mrezzy

Can anybody ID this algae, and recommend something to combat this?



It's green and goey..if that helps..

wi_blue

Looks like Blue-green algae...yuck! If it is slimy and grows in sheets it's probly blue-green. Check your ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels. Remove the contaminated areas. Water change if needed. You may need to use chemical treatments also, though luckly (knock on wood) have not had this in a planted tank and don't know how your plants would react to chemical dosing.

Seattle_Aquarist

Hi mrezzy,

Definitely looks like blue green algae (BGA) to me! I got rid of mine by removing as much as I could manually. Then I dosed 1/8 tsp of KNO3 per 10 gallons daily. Did a 33% water change weekly. It took about 4 - 6 weeks to get rid of it. Mine BGA seems to show up when I let my nitrate level drop.

DVS

Agree with Seattle on diagnosis. Also used same treatment to get rid of it.

armedbiggiet

Seattle are right and there is another way is using tetracycline... that is when things are really out of controls cause they are half algae and hale bacteria form so turning off the light would do nothing. Big water change for 3 to 4 week would work as good!!

mrezzy

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to update me progress on combating Blue-Green Algae. I seem to have been very successful after following the above tips.

1. Manually scrub them off
2. Changed water weekly
3. Did not have to use KNO, and those stuff
4. Turned off light 3 days at a time [that helped a lot, i have a 250 watt MH, and without the lights, the BG algae seemed to die off]

Here's a picture of the tank BG algae free! Thanks guys

Seattle_Aquarist

Hi mrezzy,

I am glad our suggestions helped! Don't forget to fertilize regularly, I found that keeping the nitrates up helps to prevent reoccurrence.

snail_chen

I once had similar algae. I think they appear in unstable aquariums.