Algae getting out of control

[Mcgolg76]

Algae is really starting to run rampant in my 75g. On my plants and decoration as well as side of tank. First what kind of algae is it and secondly how can I get rid of it.
Got some ottos and a bristle nose pleco but don't think they are doing much. Added some shrimp from my other tank which barely has any algae and is an older tank. Reduced amount of light on timer. Keeping up with water changes to reduce nitrates. Nothing is working. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Fishdreamz]

Clean it when u do water changes. Limit light to 6 hrs. Make sure your tank is not near a window. Do not over dose with fertilizers.

 

[Mcgolg76]

Been cleaning it but problem is getting it off the plants without destroying them. Don't mind it on my decorations and on my equipment cause make things look natural. Just want to get it off plants

 

[airborne]

Looks like Black Hair Algae. Not that I know what I'm talking about, but I looked it up, and to fix it you need to scrub or cut it off of the plants and surfaces. Increase your C02 and add more water flow around your tank. Chinese Algae Eaters supposedly will eat this type.

 

[flitabout]

Looks like bba (black beard algae). Treating it is pretty easy but if you don't figure out what cause it, it's sorta pointless. What ferts if any are you dosing, what type of lights do you have and how long do you run them Do you dose excel(glut, co2 booster,) . Do not put an aggressive CAE in your tank just to fix an issue very simply treated. Also the correct algae eater for that algae is a SAE. They are also far less aggressive. Now as to how to treat it. Turn off your filters, using h2o2 (peroxide) at 1to 3mls per gallon. Draw up the h2o2 and slowly squirt the algae. Wait 20-30 minutes and then turn the filters back on. You can spot treat like this everyday until it is gone. Although you may find that you can only do 1 area a day. Properly treat that area and do the next area the next day.
You will notice in a day or 2 that the algae is turning red that just means it's dying and the treatment is working. From the red it will go gray then white. No need to remove it, will dissolve on it's own.

 

[Mcgolg76]

I am down to about 6 hours a day of light. Not sure what type of light I use. Bought whole set off craigslist. Originally my light hung a few inches over tank but stupid cat jumped on top and bracket that supported lights broke so now light directly over glass. I guess that is not helping. Used flourish as ferts. Haven't dosed in while cause of algae prob. Don't use co2. What is easiest way to do that ? Is best way with peroxide to squirt areas with turkey baster? Do I need to dilute. Can it harm fish or plants? Would u advise soaking effected decorations in diluted bleach. Would boiling the drift wood help?

 

[flitabout]

Well lack of ferts can be more of a cause of algae then most people realize. When they don't have enough of the right ferts it allows the algae to out compete the plants for the one that are available. What does the bulb on your fixture say? Is it T8, T5 What is the k rating? Skinny bulb or normal fat one?
The easiest way to sub out the co2 is to use flourish excel. In your case I would start to high dose as it is also a great algaecide.
As far as the baster goes I wouldn't bother I tried it once and it just wasn't good for what I needed it to do. Just go to the pharmacy and get an oral syringe like for dosing medicine for kids. Not the one with the spoon on it. I think they cost like a $1. You can scrub the dw but I don't suggest bleach I would just use the h2o2. The fish will be fine. I have done this to my tanks many times and I haven't lost so much as a pond snail. You don't want to use full strength peroxide straight on the plants. When I got started I took a bunch of plants and driftwood out and sprayed it all over them and let it sit. I almost killed my anubia and I did kill my wisteria,
ludwigia and java ferns. As long a I do the treatment in the tank plants and fish are fine. Read this it might help you. The "One-Two Punch" Whole Tank Algae Treatment

 

[Mcgolg76]

Thanks for great info. Will look at light info when I get home.

 

[ScotJudd]

I had quite a lot of black beard algae. I have been using flourish excel at normal strength and co2 at a level to give 15ppm at end of day. 8 weeks later all bba has gone. Tank is heavily planted. I suspect plants, excel and co2 have all influenced the bba. Now that plants are really taking off the nitrate level rarely rises above 5. Could this also affect bba?

 

[Mcgolg76]

Will these treatments kill the algae film layer that the fish like to Munch on.

 

[ScotJudd]

I still have fine green algae that the cherry shrimp fed on and they are still breeding and behaving as usual. I supplement one algae wafer a day and the occasional cucumber or courgette for them and the shrimp. Neither looked interested in the bba.

 

[Mcgolg76]

The only fish in my tank that I have seen eat the bba is my blue rams. They sit in the current by the canister tube and pick at it

 

[ScotJudd]

They probably do pick at the algae but at best are just pruning it back and it will just regrow unless other tank parameters are changed. My choice would be to use excel but don't expect immediate results.

 

[Mcgolg76]

Just ordered a half gallon of flourish exel off amazon and about to do my first treatment of h2o2. Hopefully this will work. Would the dead algae be harmful to fish

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Buying half a gallon of excel can be pretty pricey. In the future, consider buying Metricide 14. It's basically generic excel that's about 2x stronger. You'll either dose less or dilute to excel strength. Good news is that it's so much cheaper. It's also referred to as "glut" in the Planted Tank hobby.

Btw, I usually kill off my BBA with spot treating with h2o2 with a syringe. You'll know if it's working when the BBA turns pink or white by the next day.