Persistent "flossy" Algae Questions???

[betowess]

I have an algae which I have always had. It likes current and especially thrives near bright light on the tops of plants where its bright... Grows well on glass with high current too. Lower branches of Alternan. Reineckii are zero affected, but top leaves get it pretty fast and heavy and same with Lysymachia.
Algae's texture is akin to fluffy pillow stuffing some use as filter floss, can be wispy strands or short when just starting and is fairly brightish green. Can anyone I.D. by this description? Is this common "filimentous" algae or what ? I don't think its thread algae, tho I'm not sure... I'll try to post a picture sometime soon...

Now my water is around 6.7 to 6.8pH, KH of 5, GH of 8 to 10, with Nitrates around 5 to 7ppm and phosphates below 1ppm (maybe .75 ppm) cause I dosed it close to that. I add potassium and epsom at water changes, and dose plantex plus boron at around .6ml every other day and ocassionaly add some Flourish and sometimes Seachem Iron. Weekly 30% plus water changes....

This stuff diminished when I was fighting GW,(GW is now gone), and most of the BBA seems on major retreat with champagne pearling of CO2 approaching 30ppm. Light is a single 55 AH with 6700K on 26 gallon bow. Two six hour periods with a 2 hour siesta mid-day. All of well-lit Alternanthera Reineckii (Pink I think) is very bright red.

Now that the GW is dead (knocking very loudly/hard on wood) these past few weeks, I'm wondering if perhaps there are too many nutrients still available? They don't measure high re NO3 and PO4. I have a moderately heavy fish load coupled with lots of fast growing plants with loads of O2.. Any ideas or suggestions much appreciated.

 

[TankGirl]

I have that kind of algae, I think. It pulls off in a wad, similar to polyester floss, and I think it is a common algae, though it is not securely attached, at least in my case. It does seem to prefer the higher reaches.

I think it is going to go, but might take longer than the other algae that you have gotten rid of. Sometimes it takes a while for certain kinds to die off, as they are more efficient at snagging nutrients. I have it now but my CO2 is not what it should be at the moment (though that is not the case for you).

The siesta trick has worked great for me, but maybe you can switch to 2 5-hour periods instead of 6, and see what happens. The only other thing to do is to cut back on dosing some of your nutrients one by one and keep a record, though it will take forever to determine which is the culprit.

I am no help here, but if you do figure it out post back so in case I still have it when I get my pressurized CO2 I will know what to do.

 

[betowess]

Thanks Tankgirl. Its nice to not be alone...LOL This stuff is easy to wipe off with a razor and doesn't have much structure. I was also thinking it might be a kind of a common algae as you suggest. I may back off the Plantex first and see what happens. It seems to be struggling to keep its foothold, so maybe I'm getting closer to slowing it down. It definately repsonds to ferts, and CO2 doesn't slow it down directly, though perhaps the benefits CO2 gives to the plants does helps them out compete the evil green one.

P.S. I have four 3/4 grown platy fry that are absolutely impossible to catch in this tank. The second they see the net, its Dive Dive Dive. I think they like it in the jungle.

 

[Allivymar]

Theres a good article on algae here with pics: http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9

My guess from your description is its beard algae; take a peek and see what you think.

 

[TankGirl]

I am leaning towards hair algae for what I have, except that I do not have a speck of it in the mid to low reaches of the tank, where it is described. It does not seem really attached to anything, but in a tangled mat that is just trapped among the leaves of my water sprite at the surface.

 

[betowess]

I don't think the algae I'm talking about is hair algae and hair algae can drift and grow anywhere, I believe. I have some Hair A., but its so easy to get rid of mechanically. The stuff I posted about might be beard algae, tho a different species than the pics at Geek. I'll try to post some very soon. Thanks Ali and TG.

 

[gone fishin]

mine looks long and cottony (but green) but is tough as nails- ruins every leaf it touches, even catching it quick, while its fuzz. Bright light only also, eliminated any traces of iron in PMDD, now it feels soft and weak?