Please help ID this Algae

[elwaine]

Is this the infamous Cladophora algae?

 

[neilanh]

I think that's a moss of some sort.

 

[elwaine]

I think that's a moss of some sort.

No. It's not moss. If I were to place a single strand of Java moss along side the algae, the java moss would have a diameter of nearly 20 tmes as thick as a strand of the algae.

The size is deceptive in my photos... which are taken with a macro lens.

 

[fort384]

It sure looks like cladophora
James' Planted Tank

There is a good photo for comparison on that page. Are you injecting co2 in the tank you found it in?

 

[elwaine]

Hey there Fort. You nailed it! Thanks.

BTW, here it is along side a piece of Java moss for comparison:

I fertilize and I pump CO2 in both tanks, and both tanks are "blessed" with this algae. It's not difficult to pull it off most of the plants, but it grows between the tiny stems of HC, and when I pull it out of the HC beds, I wind up pulling out HC along with the algae.

I wanted to be sure it was cladophora before I continued reading about how to control it. It's amazing how many articles there are on algae control that contain not a single picture of the algae types they discuss.

 

[elwaine]

I'll increase the CO2 and see what happens.

 

[fort384]

You have any hc u could sell me btw? Really would like a bit to put in the new nano tank, and can't find any locally.

 

[neilanh]

ahh, my bad....

Greater Washington Aquatic Plant Association » Algae in the Planted Aquarium

 

[elwaine]

Fort... see PM

 

[Purrbox]

I find that the best way to ID cladophora, is that it feels like a brillo pad. Very rough and scratchy. I must say that if that is cladophora, it looks totally different in a macro shot.

 

[elwaine]

Thanks, Joy. It is gritty (so unfortunately it is Cladophora).

Here's another pic in which you can see the lose cladophora and also some that is growing among the stems of HC... as well as what happens when I try to physically remove the algae from the HC. Ah well... just another challenge, is all.

The only good thing about it is that I got the cladophora absolutely free of charge from Aquaticplants.com

Of course, the HC itself was expensive when figuring in the shipping charges due to the weight of the horrible rock wool stufffed pots that the HC and the Cladophora were shipped in.

Live and learn.... Thanks for your help, all who responded.