beard alge how do you get rid of it

[[email protected]]

I am hopeing that someone can help me .In my plant tank I have a real probelm with beard alge I have tryed flying foxes as well as bristle nose plecos and have had no success . I do not want ot use chemical if I dont have to but will if I have to if any one can help thanks Glen

 

[mak]

Glen,

A while ago I tried a product called "Freshwater Tank Clarifier" from Coralife. It killed off all the algae in the tank including the beard algae and left the plants alone . The only problem is that it also killed off 12 zebrafish, a couple of red minor tetras, and severely stressed a pair of aggies (which I believe led to their death shortly after) :cry: . So I don't recommend it with fish in the tank.

I am planning on using it for a new 125g I'm setting up, tho, during setup before I add the fish.

mk

 

[[email protected]]

Thanks for your reply I have angellls and some apistos and cory cats and plecos and I sure dont want to do any thing to stress the fish I have in the tank . there is a product call alge destroyer have you ever uued it my concern is that it will damage my plants let me know .Glen :lol:

 

[mak]

If I recall, Algae Destroyer is for the "plastic plant" people... it contains a herbicide (simazine?) & will/may wipe out anything green (algae or otherwise).

Have you checked out the algae section at the krib (www.thekrib.com)?

mk

 

[farm41]

What do you have for light? Watts? Hours per day? I think beard algae is usually a co2 issue. Are you using co2? Are you using any fertilizer?

The only tank that I have any is one that is only 1 watt per gallon and no co2, it also gets 80% RO water.

 

[[email protected]]

The light that I have are allglass tripe tubes t 8s I also have one of the hagan co2 injecters on the thank I leave the lights on about 8 to 9 hours a day it is set on a timer . thanks Glen :roll:

 

[farm41]

What size tank? How many watts?

 

[[email protected]]

MY TANK IS A 45 HIGH ITS 38 BY 24 BY 12 THE LIGHTS ARE 40 WATTS EACH

 

[kenw]

Hi, I too had a growing problem with green, brown, blanket, beard algae types in my tank and decided to get a pleco to clear some of the stuff up.
What I actually bought was a 3" Gibbiceps pleco that managed to remove any remains of algae of all types from a 50gal planted tank in about 4 days. The tank now looks like it did after first set-up, all driftwood, plant leaves and glass devoid of any signs of life!
Now maybe he was one hungry Gibby but no signs of any algae after 3 weeks.
One problem though, the Gibby can crap for a world title! He really does need a lot of cleaning up after him but I think its worth the effort. He looks pretty cool too....

 

[Neil]

kenw,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Wow, that is great. I would say that he is a "keeper"!

Neil

 

[ceg4048]

Neil,
I read with interest one of your replies to this post in which you identified CO2 as a possible contributor to beard algae. I am setting up an planted Dwarf Cichlid tank which has been up and running with plants only for about 5 weeks now. I am playing with the water chemistry until I can work out techniques and ensure stabilty/consistency prior to introducing fish.
The tank had been running for 4 weeks or so with only 100 watts of T8 Florescent Grolux (14 hrs daily) and no CO2 at a test kit indicated pH 7.5 and fertilization with weekly dosing of Sera Florena liquid and Florenetta A tablets placed at the plant roots. 100 percent RO water is modified using Sera´s "Mineral Salt" to bring kH up to 5 degrees. PO4 is zero, NO3 zero. The tank capacity is 600 liters but with 500 liters of actual water. Typical filtration via internal built in compartments using submersible pumps, Eheim EFHI Substrat and poly pad. For gravel, I use a German product called Aqualit (which is supposedly clay based but I admitedly have no idea) Although the FE reading was off the test kit chart i.e, much greater than 0.1 ppm the system churned happily along with zero algae and modest plant growth.

Some light loving plants such as Glossostigma elattinoides were clearly unhappy though so I added 240 watts of assorted T5 Florescent lights, but a week prior to adding the additional lighting CO2 had been introduced at a calculated concentration of 5ppm. When the lights were added the CO2 was increased to a calculated 36 ppm and the beard algae immediately appeared.

