Can someone ID this?

[bevoholic]

I have some weird white stuff on my banana plant. I noticed it when I first put it in about a week ago. I have 3 other plants in this tank and it's only on the banana plant.

At first, I thought it was just some fuzz that happened to be on the plant, but I've noticed it's growing. It's only on this one leaf as well.

This leaf has just begun growing within the last week.

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

How long has your tank been running?

 

[Donkey Gun]

I've had this before in my planted tank. How long are you running your lights, and do you use any CO2?

 

[Rivercats]

It looks like it "could" be the start of Beard algae. What type of lights do you have and how long are you running them daily?

 

[bevoholic]

Tank has been running for a week. Lights on from 9am-6pm, so 9 hours a day. No co2, just Excel. I have a 12" Finnex FugeRay.

 

[Rivercats]

Try running your lights for around 6 hours until you get this under control then slowly work back up to around 8 hours. YOu can try spot treating the leaves with Excel. Pull up a double dose of Excel for the size of your tank in a syringe (no needle) then get the syringe very close to the affected leaves and slowly squirt the Excel on the algae. If there is alot of it you may have to do this for several days to get everything treated. The Excel with a decrease in photoperiod should remedy the problem. Also have you checked your nitrates lately?

 

[bevoholic]

The tank is not even cycled yet, so I'm guessing there probably aren't any nitrates yet. I will turn the lights off at 3 for awhile then. There isn't a lot of it. It's only on that one leaf.

I already put in my daily dose of excel into the water for today, so should I still double dose next to the leaf? Plus a double dose is only .5mL.

 

[Rivercats]

If it's only that one leaf then just cut it off. Shorten your photoperiod and watch to see if it starts to reappear on any other plants.

 

[bevoholic]

Do I have to cut it off? It's the first new sprout that this plant has had since I put it in. It's the first new sprout in this tank since I've set it up...lol.

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

Do I have to cut it off? It's the first new sprout that this plant has had since I put it in. It's the first new sprout in this tank since I've set it up...lol.

You could just try to rub it all off the leaf if that leaf is so dear to you lol.

 

[bevoholic]

Haha, it's not that dear to me, lol, I was just curious.

 

[DanTheGuppyMan]

But I'm sure you could just rub it off but cutting it off would be the best as to make sure you have it all out of your tank.

 

[Rivercats]

Do I have to cut it off? It's the first new sprout that this plant has had since I put it in. It's the first new sprout in this tank since I've set it up...lol.

It's up to you but I would remove it. If you want to keep it treat the leaf starting today. Since you already dosed your Excel you can use another single dose (what you would dose normally daily) and do your first treatment. Then do another Excel treatment tomorrow and leave it alone to see what happens in the next few days after treatment.

 

[bevoholic]

Would keeping the lights off for a couple of days help as well, or should I continue those on the 6 hour schedule?

Also, I hadn't dosed for today, so I did go ahead and double dose right on the leaf. I get my days confused sometimes, lol. Was thinking about yesterday.

 

[Rivercats]

Would keeping the lights off for a couple of days help as well, or should I continue those on the 6 hour schedule?

Also, I hadn't dosed for today, so I did go ahead and double dose right on the leaf. I get my days confused sometimes, lol. Was thinking about yesterday.

Yes you can double dose the leaf then. I'd try going down to 6 hours to see if it stops first.