Java Moss vs. Slime algae...
Daniel Goscha
I have problem that has been driving me nuts. I have managed to get a
particularly nasty type of algae growing in my community tank. The
extent of the plants I have in ther now are several Java ferns and a
small, thin patch of java moss. The problem I am having is that a deep
green, "earthy" smelling algae is taking over. In particular, it is
choking out the java moss, which I love and am trying to get started.
It does not seem to grow well on the java fern as much (although I do
need to keep swishing it off of the base of them quite often) so the
java ferns are managing to out compete well. Like I said, though, I am
really trying to get my java moss going and it is getting covered by
this nasty algae. Does anyone have any idea how I can get rid of this
stuff?
I have about 30 watts of broad spectrum flourescents lighting the tank
and it gets a very small amount of natural light from a north facing
sliding door that is about 10 feet away from the tank. I have tried
nearly everything to try and knock out this algae including daily
removal, cutting down to feedings only once every other day (I have
since resumed daily feedings since about 2 weeks of the every-other day
feeding had absolutely no affect), etc. I have completely cut out all
fertilizers and have the lights on a 10 hour cycle. I add no buffers to
the water that may be increasing the phospahtes and I do faithful weekly
water changes of 10 percent. This stuff is driving me crazy and, as I
said, completely taking over my java moss. Has anyone had the
misfortune of having this type of algae before, and does anyone have ANY
ideas as to how I can get rid of it and get the java moss back on its
feet. I would hate to loose the java moss.
Many thanks!
-daniel goscha
dgo...@phy.ilstu.edu
TomsAvatar
Subject: Re: Java Moss vs. Slime algae...
From: your name here <dgo...@phy.ilstu.edu> Wrote:
>I add no CO2 and have loads of airation from a Penguin 550 powerhead and
a
>mini-bio wheel.
Based on my experience with a similar problem I'd say this is the problem.
Aeration and lots of surface agitation drive off CO2. The higher plants
need CO2 to utilize the nutrients in the tank. Without CO2, the algae is
left with all the nutrients to itself. I removed my biowheels and added
CO2, plus a phosphate removing filtrate. The plants are doing great and
the algae is on the decline. Ironically, adding CO2 actually raises the
O2 level because the plants are able to produce O2 much better. I
replaced the biowheels with another canister filled with Ehfimech for the
biofilter site.
Thanx,
Tom
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you always do what you've always done, you'll always be what you've always been.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
your name here
I might quickly add that the tank is 20G high. No ammonia, no
nitrates/ites, pH 6.9-7.0, and I keep the temp around 79-81 deg. F. I
add no CO2 and have loads of airation from a Penguin 550 powerhead and a
mini-bio wheel.
-daniel goscha
dgo...@phy.ilstu.edu
healer
I believe your dealing with beard algae:
"Grows on plant leaves and is bright green. Individual strands have a
very fine texture but it grows in thick patches and looks just like a
green beard. It grows up to 4 cm. It cannot be removed mechanically.
This does not indicate bad water quality but grows very fast and
overtakes the tank, making it a "bad" alga (sic). Can be eliminated with
Simazine (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals "Algae-Destroyer")."
(http://www.cco.caltech.edu/~aquaria/Faq/algae.html)
Does it fit the description?
For your java moss, depending if its attached to something, remove it
and try to remove as much algae as you can. Put it in another container
and try and sustain it there. This will allow it survive long enough to
eliminate the algae in the tank.
Read the sears-colin paper. Its an interesting article stating that the
lack of nutrients in the water does not stop algae grow and weakens
plants so that they cannot outcompete the algae for nutrients.
Good luck,
healer
Bruce Towle
Daniel Goscha wrote:
>
> I have problem that has been driving me nuts. I have managed to get a
> particularly nasty type of algae growing in my community tank. The
> extent of the plants I have in ther now are several Java ferns and a
> small, thin patch of java moss. The problem I am having is that a deep
> green, "earthy" smelling algae is taking over.
What you have is probably a type of bacteria. Add 200mg erythromycin
per 10 gallons of water and it will go away. You can get this at most
any fish store, I think that it is sold under the name of Maracyn or
something close to that.
--
Bruce Towle
bto...@pacifier.com
br...@olsonengr.com
patrick timlin
healer (hea...@global.california.com) wrote:
: I believe your dealing with beard algae:
: "Grows on plant leaves and is bright green. Individual strands have a
: very fine texture but it grows in thick patches and looks just like a
: green beard. It grows up to 4 cm. It cannot be removed mechanically.
I have to disagree. Since the subject line mentioned slime algae and in
the post the poster mentioned a "earthy" smell to it. This is very
characteristic of blue-green algae or cynobacteria. I have also noted a
very earthy smell very much like soil but somewhat mustier bordering on
moldy smelling. It has a silky but slimy look about it and covers things
in thin sheets of itself that rub off rather easily. It is just that it
grows so damn fast.
I had one tank go through a battle with this stuff for months. I didn't
really do anything but add some more plants and kept at it with manual
removal from plant leaves and the tank. Eventually it went away, but it
wasn't quick.
Another option is to use a antibiotic made for fish. Trt a half dose at
first. This often knocks this stuff out. Warning though, it could upset
your biological filtration, so keep an eye on ammonia and such after
using, although the plants might help keep those in check. Also, try and
remove as much as possible just before treating or else you will have
sheets of theis stuff floating around dead in your aquarium clogging up
stuff.
Patrick Timlin http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/4742/
pti...@geocities.com
D.P.
I had quite a slime algae problem over the last few months. I got rid of
it by going on vacation! Whilst on vacation, I put a Phos-zorb pad in my
filter, left the lights off, and didn't feed the fish. When I came home
after 8 days, the tank was absolutely pristine! I suggest cutting back
your feedings (which you have done), cut back on light (intensity as well
as duration, and since you're dealing with Java fern and moss, you should
be O.K. - these do well in low light conditions), and check your nitrates
and phosphates. I'm not sure which (low light, no feeding, Phos-zorb pad)
did the trick, but something sure worked.
I see you're using no buffers that use phosphate, that's good since I
believe that's what caused my problem in the first place. Check the water
going in the tank at water change time for nitrates - it may be coming out
of the tap high in nitrates.
--
Doug
"First thing every morning, eat a live toad. That way, no matter what
happens to you during the rest of the day, it will still be a step up from
breakfast."
Please remove the spamblock- from my address should you feel inclined to
wing a piece of email my way.
Daniel Goscha <dgo...@phy.ilstu.edu> wrote in article
<33C9A4F0...@phy.ilstu.edu>...
> I have problem that has been driving me nuts. I have managed to get a
> particularly nasty type of algae growing in my community tank. The
> extent of the plants I have in ther now are several Java ferns and a
> small, thin patch of java moss. The problem I am having is that a deep