Are my plants sick

[VOZIE]

I have a well planted 25 gallon tank. I have noticed that some of my plants have grown what looks like little bunches of hair. Not the best description sorry. All the plants are growing but it looks a little ugly. My placs keep Algee under control but they don't eat what ever this is. I have tried to take them off but the seem to be stuck on each leaf. My water chemistry is all good and I have a co2 defusser in there. Can any one suggest what the issue is pls.

 

[Demonknight]

some of mine are sending out roots from all over the place..they start off small and white... might be whats going on.

 

[VOZIE]

This looks like some sort of Algee but it looks bad. It don't seem to be causing problems. Sending out roots are good I think mine do that.

 

[fort384]

Is the algae very darkly colored, almost black? Is it kind of fuzzy, and short? Or is it like long threads/hair?

Your Co2 system, is it DIY or Pressurized? What ppm is your CO2 kept at?

 

[Fishies86]

Is the algae very darkly colored, almost black? Is it kind of fuzzy, and short? Or is it like long threads/hair?

Your Co2 system, is it DIY or Pressurized? What ppm is your CO2 kept at?

I've got fuzzy short algae growing on my plants, so I'll be interested to see what answers you get in this thread

 

[VOZIE]

Yes very dark in colour and short it seems to be on the edge of each leaf. Co2 is DIY but I think the problem was there before hand.

 

[fort384]

ok, that is BBA, which is what I thought. Can you answer the questions about the CO2?

 

[mfdrookie516]

google black beard algae... I have it all over my tank ;( Sounds exactly like it

EDIT: ^fort beat me to it... again

 

[VOZIE]

Yes that it I looked it up and it looks like BBA. MY CO2 is DIY and I can't tell how many PPM it is. To be honest not sure what PPM is. Something per minute I am guessing. I have a defuser and there is a steady stream of bubbles maybe one every few seconds.

 

[mfdrookie516]

PPM= parts per million. You really need to know how much you have. I'm willing to bet that with only one bubble every couple seconds, you're barely raising your co2 above equilibrium, which BBA LOVES! A drop checker, or even using a ph/kh reference chart to check co2 is a must IMO.

 

[fort384]

ok, that is your issue (or at least part of it). PPM=parts per million.

You need to know how much CO2 you have in your tank. Not knowing is bad, whether it is too high, or too low.

In this case, it is too low. Unstable pH above equilibrium but below, say, around 20ppm or so is a haven for BBA. You need to start measuring your CO2 and if you aren't keeping it consistently above 25ppm, take it off the tank, as it is doing more harm than good.

To get rid of the BBA you already have... first trim any leaves that are completely infested with it. Then, use hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in a medicine dropper and squirt it right on the infected areas (spot treat it). This will kill it off if you repeat the treatments each day for 3 or 4 days.

If you don't fix the CO2 issue though, it will come right back.

 

[VOZIE]

Guessing my co2 is not man enough. Would an increase in co2 get rid of the BBA or should I be looking at some additives to the water to get rid of it. I hate chucking stuff in there if I can sort the problem out by any other means. I have seen the pics of your tank. WOW.

 

[VOZIE]

Just read your full message. I only have it on a few leaves and only on the edge of them. Is the H202 something I can get from local fish shop and is that safe for the fish.

 

[fort384]

no additives, aside from spot treating with H2O2.

If you increase the CO2 above 25 ppm, it will help significantly (after you do manual removal and spot treat with H2O2). However, you need to be checking it. Too high has consequences as well. You need stable CO2 injection, somewhere between 25-40.

You can add a second bottle to your generator, and then alternate mixture changes. This is a way to keep a diy system much more stable (and get more co2 in the tank). If it is a single bottle system, consistent injection is impossible.

 

[fort384]

Just read your full message. I only have it on a few leaves and only on the edge of them. Is the H202 something I can get from local fish shop and is that safe for the fish.

H2O2 is hydrogen peroxide. It is available at any drug store.

I wouldn't go dumping a whole bottle in at 1 time... but when you add it to water it disassociates into H2O (water) and Oxygen very quickly. That's why you have to spray it directly onto the infected areas under the water. If you just dump it into the tank, it will have no effect on the BBA.

 

[VOZIE]

Thank you so much for your help. Only been on this site an hour that solves that issue. Cheers.

 

[mfdrookie516]

FWIW, my BBA is starting to die off since I upped my co2 to about 35-40ppm. Before, I was running close to 30ppm and it was slowly starting to take over. A little h2o2 here and there via an oral syringe (its fun too) and the higher co2 and I'm hoping to rid myself of this nasty stuff.

 

[fort384]

No problem. Measure that CO2, and get it above 25ppm, or it will come right back! BBA is the worst...

Good luck, and welcome to AA by the way.

EDIT: And I agree with 'rook: the closer to 40, the better, especially when you are fighting it. Once it is gone, you can bring it back down to 30 or so, but I like to keep it there.

 

[mommytron]

i've got some crazy BBA as well, all up in my java fern. i manually remove it with weekly water changes, and try to keep up on alternating my CO2 bottles (two bottles of DIY) but it just doesn't seem to be doing the trick. so any old hydrogen peroxide is ok to use???? is there anything i should look for in the ingredients that would make it not ok to use?

also, i feel like switching out one of my CO2 bottles every week (alternating) just isn't enough. am i not making the solution properly? i fill the bottle (46 oz.) with two cups of sugar, then fill a little more than 3/4 the way with warm water, and shake until it's dissolved. meanwhile i let 1/2 teaspoon of yeast activate in a little cup of warm water. i then add the yeast to the sugar mix, give a little shake, then attach to my system. am i not using proper amounts of yeast and/or sugar??

 

[fort384]

H2O2 is H2O2 if you buy it at a drug store (well, H2O2 and DI water). It will tell you like 3% solution or whatever on the bottle, but any of it should be fine.

I think your recipe sounds about right, and I always had better luck activating the yeast first like you are doing. Are you measuring the CO2 in your tank?

A couple other things to consider (YMMV): Add an 1/8 to a 1/4 tsp of baking soda to the mix. It will neutralize some of the acid that is produced in the anaerobic environment, and the mix will last longer. And, buy champagne yeast online. It is only slightly more expensive than buying regular bakers yeast at the grocery store, and I found the production to be much higher (at least in my mind ). The thinking is, it is a strain of yeast specifically engineered to survive in higher acidic environments, similar to your CO2 generator. It lives longer, so it produces more CO2, and the mix stays stronger longer.

The key though I think is figuring out how much you have in the tank. If it is less than 20, you would be better off just not running CO2 and leaving the tank at equilibrium.