# Aaaaaalgae



## mr ry (Jun 19, 2014)

Ok I'm having a fishue here... I have a green algae that no matter what keeps coming back starting to drive me nutts only happens to one tank ( I have 3 ) and this is the only one that gets it it's a green carpet algae I believe... I'll have to upload threw my computer since it won't let my phone put one on


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## jkhcjris (Jun 1, 2010)

Cyanobacteria


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## SeaHorse_Fanatic (Apr 22, 2010)

Agree, cyanobacteria. I use Foz Down to reduce phosphates and get rid of cyano by starving it. Water changes with clean water will help reduce in-tank nutrients and using a gravel vacuum to syphon out the cyano will improve your odds of getting a handle on the cyano outbreak.

Anthony


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## BadFish (Dec 23, 2016)

+1 Cyanobacteria. What exactly have you tried to get rid of it? What's your photo period? Nitrates? Is this a planted tank?

Without knowing much about your tank I would say manually remove as much as possible. If you lack flow in the tank try increasing it if possible.


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## mr ry (Jun 19, 2014)

I do 35 gallons every 3 days on a 120 gallon and I symphony half the tank one time and the other half the next .... it's kinda planted I have Anubis in the tank ... my cleaning crew consists of 1 Siamese algae eater( I had 3 but my DWARF snakehead decided he wanted to eat them.. and 2 bnp


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## jkhcjris (Jun 1, 2010)

Chemiclean Red Slim Remover works on it as well if you can or want to use a chemical. I would do some research on though before using it.


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## Dou (Dec 4, 2015)

Before you start using chemicals, I recommend adding an air pump. Cyano is due to low oxygen levels... From my experience anyway


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## Haven (Dec 26, 2012)

I had this in a 55 gallon tank, had to use API E.M Erythromycin. it worked really well and never came back.


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## mr ry (Jun 19, 2014)

I don't know how it can be low air as I have a pump made for a 150 on it maybe split it up?? Also took a old set of lights off tank due to the amount of light it gives off


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## Dou (Dec 4, 2015)

mr ry said:


> I don't know how it can be low air as I have a pump made for a 150 on it maybe split it up?? Also took a old set of lights off tank due to the amount of light it gives off


Is there low flow in your tank? Slow moving water will contribute to its growth + excess phosphorous = bloom. That's what I read online from various articles as it is an issue in our canadian lakes as well in the summer.


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## VElderton (Jun 3, 2015)

I agree too much light + nutrients is the main cause of cyanobacteria over growth. These bacteria are always present, it's when they proliferate that issues arise. 

Your water changes sound great but you have to be getting nutrients from somewhere. Have you cleaned your filters lately? 

I have treated my tanks with Maracyn to kill the bacteria but if you don't find the root cause which is the balance between light + nutrients it will be back.

Cyanobacteria are some of the most ancient forms of life on the planet ... they are in the earliest fossils so they know how to survive really well.


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## mr ry (Jun 19, 2014)

Dou said:


> Is there low flow in your tank? Slow moving water will contribute to its growth + excess phosphorous = bloom. That's what I read online from various articles as it is an issue in our canadian lakes as well in the summer.


I don't think it's low flow either as I have a fluval 405 and a fx6 and the tank is 4x2x2


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## mr ry (Jun 19, 2014)

My filters get cleaned one week after the next leaving the biomax in a bucket with fish water now feedings are once a day and sometimes every other day


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## dino (Aug 29, 2011)

I have a u.v. for sale that would work


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## VElderton (Jun 3, 2015)

I agree with recommendations from other forum members ... you have light + nutrient most likely phosphate conditions that are condusive to cyanobacteria (aka. blue green algae) growth.

As Dou mentioned cyanobacteria blooms are not uncommon in nature ... after all we're talking about one of the oldest life forms on Earth. Some of the oldest fossils found are cyanobacteria. They are definite survivors. Because it is a form of bacteria it can be kiled by products lke Maracyn. However as suggested before commencing chemical warfare see if you can change the conditions that help it survive and multiply. It is always in the system, it just doesn't proliferate and cause issues. I had some appear unexpectedly 2 weeks ago in a well established tank ... problem was I had increased my lighting and the cyanobacteria started to grow ... I reduced the lighting and wavelength and it has died off. The lighting was the only parameter I changed so it was easy to trace the issue.

Here's where I'd start

1) reduce intensity of light, cyanobacteria is photosynthetic, it needs light to produce the sugars it feeds on to survive
2) reduce feedings, that will reduce nutrient supply
3) increasing flow with oxygenation - i.e. more filtration with media that takes nitrate out of the system like Hydroton & Biohome

You might want to experiment with each of these 1 week at a time. Reduce the light, then the feedings and finally flow and oxidation. If there is still no change after that ... then I would be looking for a nutrient flow coming from something like a canister filter that has not been cleaned in long time or subtrate that is laden with excess nutient load.

Hope this helps


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## Tropica North America (Jun 19, 2016)

Check your nitrate level. It may sound counter intuitive, but you may need to raise your nitrate levels. Cyano (BGA) will thrive in a low nitrate environment.


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## CRS Fan (Apr 21, 2010)

dino said:


> I have a u.v. for sale that would work


A UV filter is a pass through device. Cyano is not suspended in the water column so it is pretty ineffective against a non-suspended photosynthetic bacteria mass.

Respectfully,

Stuart

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Bobsidd (Dec 28, 2012)

Any time I've had cyano, increased oxygen has solved the problem. If it's localized I have just shoved an air stone in the middle of it and changed the way the water flows in the tank- eliminating any "dead spots." If it was more of a whole tank issue, I dropped the water level so that the filter outflow was breaking the water's surface and causing lots of air exchange and tons of bubbles. 

Good luck with it. Keep us posted. I'd love to hear of another victory over algae!


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## mr ry (Jun 19, 2014)

So far changed the lighting as I was using a old set of lights with bulbs in the that r older than 1.5 years... gunna try a led light on the tank for now( tank looks better in led lighting I think anyway)next will be air and making my water break the surface more and spilt my air output into two...


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## VElderton (Jun 3, 2015)

Let us know how it goes ... Kelowna might have different water parameters than the Lower Mainland. It will be useful to see what works best for you.


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