My wife has in her planted tanks this black hard to get rid of algea that grows on the plants and ornaments. Can anybody tell me what it is and how to combat it. I know in SW excessive nutrients cause algea to grow but from what I understand these excessive nutrients are needed in planted tanks. The LFS called it beard algea. Recommended some type of shrimp to get rid of it. I`m not much of a fan on getting livestock to take care of problems in the tank. Any solutions?
Black algea
- Thread starter melosu58
- Start date
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neilanh
Sliced Bread
It sounds like BBA to me. I just went through a round with that. Honestly I never figured out what caused it. Olive Nerite snails love to eat it though, and cleaned up my entire tank of all (yes all) of it within a few days.
neilanh
Sliced Bread
Scales keeps them pretty regularly.
The good thing about nerites is that they will not reproduce in FW, but love the algae. Seriously, my tanks never looked as clean as they did after I got them.
If I had a surplus I could send you some. They're cheap, like a buck a pop, but I'm a little short on them too. I'll see if anyone in the local club has extras available, or if I can get out to Scales before my trip in 2 weeks I'll hook ya up.
The good thing about nerites is that they will not reproduce in FW, but love the algae. Seriously, my tanks never looked as clean as they did after I got them.
If I had a surplus I could send you some. They're cheap, like a buck a pop, but I'm a little short on them too. I'll see if anyone in the local club has extras available, or if I can get out to Scales before my trip in 2 weeks I'll hook ya up.
JeffreyL
Aquarium Advice Freak
Neilanh, thanks for the tip on olive nerite snails!! I have read about them but did not know they would eat BBA. I have had an ongoing battle with BBA in several tanks. Nothing too bad, but of course it never seems to go away completely.
Melosu58, try azgardens.com. They carry nerite snails at $.79 each, but shipping might clobber you. I haven't checked yet. I might get a dozen and rotate them around the planted tanks.
The only other thing I have found to deal with it is spot treating with Excell. It will kill any spot treated, and if you want to dose the tank, it seems to keep new growth in check. But it has not done much with large established patches, only spot treating jelped there.
Good luck with it, it can be tenacious!!
Melosu58, try azgardens.com. They carry nerite snails at $.79 each, but shipping might clobber you. I haven't checked yet. I might get a dozen and rotate them around the planted tanks.
The only other thing I have found to deal with it is spot treating with Excell. It will kill any spot treated, and if you want to dose the tank, it seems to keep new growth in check. But it has not done much with large established patches, only spot treating jelped there.
Good luck with it, it can be tenacious!!
neilanh
Sliced Bread
They can get larger than ramshorns, but not as big as apples, if that helps.
I'm sure loaches would love them.
I'm sure loaches would love them.
neilanh
Sliced Bread
I got it, but was just making the point that yes, they wouldn't survive long with your loaches
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