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I’m now going to breakdown the causes and treatments for common types of
algae that are know for plaguing hobbyists.
1. Black Beard Algae (Audouinella/Black Brush Algae/BBA)
Soft, slippery, and hard to remove, BBA will grow quickly in dense patches
(looks like a patchy beard) on slow growing plants, bogwood, driftwood, and
any hard surface in your tank.
Low or unstable CO2 conditions and inconsistent lighting tends to be the main
culprit. Water flow is another cause which has been debated.
However, from my own experience, it’s not so simple. I’ve had BBA growing
in high and low-flow areas.
You can start by trying to manually remove the Algae. If it’s attached to the
glass or your equipment, it’s time to use some good ol‘ fashioned elbow grease.
It can be a real pain to remove; if you struggle, try overdosing it with Seachem
Flourish Excel.
Another technique is to try dipping heavily infected plants and items into a 1:20
ratio bleach and water solution for 2-3 minutes.
This extendable cleaning tool comes with three different blades so you can
adjust to different cleaning jobs.
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sure all plants and items are bleach free before you place them back into your
tank.
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Try testing the dissolved CO2 levels in your aquarium. If they’re low, increase
the amount of CO2 as it will stimulate your plant’s growth–helping them out-
compete the algae for resources.
If you’re using tap water and find the CO2 levels are fluctuating, you may have
to try R/O water.
If you’re concerned about a lack of water circulation, you can use any of these
to help improve it:
Powerheads
Closed Loop Systems
Wavemakers
Flow accelerators
If you don’t want to purchase any equipment, you can try aquascaping your
aquarium to improve the water flow.
Arranging your plants, coral, or live rock in a more open style and adding caves
or tunnels can help the water flow.
Whatever technique you try, always keep on top of 10-15% weekly water
changes.
Black Beard Algae Eaters
Arguably the toughest algae to remove – I feel for you if you’ve got it.
It forms a tough, green, wool-like mat and tends to prefer attaching itself to hair
grass, substrate, and hardscape items.
If you rub or crush Blanket Weed, it will emit a nasty pungent smell.
It’s often introduced through poor quality plants. Marimo Balls are from the
same algae family and can sometimes be the culprit.
The algae can then grow rapidly if you have a high level of nitrates, CO2, and
light.
Unfortunately, Blanket Weed seems to also favor the same healthy water
conditions as plants. It’s a head-scratcher, I know.
Luck. It’s very hard to remove 100% of it. If you’ve only got a small
infestation, you can try to remove it yourself.
Turn off the current in your aquarium to avoid establishing new populations
when you remove the algae.
Then you should get some long tweezers and pick out as much as you can. You
can then use Excel with a syringe to spot treat problem areas.
Like I say, it’s hard to remove so the best course of action would be to try and
not introduce it in the first place (I know, not much help if you already have it).
Be very picky about which plants you introduce and where you buy them from
– always quarantine new plants before adding to your aquarium.
The 10.6 inch slim design makes these tweezers ideal for picking out blanket
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It’s common to find it on your substrate and along the front of your aquarium
glass where it receives the most light.
Fact: Many species of BGA have evolved the ability to control their buoyancy
in relation to light and water conditions.
High levels of organic waste from overfeeding and/or a lack of water changes
can cause BGA to bloom.
And it’s likely you’ll experience low levels of nitrates as the bacteria use up any
nitrogen.
Subjecting your aquarium to too much light for too long periods can allow BGA
to thrive.
Or old light bulbs which are no longer emitting the correct light for your plants
can result in your plants no longer being able to out-compete the BGA.
It’s common for BGA to appear in the wild where there’s low water circulation.
How to Get Rid of Blue-Green Algae
There are a few ways you can attempt to combat Blue-Green algae, the most
commonly talked about technique is the ‘Black Out’ because BGA cannot
survive without light.
Step 1: Perform a 50% water change and remove as much BGA as you can.
Step 2: Test your nitrates, if they’re low, add some potassium nitrate to get the
levels to 20ppm.
Step 4: Turn off all your lights and cover the tank so no light can get it in and
leave it for 3-4 days. Don’t worry, your fish will be fine without food for this
period.
A very popular and successful way of getting rid of Blue-Green algae is to dose
with Maracyn (follow the instructions on the packet).
You can also add fast growing plants; they can kill the algae off by out-
competing them for nutrients.
Try using a syringe to treat problem areas with an Excel treatment, and then
manually remove the dead algae.
Check your substrate and filter doesn’t contain excessive amounts of mulm and
ensure you have good water circulation around your whole tank.
(check out Black Beard Algae section for water circulation tips).