Since the micronutrient levels were high and there was CO2 prior to the stronger lighting without the appearance of algae I´m wondering if in fact the apperance algae can be directly linked to only the increased CO2 addition. I was wondering therefore if you have any additional data regarding the relationship between beard algae and CO2. I have reduced the CO2 input to more moderate levels (I was clearly in the yellow zone) and will do a water change (RO output is slow) but readings have not yet stabilized.

For your info, the "Mineral Salt" lists ingredients for one dose (5 grams in 100 liters water) as containing 4.4 mg/l Sodium, 1.5 mg/l Magnesium, 1.4 mg/l Potassium, 7.8 mg/l Calcium, 5.9 mg/l Sulfate(?), 13.6 mg/l BiCarbonate(?) and 15 mg/l of something locally known as "Cloruro" (I have no idea what this could be).

If possible, could you elaborate on the imbalances that is condusive to the growth of this type of algae?

Also, have you ever heard of this gravel substrate called Aqualit? An internet search reveals lots of German Aquarium Supply websites that swear its great but they don´t say what it is. It is sold by a company called "Hobby" (very imaginative).

Cheers,

 

[farm41]

Neil,
I read with interest one of your replies to this post in which you identified CO2 as a possible contributor to beard algae.

I believe that was my statement, it is from a lack of co2 that some algaes take hold.

Although the FE reading was off the test kit chart i.e, much greater than 0.1 ppm the system churned happily along with zero algae and modest plant growth.

Most likely the contributor to the algea growth.

Some light loving plants such as Glossostigma elattinoides were clearly unhappy though so I added 240 watts of assorted T5 Florescent lights, but a week prior to adding the additional lighting CO2 had been introduced at a calculated concentration of 5ppm. When the lights were added the CO2 was increased to a calculated 36 ppm and the beard algae immediately appeared.

Probably the beard algea had already taken hold, you just hadn't seen it yet.

If possible, could you elaborate on the imbalances that is condusive to the growth of this type of algae?

A healthy planted tank is a piece of art, takes time to get it done right. Nutrient levels have to be just right and in synch with the light intensity and light cycle.

Something is out of balance. I would start by increasing the co2 levels to 20ppm, get some SAE's and amano shrimp. Unless your water is very hard, the RO water would be detrimental to the planted tanks health.

 

[ceg4048]

Hi Matt,
Yes of course, apologies. That was your statement. I re-read the post. I hadn't read it thoroughly enough to see that you were saying that the algae was related to the LACK of CO2 and not the opposite. I´m with you now. In any case I've scrubbed and removed as much as I could and have done a 20% water change to reduce the Fe concentration.

I'll continuue to work on this but I'm a bit confused by your statement regarding RO water. You state that "RO water would be detrimental to the planted tanks health". However in an earlier response you stated that "The only tank that I have any (beard algae) is one that is only 1 watt per gallon and no co2, it also gets 80% RO water."

This could be another case of my misinterpretation but it seems that you do (or have) use RO water. Have you stopped using it since the time of that post? Obviously it would be unwise to have the tank with 100% RO water but as I stated earlier the water is modified with mineral salts to bring kH to 5 and gH to 12. With the addition of the mineral salts and the fertilizer I can't see how this water can be detrimental to a planted tank. Could you clarify this point for me?

Regarding my source water quality. It's untreated well water from a limestone reservoir, in a pig farming area so I don't even think about using tap water in any proportion.

As you suggested I've adjusted the CO2 to around 15-20 and am in the process of diluting the Fe concentration. I don't envision getting any algae eating fish or crustaceans though because I consider plecs, corys, SAE, shrimp, snails and the like to be either ugly or vermin. I don't see why I should keep specimens that I don't like looking at in order to reduce algae which I don't like looking at. Seems like a Catch 22. There must be another way, and as you say it must be through photoperiod and nutrient balancing.

In any case could you clarify your statement regarding RO water? I would also be very interested to hear what your water and nutrient parameters are in your various tanks for reference.

Cheers, and thanks!

 

[farm41]

I'll continuue to work on this but I'm a bit confused by your statement regarding RO water. You state that "RO water would be detrimental to the planted tanks health". However in an earlier response you stated that "The only tank that I have any (beard algae) is one that is only 1 watt per gallon and no co2, it also gets 80% RO water."

