Blooming Algae!

fish_4_all

Phosphates = PO4
nitrates = NO3
NitrItes = NO2
Ammonia = NH4

Lupin

Oh, I had hair algae with a combination of black, red and green. SAEs eat them but the hillies will never do that. I simply raised the lighting intensity by changing into new ones. The old ones are getting dim.

I'm throwing tantrums already because my stupid dog destroyed my tub of rocks supposed to be harvested if ever coated with green algae.

The hillies are at the moment relishing the diatoms and red algae growing on my pumps and rocks.
Can we exchange tank water please? I never get to grow green algae which I assume is lack of phosphates as Chris mentioned. Plants are growing well but the green algae hasn't appeared just when I needed it.

fish_4_all

If you really want green algae, put the tank in front of a window with direct sunlight. Should only take about a week and you alage eating fish should be the size of golfballs.

Green spot algae is from low PO4, you know the stuff that is like a rock to get off and takes more elbow power than scrubbing soap scum.

I don't know any other way to grow soft algae other than direct sunlight, not intentionally anyway. If you want algae on rocks, set up a fountain type thing and let the water run over the rocks while dosing regular outdoor plant fertilizer in the water. Should have algae covered rocks in no time. Just make sure the rocks are always completely covered with water.

Holly

I was using plant tabs and then a fertilizer that you put in the water. Maybe it was just an overload of fertilizer but now I can got the algea to go away!! My snails can't even get it off. Maybe their the wrong kind of snails since they just came with the plants. I didn't know any better and bought my first plants from PetSmart...I learned my lesson!

Andrew

and the award for the most bizzare post goes to,,,, serisouly this is a weird thread.

up the light time, increase intervals betweenwater changes.
i think moss might be a better alternative- but hey each to their own.

solareclipsed

I now have green algea growing on all of my pieces of driftwood and not to mention all over the glass and everywhere else. I also have black fuzzy algea growing in some spots....what is it and how do I get rid of it because I dont like it?
Thanks
Gary

scottysgirl

Ammonium is NH4+, ammonia is NH3 :) (sorry, Ochem coming out)

scottysgirl

Also, Holly, algae spores are on (to tell the truth) almost all plants in all fish stores, not just petsmart. I got rid of black beard algae (as fish_for_all suggested) by increasing light, increasing number of plants, fertilizing and dosing with flourish, and buying amano shrimp (those guys were lifesavers--ottos are nothing compared to them!)
I still have a little bit of green spot algae, my ottos wont eat it. Do you live in an area with very basic/hard water?

amphibi-man

Hi I have hair algea in my tank. I have blue compact lights in my freshwater 55 gal tank which I believe is the cause of hair algea on the top portions of my large sword plants. This tank also has 10,000 K compact lights too. Each of the two compact light bulbs have 65 Watts. PH is 7.4 right now with RO Water. But I have had this stuff growing in this tank a couple of years ago when the PH dropped to a steady 6.8 (whew no fish loss that year! Thank goodness.) Blue day-lights might be the main factor. Yeah ya know algea does look good growing on wood and rocks but not so much on plants...

Lupin

Oi! Some people have all the luck just when I need it.
Seriously, I am desperate for green algae, Andrew. I tried Chris' suggestion of sunlight but only diatoms grew on the tub of rocks. What's so weird about this thread? Only the Hillstream Loach keepers would ever need green algae for the fish's menu.
Oh don't worry. I would never let my plants get infested with algae. The SAEs are doing their best to scrape off algae from my plants.;)