Clear White Fuzz on my Plants and Thermometer??

[DreaminginBlue]

I'll try to get pics later, but I'm waiting out diatoms and green spot algae in a new tank. Today, I noticed clear white fuzz on my thermometer and wisteria.
What is it? Should I get an algicide if it's algae? Will this growth hurt my fish?
I can't figure out if it's mold, algae, or fungus- either way, please help. I'm worried about my fish.

[Autumnsky]

No algaecide, it is a poison.

Off the top of my head, start by upping the water changes. Without seeing what it is can't really say (then I still might not be able to say :/)

[DreaminginBlue]

I'll try to get pictures tomorrow. I think my nerite was trying to eat it??
Thanks for the advice, though. I'll hold off on anything and just up water changes.

[DreaminginBlue]

Upon closer inspection, it looks sort of greenish?
I'm trying to research and finding very little.
I don't think it's biofilm, it maybe could be green fuzz algae... or some kind of fungus?
I'm really worried and I don't know what to do. Some sites say just manually remove it, others say it'll kill all my plants and fish.
I still have no clue what it is or how to deal with it.
I'll attatch some pics, they aren't great but the best I've got.
This new growth is on the plastic part of my thermometer and all over my wisteria (on top of the diatoms that I left alone, besides the occasional scrub, after being advised they'd go away on their own.)

[DreaminginBlue]

The best pictures I could get.

[Autumnsky]

Looks like possible algae, one thing to try is Excel and if the critters can take the max dose people have reported that doing a few max dose in a row will cut it down.

If you have Riccia/pellia or Subwassertang they do not really like Excel would likely melt.

You can start with the low side of the recommended dose and if everything seems well up it.

Dose after pwc so you do not just dump it right back out into the drain.



Are you using any ferts? I would pinch off ugly leaves from the Wisteria. They seem to get that way when disturbed. I have some leaves like that too splotchy new growth looks fine though, pale green.

Keep up with frequent pwc and dose some ferts if you aren't already and the Excel will combat algae.

[DreaminginBlue]

I have corys and nerites, as well as a platy and some tetras. Will the nerites and corys be okay with the Excel?
I don't have any of the plants you mentioned. I have a crypt, a Val, some wisteria, an anubis, and some java fern.
I don't dose ferts, but I do have some root tabs in there that I put in yesterday and there's Fluorite in the gravel.
With trimming, the plant will grow back if I cut off all the gross leaves? Or should I just try to wipe them clean?

[Autumnsky]

I have used it and I had a Zebra Nerite and Amano shrimp in that tank. Some of the dosing comments were doing a 5x Excel dose to eliminate nuisance algae and I could never recommend that (no experience with doing something like that. I would think the more sensitive ones would be the Cories and Nerite with over dosing would be too much.

Oh moss balls are a algae too and some rare expensive or delicate mosses could be effected btw. Java moss, Peacock and Christmas Moss I have had in a tank with using it.

I saw your Wisteria was tall, mine are floating. You could try a new magic eraser or generic version, fresh tank water moistened, squeeze out all water from the sponge in the sink before putting it into the tank and do not squeeze in the tank because it lets out cloudy white residue from the sponge, shouldn't be harmful just gross looking. You sure can try to gently brush it off with one of those.

Or a small chunk say 3-4 inch square of a new microfiber cloth try to get a light tan or neutral color which they didn't use a bunch of dye on (dollar store they are cheap), rinsed a number of times in tap water then dunk in a cup with some dechlorinator treated water, squeeze out excess water, then use.

You can always pinch some plants and replant them too.

The stem has leaf nodes where the leaves come out. The straight part of the stem in between where you pinched it off anf the first node is unneeded, just pinch straight part off just below the node and plant with at least 1 or 2 nodes in the soil /substrate where thay can grow new roots.

[DreaminginBlue]

Went at my wisteria with scissors. Cut tons of gross looking leaves off, tried to rub the less gross ones free of algae. Then did a 50% pwc, cleaned driftwood, cleaned filter, and vacuumed gravel.
Ugh. So gross.
Will try to pick up some Excel tomorrow.
On a side note, after the water change, my platy, who normally dislikes the tetras and chases them away sometimes, went completely bonkers and wouldn't stop chasing them around.
I managed to net him and put him in quarantine on time out. I honestly don't know what to do about him. He doesn't bug the snails or corys, he thinks he's a cory and will eat with them, gently nudging them out of the way when we wants a bite of their wafer, but he despises the tetras.
I'm worried about him being aggressive with females... but then again, I'd have two or three...
Sorry for the rant, I'm tired and frustrated at this stupid algae.

[Autumnsky]

That was a huge amount of work to get out of the way, it is understandable to be tired.

The algae issues are always of major frustration. Something is out of sorts. We will try and get it figured out.

But on the very bright side, you got a lot checked of the list! Good job!

Speaking of bright, what is your light - LED's, 5 bulb, watts, brand and how long is it left on every day?

[Autumnsky]

How is the flow in the tank?

[DreaminginBlue]

Lights came with a tank kit. I'm pretty sure they're LEDs, can't remember wattage but the number 1530 or so rings a bell from the box? Man, I should've written this stuff down. :/
Lights are on when I get up 6:30 until I go to bed 8:00-9:00... this might be too long and I can reduce the photo period if needed.

[DreaminginBlue]

Filter is in left corner, left side of the tank has pretty good flow. Fish don't like swimming over there because of the water agitation. Right side (where wisteria are more towards) has little to no flow. Oddly, though, the wisteria plant nearest the flow was the grossest.

[Autumnsky]

Maybe the light has light to see fish but not the spectrum to grow plants well.

Thinking a low cost table light timer will help. Pick a time period during the day when you would usually not be viewing. The idea is a break in time of the light which is thought to disrupt the algae growth cycle.

Your schedule wth the light on is around 15 hours.

Leave on for 5 hours, off for 3-5 hours, then on till bed time/lights out!

For sure lights on too long.

Need some ferts. Excel is an alternate carbon source, but not fertilizer.