I still use RO in that tank, it has a pair of Inca50 in it, and the main concern of that is the fish. Plants are secondary, it is my sons tank, so it is low tech(no co2, not much light) If the main concern of that tank was for display it would be straight tap water, and work harder at algae control.

Obviously it would be unwise to have the tank with 100% RO water but as I stated earlier the water is modified with mineral salts to bring kH to 5 and gH to 12. With the addition of the mineral salts and the fertilizer I can't see how this water can be detrimental to a planted tank. Could you clarify this point for me?

The RO unit strips the water of the nutrients and minerals that the plants use. I'm not sure if the salts you are adding will bring it back up for the plants or not, I always add tap water back in to get the desired water parameters.

I don't envision getting any algae eating fish or crustaceans though because I consider plecs, corys, SAE, shrimp, snails and the like to be either ugly or vermin. I don't see why I should keep specimens that I don't like looking at in order to reduce algae which I don't like looking at.

I consider the SAE and otocinclus a necessary evil, don't really like them, but for the beautiful planted tank look, I can't do it without them. I do like the amano shrimp and the albino ancistrus though.

There must be another way, and as you say it must be through photoperiod and nutrient balancing.

yep, that's it, it is going to be much harder with the algea eaters though.

I would also be very interested to hear what your water and nutrient parameters are in your various tanks for reference.

My tap water is also well water, and I am in a farming community, nice water though. It is Ph 7, Kh 5, Gh 10, nitrate 9ppm.

 

[ceg4048]

Hi Matt,
Thanks for the response. I can only dream about having tap water like yours. I hear what you're saying about the algae eaters but I would only use them out of desperation.

On the issue of the benefits/pitflls of RO I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. Your contention is that RO strips the water of essential nutrients and minerals, but from a plant standpoint isn't that why we add fertilizer containing the so-called macro and micro-nutrients? Isn't it also why we add it in controllable dosages regularly? And isn't the problem of unbalanced nutrients in the tank made worse by adding tap water which may contain extreme concentrations (or extreme lack thereof) of these nutrients and minerals? It seems to me that unless a tap water analysis shows that it contains the right proportions of minerals and nutrients, matters are made worse. The (theoretical) objective of the water treatment plant it to provide water safe for human comsumption not necessarily to support wildlife so it would only be through sheer luck that the water would happen to be balanced for the plants. On the other hand trying to re-create the balance from RO "scratch" water is looking more every day like a search for the holy grail. The appearance of algae is a clear indicator of this. I do know that my tap water is extremely high in phospates, nitrates, and is so hard that I used up half a bottle of gh reagent trying to get a color change reading. I'm guessing that the algae battle would be a lot tougher than it is now, not to mention getting the basic Apisto-friendly conditions right. As far as what nutrients and minerals the fish need in the water it seems like products such stress-zyme, extracts and peat etc. help in this regard. I also imagine (but can in no way prove) that in a planted aquarium the plants themselves release various components into the water as a result of their matobolism that could possibly be of benefit to the fish. I suppose also that RO water would be more suceptible to higher bacteria growth but that's just speculation as well.

In any case I'll keep pluging along until I have a tank free of algae (and algae eaters!)

Cheers,

 

[Neil]

ceg4048,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Neil,
I read with interest one of your replies to this post in which you identified CO2 as a possible contributor to beard algae.

Although I would like to take credit for Matt's knowledge of planted aquaria, I will leave you to him.

Neil

 

[ceg4048]

Hi Neil,
Thanks, as you can see from the thread Matt clarified the issue for me. Take credit instead for having developed an excellent site. It's much appreciated.

For info, drastic water changes has lowered the Fe to between 0.5 and 1.0 ppm as best can be determined by my "purple chart". In addition, manic scrubbing and photo period reduction seems to have had a positive effect although thread algae has appeared. More plants should arrive today which will double the total plant population and hopefully will help compete. CO2 is now around 20ppm.

By the way, I've been out of touch. Do you have an acronym cross reference index? I need clues to the meaning of "LFS" and "BBS".


Cheers,

 

[farm41]

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