Black Algae on plants

[apotocki]

Ok....I'm getting fed up. (not really - just a bit upset)

I've had my 70 gallon FW tank up and running for a bit over a year now. I have had NO problems associated with disease (I.e. - ICK) or water quality. What I am not happy about is the build up of what I think is black algae on my SILK plants.
Over the past year I've replaced many of my plants as once this stuff gets on them, it's almost impossible to get off....I've removed them and used a toothbrush to get most off when doing gravel vac maintenance. This works OK but only for a time or two as the SILK fibers can't take much scrubbing before they fray and since I like a pristine looking tank -have to be replaced.
It usually takes about 3-4 weeks to start seeing the black algae and it is only appearing on the SILK plants. I have no algae problem on my glass, gravel, driftwood, or rock. My LFS told me this is a common problem caused by a phosphate build up and can be alleviated by switching to plastic plants (they clean up better) or using phosphate control in my filter.

I've ordered some Phos-Zorb for my XP-3 along with another round of 11 new silk plants.......anyone have any experience with this? Does this sound right?

Thanks

 

[anythingscales]

Ive had this black beard algea in my tank before. I actually liked the flowing hairs that moved liked anenomes of the sea. I tried taking a piece to my other tanks, but never survived. My opinion on black algea, is that it needs alot of protein, as it would only grow in heavily fed tanks, and couldnt stabalize in planted tanks. Do more water changes. Also, It will always grow back.

 

[Guest]

Black hair algee, Comes from to low lighten and to much protein in the tank substructer,water. It's really hard to fight in a live planted tank muchless a fack planted. There is a treatment that can be used to fight it. The only bad part of this treatment is it will kill invert. like crawfish, snails, shrimps.
I got rid of mine by doing a 25% W/C every day for 2 weeks and by stop adding ferts. to the tank. It's a mean one to fight. But can be beaten in planted tanks it's usaully caused from low lighten and over fertlizing with a Iron inriched fert.

 

[mr funktastic]

weasel f says:
Black hair algee, Comes from to low lighten and to much protein in the tank substructer,water.

i am very happy to know what cause this now and will be buying more powerful light soon
i got an easier way to get rid of it though. just but some chinese alea eaters. they gobble the stuff up like candy and are very gentle on plants. i was having the exact same problem in my tank and i put in 2 of the algea eaters and it was gone in a week. (20 gallon low light meduim planted.) try these guys out they are great. also be careful u dont buy a flying fix because they are very close in the way they look but they dont eat the algae. good luck to you.

 

[Guest]

LOL Thats funny, I was told just the oppsiet of that. LOL I was told the CAE didn't eat black hair algee and that the flying fox does. Now with the CAE they will attach them self to slow moving fish. They'll stop eatting algee when hey get older to. I have a breeding pair now and they've completly stoped eatting anything. LOL
The only thing I've found to eat this type of algee is mystic or apple snails. My ghost shrimp want even tounch this crap either { they'll pretty much anything else thou } . But with hair algee you can use Algee fix by Aquarium pharmaceuticals,inc. {WARNING } REMOVE ANY AND ALLCARBS,SHRIMP,CRAWFISH. Cause it will KILL THEM.
I used it and left behind my ghost shrimp, boy was that a nastie mistake. It does thing to there body that you'll not wnt to see. LOL But the best thing I did to get rid of it was up my WPG and NO ferts for my plants for about a monh to two months.

SORRY FOR ANY MISSPELLING SPELL CHECK WASN'T OPENING.

 

[Simpte]

BBA grows in any light situation. It will also grow in nutrient starved environments. All algae can use nutrients at levels we cant measure for (pbb). Increasing Co2 will halt the growth. Prune infected leaves to remove it. It cannot grow on fast growing plants that are healthy. It is a sure sign of imbalance in your tank (not enough CO2 in high light situations). Overdosing Flourish Excel is one way to kill it. H2O2 will also kill it but not very effectively.

 

[sherry]

co2 won't help her. her plants are silk.

 

[anythingscales]

The tank my Black algea grew in had tons of light, so its not the low lighting.

 

[apotocki]

Ok...Thanks for the replies.....however, I don't think my situation is being addressed accurately.

My tank does not have live plants - I have silk plants. My lighting is (2) 40w Trichromatic 6500K's and they are on for about 10hrs a day. I do weekly PWC's (religiously) of about 25% - and sometimes I do 2x / week.

The black algae I have is NOT the long flowing kind.....it actually looks like black dirt and is only on the plants. I seems to start on the edges and then gradually spread. I guess I'll buy some more new silk plants and try the Phosphate route.......

Alan

 

[Lance M.]

Right BBA will grow in any light. From what I'm told Flourish Excel by Seachem will cause the algae to stop growing and you cna get rid of it.

I've found that flying foxes won't really eat it. Maybe so here or there but nothing to make a big difference. IME SAE's are great for BBA the only problem is they get big (but same goes with flying foxes) and I have never seen a CAE touch any type of algae.