Stubborn Algae that I just can't get rid of?

Tank: 20g Setup for 12 months
Lighting: Beamsworks DA FSPEC [9hrs]
Filter: AC 50
Ferts: Thrive C + Excel switched from Easy Green [1x a week after water change]
Substrate: Black Diamond Sand and root tabs
Water Change: 50% weekly, gravel vac and filter cleaning
Parameters: pH: 7.6 / Ammonia: 0 / Nitrites: 0 / Nitrates: 5-10 / Phosphates: 0 / Gh: 4-5 dgh / Kh: 3-4 dkh
Tap water is zero ammonia, nitrates and nitrites


Been dealing with this algae for the last 7 months, At first it was the standard new tank diatoms that went away and then after 2 months this kind showed up and I just can't get rid of it no matter what I do. I have 6 planted tanks and this is the only one that has had a algae problem past the basic early diatoms and thread algae. I also don't know what kind this is.

I've tried reducing light to 50% & cutting down my light schedule to 6 hrs, 50% 2x weekly water changes, changing ferts, reducing or upping ferts, Nerite snails and Amano Shrimps, manual removal, adding more flow, and adding fast growing/floating plants. I'm most likely going to rescape for a clean slate but I want to make sure I don't have this problem again.

 

You can try scrubbing it of with a toothbrush. You could also buy a wall scraper. It works like a charm.

 

You can try scrubbing it of with a toothbrush. You could also buy a wall scraper. It works like a charm.

I've been doing both for the last 7 months and then it's back in a week.

 

Hmmm. Now that I look closer, it looks like hair algae. I have the longer version in my tank, and we all love it.

 

Looks like theres some dead plant matter in there, try removing, it dead plants usually lead to most algae problems.

 

I agree with airdog44.

I'm always reluctant to pull plants because I like to think I can bring them back. It sucks to admit defeat with a plant you like. But more often than not, I can't solve the algae problem until I start begrudgingly removing the plants that just aren't doing well.

Edit: Oops, just noticed that this thread is a few months old.

 

Ahh! Ok well you’re pretty much stuck between a hard place and a wall with this one…

If you are asking for advise on the basis that you are keeping the aquarium as is, then I would recommend less light duration (8 hour max) and maybe intensity if you can. Plants only photosynthesise for 8 hours, so you are giving the algae an hour extra to grow whilst the plants get ready for night time.

The problem you are finding, to put it into words, is that your tank is not balanced. You have either too many fish, too much/duration light or dosing fertiliser without your plants being able to absorb it. You have root heavy plants, such as Amazon swords and the crypts, that will prefer root tabs over water column dosing.

Are you using any liquid or diffused co2? That helps the plants race the algae for nutrients and also liquid co2 can damage/kill the algae (it will kill fish if overdosed).

If you can get any chemical algae solution (seachem / Easy-life) then that would help you get somewhere. Remove any of the infected leaves, without stunting the plants.

What filter are you running? Flow can help hinder staghorn.

 

I agree with FishareFriends6 , this is staghorn algae. It's caused by high ammonia and nitrates as well as low oxygen and CO2 which can all be caused by low flow and overstocking. You don't have high ammonia or nitrates so I'd assume the problem is low oxygen and CO2 caused by low flow. Simply increase the flow and probably your water changes as well. Hope this helps