Algae id and solution ?

[wsun013]

Hi, it appears that I have algaes on my ambulia leaves. It even make the ambulia leaves become weaker. Pics are as follows:

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

I found many IDs of algae from this site : http://www.guitarfish.org/algae

I was thinking they could be the following:

1. Chladophora

2. Blue Green (Cyanobacteria)

3. Fuzz Algae

4. Hair/Thread Algae

5. Staghorn (Compsopogon sp.)

or combination of those.

However, from my pics they all look like similar, so I need some help.

cheers.

[Squirt]

Looks like hair/thread algae to me but I'm

Not too sure

[Zev]

It is not Cladophora, Cyano or Staghorn (have plenty of the latter at the moment and it looks nothing like the pic in that link)

Would say Hair algae.

[Artem]

+1 for hair algae. To treat it cut out as much as you can, do a double dose of flourish excel and watch it die! Seriously, it will die in a few days.

[supasi]

Its Hair Algae or Fuzz algae.

Both a nuisance with ambulia as its near impossiblt to remove. Best to trim worst affected parts of the plant and dose Excel. Having a SAE may help but it is not a cure.

Good luck.

[Jennifer]

Looks like you have hair algae and green spot algae on the glass.

There are many many different types of hair algae. It is caused by an equally large number of factors. In general, increasing carbon/CO2 and helps. You will need to remove the affected leaves. It might be good to do a black out alternating 3 days of black out, 3 days of light. That will harass the algae and it won't be able to tolerate it like the plants can. Then have a look at your lighting. Intense lighting or long photoperiods will only increase the chances of algae.

The green spot algae is due to lack of phosphate. You won't be able to get rid of it without scraping it off the glass but you can stop it growing by adding appropriate levels of phosphate.

[fordayzbro]

+1 on all of the above.....

I find the best way to spot dose with excel is to mix a solution of excel and water into a spray bottle, drain water from the tank until the affected ares are emersed. Spray the solution onto the affected areas and leave for about 5 mins. Once you fill the tank back up with water the algae will turn red and die within a day. Don't spot treat with excel on mosses though.

You'll need to address the causes of the algae or it'll be a constant battle. :sage:

[the-obstacle]

+1 on all of the above.....

I find the best way to spot dose with excel is to mix a solution of excel and water into a spray bottle, drain water from the tank until the affected ares are emersed. Spray the solution onto the affected areas and leave for about 5 mins. Once you fill the tank back up with water the algae will turn red and die within a day. Don't spot treat with excel on mosses though.

You'll need to address the causes of the algae or it'll be a constant battle. :sage:

That's an awesome tip. Thanks heaps.

[BikBok]

The green spot algae is due to lack of phosphate. You won't be able to get rid of it without scraping it off the glass but you can stop it growing by adding appropriate levels of phosphate.

Where does one get phosphate from? I also have some green spot algae and it's a pig to remove by hand. I thought we didn't want phosphates in the water?

[wsun013]

Huge thanks for the tips. Too bad my Ambulia bends to the level of water so I proly will double dose it first. or 2.5 times, give it a shock treatment and see how it goes.

In terms of Phosphate, will adding liquid fertilizer do ? I am having a 300L tank, width 150cm, height 53cm, and I am on 4 T5 tubes 40W each, 1 power glo, 2 OSRAM 865 and 1 OSRAM 840, not sure if the light is too strong.

Weird thing is that, I have a 60L tank, running on one OSRAM 840 light, and ambulia in it is perfectly fine, grow like crazy, no algae in the tank at all. A lot duck weeds though, I hate duck weeds.

[Jennifer]

Phosphate is a macronutrient and you can get it in dry powder from a hydroponics place or liquid preparation from the LFS (Seachem Phosphate for instance). It is a myth that phosphates cause algae. Plants need phosphate to grow well. Overfeeding (excess high protein fish food) also releases phosphate in the water.

The tank with duckweed has two things going for it which can be helping to prevent algae, firstly, the duckweed will be blocking some of the light to the tank below. Also, the fast growing duckweed will be utilising nutrients in the water so the algae cannot - that is the objective with planted tanks, to get the plants growing well so that they outcompete the algae.