Grey/black pompoms growing on my plants and driftwood

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

labidis

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Feb 24, 2014
Messages
107
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Hi there,

Can anyone let me know what these Grey/black pompoms growing on my plants and driftwood are ?
ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1413985888.865939.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Looks like Black Beard algae. Do you put Excell or gluterhyde in your tank? And how long do you have the tank lights on or is your tank in direct or indirect sunlight?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Hi rodeo,
Thanks for your response.

I keep the lights on for approx 12hrs per day.
I dont use any chemicals at the moment, but i do have API co2 booster and black beard chemicals handy. Do u think i should use these going forward.
I also have algea by the looks of things (check out driftwood)
Would API co2 booster, black beard remover help witb both these issues ?

I also have malaysian trumpets which seem to be doing something :p


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
I don't know of any animals that eat BBA, though MTS are voracious algae eaters overall, I don't know if they'll consume enough BBA to matter. Nerite snails would make short work of the algae on the wood, but you need to shorten the light period. 12 hours is too long, if you're getting this much algae growth. I leave my lights on this long but I have a lot of Otos in the tank as well as shrimp and snails and they need the algae to eat. They keep it from getting out of hand.

But if you don't have serious algae eaters, reduce the lighting. Try blacking out the tank for a few days, then 8 hours or less of light.

And yeah, glut [ Excel or API version of it] is itself a very good algaecide, if dosed at the right level. But take the plants out and dip them in a bucket with the algae remedy or dip the wood, don't dose the whole tank. Safer that way.
I'd be tempted to try glut first, and take the BBA remedy back unless you really need to use it. Rinse well after before you replace the plants or wood.
 
Thanks for the info fish fur.
I actaully took all the plants out this morning, washed everything, including plants, driftwood, rocks and glass, and cut the tips where i could not clean on the plants and added some no more black beard and co2 booster. The tank looks almost brand new at the moment. Will keep the lights on for approx 10 hours a day because i just realised i would actually leave them on for appox 15 hours a day. Might look into some algea eaters if the problem comes back.
I also have mood lighting(blue), not very bright at all, should i start using this, and when/how long ?

ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1414022499.086688.jpg
ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1414022700.031710.jpg
ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1414022741.828481.jpg
ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1414022774.379212.jpg
ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1414022820.378158.jpg






Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
It s been recommended by more knowledgeable people than myself, to keep lights on for only 6 hrs with algae issues. I agree about not putting the algae treatment in the tank. You can spot treat with hydrogen peroxide, I use 20 cc s in a 50g tank daily when needed. Turn off filters & bubbles for 15 min while treating. Good luck, tank looks great!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Best as I know, blue light won't affect algae growth one way or another. It's usually used so you can see the critters at night, or for corals, [ I think; not being a saltie, I'm not sure about the corals].

I'd still cut back to not more than 8 hours.. and less if need be. You can always increase photoperiod if need be, but preventing more algae to begin with is less work in the long run.
 
Hi rodeo and fishfur

Why would u not use algea treatment rodeo ?

Okay, will cut down to 6-8 hours , and 6 hours if i see any problems arise. Not much algea is present atm due to my clean up :)

Thanks for the praise rodeo... Worked hard to get the tank looking like i have, and dont want algea to ruin it for me!




Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Can you send a pic of the ingredients in the algae treatment?
I say don t put directly into tank because as far as water treatments go , less is more.
Algae results (usually ) from an imbalance that is better controlled with lighting & carbon.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
I must agree with rodeo. I prefer to not put any chemical in my tank unless there is no other option. Hospital tanks for sick animals, dips for plants. Hand picking for snails, by and large, rather than trying to nuke them.

Aquatic organisms, especially in a tank with restricted access to new water, are very sensitive to many things, and sometimes a treatment can have an unexpected side effect. Not unlike a lot of stuff humans use, sadly.
 
Which is the same as what is in Excel and other versions of 'liquid carbon'. Might be a different concentration than Excel, but same product. I'd be curious to know if it cost more than an equivalent amount of Excel or API liquid carbon would ?
 
Prices in melbourne australia are ridiculous, this little bottle was $16.95 for 125ml.

Is excel a concern to use?

Also is there any issue with using c02 booster and excel/no more beard in the same tank ?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Too funny that it's glut.
Need to know what size tank you have & then use one glut source at a time.
How much are you adding currently ?


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Yikes. Expensive ! Take the algae bottle back and just use Excel or one of the other brands of liquid carbon, OR, there are other things you can use to kill algae.

There is no point in using both this product and something like Excel. There's little worry in using glut as a carbon booster, it's the most common way to add some carbon if you don't do C02 or can't do C02. Not as good but it does help with many plants.If you need to kill algae, best used as a dip, that way, no worries at all about overdosing the tank.

Other algae killers are available. You can use hydrogen peroxide. The 3% solution most drug stores sell is fine, just squirt it right onto algae in the tank, with a syringe or pipette, it won't hurt the plant or bother fish or the tank. It degrades fast into hydrogen and oxygen, so it's pretty safe. Can also be sprayed on the plant if you remove it from the tank, or used as a dip outside the tank. Dip, wait a couple of minutes, then return to tank. Rinsing is not needed.

Another one is alum. Used for pickling, you get it in the spice aisle or bulk food places maybe. Two tablespoons to a gallon and you can leave the plant in it overnight, up to 24 hours. Very safe, rarely causes any damage to most plants. If it's a very sensitive plant, just one tablespoon per gallon instead. Rinse well.

Potassium permanganate, if you can get it, works too. Just enough to turn water medium pink in colour. Use gloves, it stains skin. Like glut and bleach and oxygen, it's a strong oxidizer, so don't breathe in the powder either. I am unsure of how long you can safely leave the plant in this, probably only a few minutes though. Rinse well.

Bleach also works, a common dilution is 1 part bleach to 19-20 parts water. But it can melt some plants and you have to time it very carefully, no more than two minutes in the dip and then rinse very thoroughly. Most use extra dechlor when they put plants back after a bleach dip.
 
Hi guys

Size of tank is about 125litres or approx 33 US gallonsI
I used it a few days ago after doing a 50%wc. And followed put about 3ml
Havent used it since

Also added the co2 booster at the same time. About 2ml of API CO2 booster

Are these both carbon liquids ?

Thanks alot for all the other forms of algea killers, you sure know your stuff


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Yes, they re both carbon. You should add it daily before the light are on. So for a 33g tank, you could add more. Need an expert here but I m thinking as much as 20ccs. But increase slowly & use as little as seems effective. I ve read it can affect shrimp, don t remember if you have any. You can order a gallon of Metricide 14, it's pure glut, so twice as strong as the products you have. It comes with an 'activator' packet, which you throw away cuz when added it s used as an industrial cleaner. The gallon of glut is just a carrier agent. Much more economical way to treat your tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
unfortunately glut/metricide etc isn't readily available in Australia without commercial licence and ABN wholesale ability. I've tried very hard to get some.
best option is from AQUAGREEN near Darwin. they post and are very very cheap. he buys bulk from SA and dilutes to sensible yet strong ratio. they have info on their site, lots of aust. native fish and plants for aquariums, and he is happy to have a big chat with free advice if you are happy to talk long distance. (I noticed the product is from one of my LFS).


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Back
Top Bottom