Need help sludge/algae problem

So this black sludge/algae has been in my tank for a least a month now.it can carpet across the sand,it can attach to rocks and can grow on my live plants.At first I thought it was black beard algae but now that doesn’t look like the case I thought it could be green slime algae but it doesn’t have a smell to it however it’s starting to cover everything in the aquarium sand,glass,plants and rocks.I have tried cutting my lights off,doing 2 water changes a week and tried feeding less I just can’t seem to find a solution.Any suggestions or ideas would really help.

 

Do you use fertilizer or co2 for your plants? Cutting down on that could help.

 

I use to use fertilizer but I stopped using it about 2 weeks ago to see if it would help.I think this is Cyanobacteria now after doing some more research

 

Could be cyano...

How often are you changing water and how much?

I used to think dosing ferts was a cause, but now I wonder if it helps give the plants all that they need allowing the plant to grow well and outcompete the bacteria? I didn't stop dosing in a tank with a persistent low problem, and I've been able to see improvement.

I've found the key is to keep organics down. So by siphoning with water changes and taking care not to overfeed.

Also this might interest you. It's using probiotics to outcompete the bad bacteria including pathogenic ones.

 

Alright thanks,I change the water at about 30 percent on wensdays and Saturday’s at first it wasn’t such a bad problem but now I worry about my live plants because it seems to be growing over the leaves and stems

 

Yeah looks like Cyano to me too. I used to have it all the time. In my 55 I had it, got live plants and 50% water changes once a week it went away. Not sure how it happened.

 

Alright thanks,I change the water at about 30 percent on wensdays and Saturday’s at first it wasn’t such a bad problem but now I worry about my live plants because it seems to be growing over the leaves and stems

I know I added floating plants and that seems to help. I guess it uses the excess organics faster than submerged plants with access to atmospheric co2.

Did you have a look at the probiotic link? Keeping the mulm and debris in the filters down help combat cyano.

Along with manual removal when you see it. The stuff in my 120 gallon is gelatinous and I can remove it with tweezers or even my fingers. But make sure to wash it off and disinfect your fingers with hydrogen peroxide to prevent re-contaminating.

 

Work a piece at a time and scrub the stuff off.