Found in freshwater and marine aquariums, Brown algae will start out as a
dusting on the substrate in your tank.
Then in approximately 5 days, it can turn into a slimy film covering your tank’s
glass, substrate and plants – it doesn’t look great.
It’s common for Brown algae to appear in new aquariums during the nitrogen
cycle as your filter and substrate haven’t had enough time to mature.
The best way to combat algae is to deprive it of the nutrients it needs to thrive.
You can start by using a vacuum to physically remove the algae and then use a
soft cloth to wipe down the glass.
Then you can perform some partial water changes to help remove some of the
nutrients.
Check your lighting; making sure you’re not providing too much or too little
(you may need to adjust your lighting schedule by a few hours).
Look out for any natural sunlight which could be hitting your tank – remember,
light can reflect off mirrors, white walls, and pictures etc.
Take a look at your filtration – is its GPH 4x greater than the volume of your
tank? If you’re using a canister filter, try adding a spray bar.
If your aquarium is suffering from a lack of oxygen, try adding an air pump
with a long air stone because you’ll be able to cover a greater area.
What temperature is your aquarium water? The warmer your water, the less
oxygen it will hold. You can try lowering the temperature in your tank as long
as it’s still in your aquatic buddy’s parameters.
If your water contains silicates and phosphorous, you can try adding some
silicate/phosphorus remover to your aquarium or use a reverse osmosis system.
However, sometimes all you need to do is manually remove it and wait for your
aquarium to cycle and mature.
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Otocinclus Catfish
Plecostomus
Yellow Tangs
5. Fuzz Algae
It’s name describes the short green algae which grow as individual filaments on
your plants, decorations, and glass; creating a fuzzy appearance.
The community is unsure if Fuzz algae are an early growth stage of Hair algae.
Like most algae, it’s not a problem to have a small population in your tank.
Often found in new tank setups, which have an imbalance of nutrients because
they’ve yet to mature.
If you own an older tank, and you’re experiencing a large outbreak of Fuzz
algae, your aquarium is suffering from a nutrient imbalance and low CO2.
Leaving your plants unable to compete with the algae for resources.
Start by testing your aquarium for nutrients and CO2 levels and adjust
accordingly.
Creating a better environment for your plants will help them out-compete the
Fuzz algae.
You can also keep these algae under control with the cleanup team listed below.
It appears after a bloom of unicellular algae which obtain their energy and
growth through photosynthesis.
And because it’s a singular celled organism, it can replicate very fast.
There tend to be two main causes for Green Water algae to bloom: a spike in
lighting or nutrients.
If you have an ammonia spike, that’ll start it. Double dose on fertilizer – that’ll
start it.
If you’ve been overfeeding your fish and miss a water change it will lead to a
nutrient excess – guess what?… that’ll start it.
If you’re cycling a new tank, and there aren’t enough nitrites to consume the
ammonia you’ll have an increased chance of Green Water algae.
You can do this by using a UV sterilizer or a blackout and deny your tank of
any light for a week.
AA's Green Killing Machine does an outstanding job of removing algae from
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Snails
Shrimp
Easy to confuse with Green Spot Algae (GSA), GDA will form a green slime
overing the glass. Where as GSA will grow in spots.
Commonly occurs in newly set up planted aquariums which are yet to fully
cycle and establish enough beneficial bacteria.
But, it can also appear in mature aquariums due to low/an imbalance of CO2
and nutrients.
It will take approximately 4 weeks for it to complete its life cycle. Don’t
attempt to remove or wipe clean the algae during this period, it will release
spores and restart the life cycle.
After 4 weeks, perform a water change; lowering the water level as much as
possible. Then wipe the algae off the glass.
Some hobbyists have claimed replacing light bulbs after cleaning out the GDA
film will cure your aquarium.
Bristlenose Plecos
Appearing as hard green tiny spots on your glass, equipment, decorations, and
slow growing plants.
They’ll start as tiny dots, but, if their environment is favorable they can widen;
forming extensive coats.
Imbalances can happen if you slack on weekly water changes, have inadequate
fertilization, or the phosphates being completely depleted.
Low CO2, poor water circulation, and/or exposing your aquarium to light for
too much time are potential culprits.
Low phosphates are “usually” the reason, so get yourself a testing kit, and check
your levels. If it’s low, dose with Seachem Flourish Phosphorus to raise the
levels.
Once you’ve adjusted the phosphate levels, you can remove the Spot algae from
the glass with an algae scraper and monitor your tank to see if it returns.
Also, consider how long you’re leaving your lights on for – 9 hours is plenty.
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9. Hair/Thread Algae
A species of Filamentous algae it forms as long green threads which feel soft
and loose.
