Algae (?) Help please.

Nilet699

This is in my puffer tank and so somewhat concerned. Levels are all good etc though.

Nothing new added for over a week, normally douse seachem flourish due to being a heavily planted tank, but haven't for at least 2/3 days.
Leaves also developed a few spots o.j. them. 2 separate clumps of Java Moss in the tank, this is on both.
Any help appreciated. Thanks.

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Chesherca

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Nile, I'm sorry you're having this issue... I'm sure it can be set right, though!

I'm not an expert by any means, hopefully Byron or one of the others with more experience will be by soon to help you figure this mystery out. It looks like a type of hair or fuzz algae - though that is kind of a broad 'diagnosis.' I've had minor issues with algae from time to time in my tanks, and I've found that it was almost always linked back to having too much light - or leaving the light on for too long. Even as the seasons shift, I have to pay attention to where the light is coming from outside of my tank - I don't have direct sunlight hitting it, but an increase in ambient sunlight has caused me issues in the past. . .

That said - what lighting are you running on this tank? How many hours a day are your lights on? And is the tank in a sunny room?

JDM

That's white, I doubt it's an algae.

Look at your driftwood closer, see those white dots? Those are probably fungus and so is the white growth... I wouldn't expect it out on the Java Moss though, it would be starting on the wood THEN growing out.

Tiger snails eat that stuff up... if it happens to be of the same variety as the stuff that I had.

Otherwise, toothbrush on the wood but then the filter sucks it up and that can't be good so toothbrush with the water vac going with the filter off.

How long has that piece of wood been in that tank?

Jeff.

Chesherca

I was thinking that at first, too - you might be right. I know that it's a new setup, the wood hasn't been in there long - maybe a week or so. (just answering for him, as he's not online!) But even in the picture, it seems to be heavier on the plant than on the wood. . . that said. . . the moss is ALL attached to wood (if I remember correctly) and he only mentions it on the moss, so. . . *nods* Could be!

If it's a 'bloom' on the wood, it should just go away after a short time, regardless - right? He has Puffers in the tank - would they eat those snails? I've always boiled my wood and let it sun dry whenever anything grew on it, but I didn't already have moss attached. . .

JDM

I boiled mine for 10-12 hours and it still did the exact same thing in the first couple of weeks... the white polka dots are the giveaway. Mine was more silky looking and his are more branch looking. Eventually the white dots turned into a sheet of fungus in the splits in the wood... I don't think it was going away.

Apparently you can't kill this stiff by boiling. My snails did clean it up very well and I don't see any recurrence yet... they keep hoovering over the wood so I don't know if it is still there or not. Four tigers.

Here's a pic of one of the tigers taking a break from the wood and cleaning the rock.

These are pretty large snails, trumpets, their preferred snack, are usually quite small, 1/4-1/2" long and very narrow.

Jeff.

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FishyFishy89

I'm leaning towards the fungus side as well. I'm sure you can remove your moss and boil the driftwood if needed. And giving a coupla tiger snails a try wouldn't hurt.

JDM

I wouldn't waste the effort of removing it to boil it. I'll know better later but I think if it's going to grow fungus, it's just going to do it, perhaps only the once... I doubt anyone boils their wood as long as me I'll bet and I still got it.

The thing about tiger snails, they won't reproduce so you don't end up with a snail overpopulation later on.

Jeff.

Nilet699

Ok, think I need to clarify a few things. The white is sand. I stirred up the corner slightly and so that's not a part of the issue. Tried to avoid having it in the photo so it didnt come up. Obviously didn't happen. The wood has been in aquariums for a least a year. It want my wood originally.

I think it's sun based. Noticed the Mrs had opened the curtains that are NEVER to be opened. She said no direct light but I don't believe a word she says tbh! Even non noticeable to us direct would be enough to cause problems would it not anyway?

Chesherca

Yes, Nile - as I said in my initial post, even if it isn't DIRECT sunlight on the tank, ambient sunlight can and does affect algae growth in the tank. I have to keep an eye on mine as the seasons change, certain times of the year as the sun changes it's position, I start to notice algae growth in my larger tank, and it is without a doubt caused by the sun - which is NEVER directly shining on the tank. I INSIST on natural light in my home, though, so it's something that I have to be aware of, and adjust the in-tank lighting to compensate for.

Though. . . because this is such a newly set-up tank, I wouldn't rule out the rest yet. Take a close look at how long your tank lights are on, as well as what WPG they are. It still could be that the imbalance is internal. . .

To the others, I've had stubborn 'slime' on my driftwood once or twice in the past. I took it out, sprayed it down with peroxide, boiled it, and let it dry in DIRECT sunlight until it was totally dried through, and it never came back. I also boil my d/w within inches of it's life before using it in the first place, and in some cases ONLY the sun did the trick, but for the stubborn ones - peroxide worked wonders :)

Nilet699

thanks for answering all the questions for me btw when i was offline

As per the wpg......NO idea due to the new LEDs in there.....i will try and find out........

Lights run from 1200 to 1000 everyday.

Tank is new for me.....filters a good year in use, as with tank and wood. When i bought it i stripped it down with the guy, drove for 30 mins with it 1/3 full of water for filter and at the time gravel and set it up at home. then have had it running myself for 6 weeks. so its not brand new if you know what i mean.

I honestly cant look past it being the curtains. I cant believe in my mind that this tank has suddenly had a problem, its first 6 weeks in and it not being related to that when they were open.

My thoughts now go to.......how to rid myself of it?