel or api co2 booster. Both have nutrients for the plants are an Algaecide to kill algae. These are used daily. Other things to get rid of it would be a uv steralizer and a doctors 3-1. Both kill algae. I use all 3 in 2 of my tanks.

This will kill the anacharis

 

[BrandonInsoft]

It looks like cyanobacteria to me. I am battling it still in my 120g, although i'm not being persistent in eradicating and really just keeping it under control.

You could try really keeping the substrate clean, spot dosing hydrogen peroxide, manual removal and probiotics. The latter is really just Septibac powder.
The Use of Probiotics in Aquaculture

Your plants look like they might need fertilizer, I don't know what effect they have on cyano, but I started getting it again when I got a new light and started dosing ferts again. My plants need the ferts in this tank, so I'm trying to get it all balanced out.

If it's spreading quickly, most likely bacteria. Does it have an odor? Mine smells like fish, ammonia (burns the nose a bit) or something else I can't identify, but it has a strong odor that I will never forget and always associate with cyano.

Actually, I just checked out the 3 in 1 Dr and I believe that should help you a lot. In fact i'm looking into one for my 120g. Thanks @86 ssinit

 

[FinalFins]

cyanobacteria. I also have not eradicated it in my tanks, just trying to get it under control.

 

[KinderScout]

blue green it is - I stand corrected!
We had this growing under the sand by the glass until we covered the tank during daylight. We upgraded our water pump and adjusted ferts. George recommends:
"Manually remove as much as possible, followed by a filter clean and 50% water change, then black out the tank completely for 72 hours, ensuring CO2 injection is turned off with added surface aeration.

In the longer-term, to prevent re-occurrence of BGA, improve water circulation and, if possible, black out the substrate/glass. Consider adding more nitrates if the tank is heavily planted and the nitrate level is very low."

 

[angelcraze]

cyanobacteria. I also have not eradicated it in my tanks, just trying to get it under control.

Agree, it's in my 120g atm, but used to be in my 90g where I actually got it to take a hike! Probably to my 120g lol!

I had it growing between the substrate and glass in the 90g, covered it with tape, but it took more than that to get rid of it. Not sure exactly how to do it, seems like it's a combo of methods I mentioned earlier.

 

[BrandonInsoft]

blue green it is - I stand corrected!
We had this growing under the sand by the glass until we covered the tank during daylight. We upgraded our water pump and adjusted ferts. George recommends:
"Manually remove as much as possible, followed by a filter clean and 50% water change, then black out the tank completely for 72 hours, ensuring CO2 injection is turned off with added surface aeration.

In the longer-term, to prevent re-occurrence of BGA, improve water circulation and, if possible, black out the substrate/glass. Consider adding more nitrates if the tank is heavily planted and the nitrate level is very low."

Will blacking out the tank completely hurt my plant if they dont get any light for 72 hours?

 

[KinderScout]

Will blacking out the tank completely hurt my plant if they dont get any light for 72 hours?

I have to admit have never tried a total 3 day blackout. I'm guessing (and a little web research suggests) that different plants will have different reactions. 72 hours doesn't seem too long to me though.

 

[DoubleDutch]

It looks like cyanobacteria to me. I am battling it still in my 120g, although i'm not being persistent in eradicating and really just keeping it under control.

You could try really keeping the substrate clean, spot dosing hydrogen peroxide, manual removal and probiotics. The latter is really just Septibac powder.
The Use of Probiotics in Aquaculture

Your plants look like they might need fertilizer, I don't know what effect they have on cyano, but I started getting it again when I got a new light and started dosing ferts again. My plants need the ferts in this tank, so I'm trying to get it all balanced out.

If it's spreading quickly, most likely bacteria. Does it have an odor? Mine smells like fish, ammonia (burns the nose a bit) or something else I can't identify, but it has a strong odor that I will never forget and always associate with cyano.

Actually, I just checked out the 3 in 1 Dr and I believe that should help you a lot. In fact i'm looking into one for my 120g. Thanks @86 ssinit

Applause!!!

 

[angelcraze]

Applause!!!

Thanks DD! I actually just bought the twinstar 3rd gen 3 in 1 algae doctor, so I'll be able to tell if it helps with cyano, diatoms and BBA. I don't expect a miracle, but maybe some help.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Thanks DD! I actually just bought the twinstar 3rd gen 3 in 1 algae doctor, so I'll be able to tell if it helps with cyano, diatoms and BBA. I don't expect a miracle, but maybe some help.

I don't believe in chemical solutions.
My opinion is it is caused by an imbalance in ferts (that's why the plants don't thrive anf the bacteria (being more primitive) take over.

I solved my year and year problem by adding ferts, feeding more instead of the "common consensus" it is caused by pollution / to many ferts.

 

[angelcraze]

From what I can see, the algae doctor is not chemical. I'm not for chemicals either. It looks like electrolysis that doses oxygen for 30 seconds every hour. But we shall see!

Check this out

Yes, i'm continuing to dose my ferts, not something I did before, but I also feel if the plants aren't growing well, they aren't using all the nutrients and algae and bacteria are. One deficiency and the plant growth stalls and algae takes over.

Such a difficult thing to figure out!

 

[DoubleDutch]

From what I can see, the algae doctor is not chemical. I'm not for chemicals either. It looks like electrolysis that doses oxygen for 30 seconds every hour. But we shall see!

Check this out

Yes, i'm continuing to dose my ferts, not something I did before, but I also feel if the plants aren't growing well, they aren't using all the nutrients and algae and bacteria are. One deficiency and the plant growth stalls and algae takes over.

Such a difficult thing to figure out!

It is. Check nitrates and phosfates as well (a lack if either can cause this as well)

 

[angelcraze]

It is. Check nitrates and phosfates as well (a lack if either can cause this as well)

Thanks, I've been trying to get my nitrates down! They are about 20 ppm now on average. Still wanted them lower. Also I think I have phosphates in the water already due to the fact I still have diatoms after 9 years, but not sure. Thanks!

 

[DoubleDutch]

Thanks, I've been trying to get my nitrates down! They are about 20 ppm now on average. Still wanted them lower. Also I think I have phosphates in the water already due to the fact I still have diatoms after 9 years, but not sure. Thanks!

20 is perfect !