The algae will mainly anchor themselves to plants, but can also appear on the
decorations and gravel in your aquarium.
Hobbyists call it Hair algae because when you take it out of the aquarium it
feels like wet hair. It can be fast growing and hard to get rid of.
Hair algae can also appear if you’ve got too much light and not enough
nutrients.
It can be difficult to remove it completely, but you can start by testing the
nutrient levels in your tank and adjust if needed.
Make sure you’ve good levels of CO2 and nutrients for your plants.
You can then stock up on algivorous (see algae eaters below) to help control the
growth.
You can manually remove the algae by twisting it around a skewer with a rough
surface (a toothbrush is a good option) and pulling it out.
If the Hair algae aren’t anchored securely, you might be able to siphon them out
during a water change.
Amano Shrimp
Dwarf Shrimp (Red Bee or Red Fire Shrimp)
Mollies
Siamese Algae Eaters
Florida Flag Fish
Test your CO2 levels and nutrients – adjust accordingly. You can also help
control it by overdosing Flourish Excel and EasyCarbo.
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A lack of general maintenance, low nutrients, low CO2, and poor water
circulation.
It can be a pain to remove, but you can start by giving your aquarium a good
clean, check your nutrient dosing, and increase the CO2 levels in your tank.
– Check out the Black Beard algae in this section for tips on improving the
water flow in your tank.
Amano Shrimp
12. Spirogyra
Another filamentous green algae, it’s fast forming and appears as fine bright
green strands (sometimes very long), which are slippery and can spread
throughout your aquarium.
There are a few common reasons as to why Spirogyra may appear in your
aquarium. But, because it can appear in a stable environment it can be hard to
pinpoint the exact cause.
An ammonia spike, caused by over feeding, dead fish, or not enough water
changes and dirty filters can lead to it appearing.
Like I said, it can be hard to clear it because it enjoys the same water conditions
as your plants, and the results can vary from one aquarium to another.
After you’ve performed the blackout, dose with Excel, EasyCarbo or TNC
Carbon.
Another option is to try a Hydrogen Peroxide treatment, but, people tend to get
mixed results. You can check out one success story here.
I haven’t personally found a solution which guarantees results, and there’s a
debate over what the root cause of Spirogyra is.
Rosy Barbs
Belonging to the group of red algae, it’s easy to diagnose Staghorn algae.
The growth looks like the horns of a stag (hence the name), and will attach
themselves to decorations, equipment, and plant leaves.
Staghorn Algae can be hard to remove manually, and if you’re hoping for a
good algae eater to help you out – a seven-year-old is more likely to eat
broccoli.
Fact: If you immerse a piece of Staghorn algae in alcohol it will turn red.
If you haven’t cycled your tank properly or it’s new, the high levels of ammonia
can also cause Staghorn algae to appear.
Manual removal is difficult, but you can try using a toothbrush to remove as
much as possible.
You then want to get on top of your maintenance; perform weekly water
changes and test the levels of nutrients in your tank.
Increase the levels of CO2 in your aquarium and make sure you have good
water flow across your whole tank. This will improve plant growth and help
them out-compete the algae for resources.
You can also try a bleach treatment: dip your affected items and hardy plants
into a 1:20 solution of bleach and water for 2-3 minutes.
Be careful, make sure every item is bleach-free before adding it back into your
aquarium.
Most will not eat it (if you have any experience with an aquatic animal
eating Staghorn, please, let me know. I’d love to hear from you).
I wish I could provide you with the ultimate formula to get rid of all algae, but,
there isn’t one.
In closed water systems, every aquarium has its own ecosystem – even if all the
parameters are the same. It’s what makes finding the cause of your algae
blooms so tricky.
Anyway, here are some final tips you can use to help prevent algae:
Overfeeding leads to excess ammonia and phosphate, which algae love to feed
on.
Unstable lighting (8 hours one day then 9 or 10 hours the next etc.), or the
wrong/loss intensity can cause algae to thrive and out-perform your plants.
Tap water will often contain fertilizers like nitrate and phosphate, these will fuel
the growth of algae.
Test for these and consider using a phosphate remover, or, use a reverse
osmosis system. R/O units will remove all pollutants, leaving you with pure
water.
Use algae eaters in your aquarium to help keep algae under control. Here’s a list
of excellent algae eaters, just ensure your tanks parameters are suitable before
you buy:
Amano Shrimps
Rosy Barbs
Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE)
Otocinclus
Black Mollies
Bristlenose Plecos
Florida Flag Fish
Yellow Tangs
Sun snails (Clithon sp.)
Nerite snails (Neritina sp.)