A Little Algae Help Please

Ben Belton · Post by **Ben Belton** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 11:06 pm

The new tank is breaking in slow. A few problems here and there, but mostly good. Got the green water cleared up, and now I have this stuff. Picture is misleading because the algae is actually dark gray to black, but you get the idea. Grows really long on the slower growing plants. Looks like they are getting a thick long head of hair.

Cristy Keister · Post by **Cristy Keister** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 12:49 pm

I've had that before. I feels like slippery hair. Sorry, I don't remember how I got rid of it. Looks like you have a little black brush as well. Have you checked your CO2 level?

Edit: Looking at photos online, it seems to be staghorn algae.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:14 pm

What's your setup? Lights? Tank size? Dosing?

Ghazanfar Ghori · Post by **Ghazanfar Ghori** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:23 pm

Staghorn algae. Your macros are out of whack. 90% water change and dose recommended amount of Excel. Check your macro dosage ratios.

Ben Belton · Post by **Ben Belton** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:33 pm

I was thinking staghorn, but the pics I saw of it were green and this is gray/black.

I've tried to keep my macros at a Ghori recommended 10:1:10, but I'll double check that. My Crypt nurii is growing great though... oh wait... I don't have one.

Cristy, I thought I had my CO2 pretty nailed down, but it never hurts to check it. This is a brand new set up with new substrate, filter, and everything. Things change as it settles in and bacteria gets establish, so maybe you're right that my CO2 got off.

Ghazanfar Ghori · Post by **Ghazanfar Ghori** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 2:35 pm

Ben Belton wrote: My Crypt nurii is growing great though... oh wait... I don't have one.

Give it some time, its a slow grower.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 3:56 pm

Are you dosing 10:1:10 or testing for that? When I did dosing I always found I had to dose 3:1 N to P to keep things at 10:1 in the tank because the P got used up faster.

Ben Belton · Post by **Ben Belton** » Fri Jan 07, 2011 12:17 am

And The Winner is!! ...... Cristy!!

When I first set this tank up, I checked the pH several times a day and adjusted the CO2. Its been pretty stable between 6.6 and 6.8. I tested it tonight and it was 7.2. I guess as the tank has settled in and my plant mass has increased, the CO2 is being sucked down faster. I also added some Excel.

I dose to achieve a 10:1:10 ratio. Sometimes I only dose P. My N is pretty high out of the tap.

Cristy Keister wrote:I've had that before. I feels like slippery hair.

I was trying to pull some of it out tonight. It does feel like slippery hair. Yuk!

A Little Algae Help Please

A Little Algae Help Please

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