diatoms?

[aquabee]

Hey all. Lately, like over the last few weeks, I've had these green spots growing on the sides of my planted nano (Fluval Flora, 8 gallons, 26 watts, with pressurized CO2, running for 8 months). I've seen 'em before in my tanks but never growing at such incredible speed. The second I scrape 'em off the sides of the tank, it takes them 1 or 2 days only to show up again. I haven't changed light duration, CO2, or anything. I've got the BBA at bay with peroxide treatments, but that won't touch these green thangs. Are these diatoms? Can I do anything to keep them off my plant leaves? It's fine when they're on the crypts but they look horrible growing on wisteria and java fern.

[Darbex]

Algae. Do you have amano shrimp?

[aquabee]

I know it's algae but what kind? Don't have amanos, I have yellow shrimp.

[Darbex]

Sorry I was thinking faster than I typed. Diatoms are usually yellow or brown. Those look like hair. When I had a planted tank my plants would get those as the base before growing long strands. O-cats and amano shrimp would keep them under control. Also increasing CO2 can help as well, but you have to be careful with that. Or I have used Excel to help as well but that is better for algal blooms in the water column than the hair algae.

[aquabee]

Sorry I was thinking faster than I typed. Diatoms are usually yellow or brown. Those look like hair. When I had a planted tank my plants would get those as the base before growing long strands. O-cats and amano shrimp would keep them under control. Also increasing CO2 can help as well, but you have to be careful with that. Or I have used Excel to help as well but that is better for algal blooms in the water column than the hair algae.

Hm. The ones I'm referring to in the pics are just green dots. I do have some BBA in the tank that you can see in the pics, but that's slowly going away. My 2 otos and 30 yellow shrimp do not touch the green dots at all, but they'll eat the BBA once it's killed by peroxide. And strangely enough, Excel has never helped any algae situation in my tank. Not sure why. I still dose it though.

I'll try upping the Excel to twice weekly and slowly increasing my CO2 a little bit. It runs at 1 bubble/second now but I don't have a drop checker so it's hard to see where the levels peak. I've done the whole pH testing thing but that's a little annoying to interpret.

[SunnyHouTX]

Green spot algae:

http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_freshwater_algae.php

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/algae/138253-green-spot-algae-anubias-leaves.html

Caused by low CO2 and phosphates.

[eklikewhoa]

Are these outbreaks happening when you trim,clean the filter or shift anything around? Do a major water change or try using distilled/RO for a few water changes.

[aquabee]

Green spot algae:

http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_freshwater_algae.php

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/algae/138253-green-spot-algae-anubias-leaves.html

Caused by low CO2 and phosphates.

Thanks! I was just reading on aquahobby. I will up my CO2 and see if that helps.

[aquabee]

Are these outbreaks happening when you trim,clean the filter or shift anything around? Do a major water change or try using distilled/RO for a few water changes.

Nope. It's there in the same way with or without water changes and filter cleanings. How will RO water help?

[eklikewhoa]

It might be coming from your water source

How long do you have the photo-period set at?

[Totenkampf]

it looks like GSA to me too, I was able to get it under control by increasing (doubling) the amount of phosphates in my dry fert mix. i used to get it badly when dosing via PMDD which attempts to control algae by PO4 limiting

[Darbex]

Yeah I was referring to the spots and not the algae on the sides. From the picture the algae looks more filamentous than spot algae. This is why I am guessing its hair algae from the pic. If you got a heavy planted high tech tank then you really dont need to do water changes just top off. I didnt do a water change for about 1 1/2 on my planted tank. CO2 should help because they dont like it and it speeds up the plant growth its like crack to them in which they will start out consuming the nutrients from the water so they can continue their rapid growth due to the extra CO2.

[Darbex]

GSA isnt fuzzy its flat and smooth. The pic makes it look fuzzy or hairy

[digitallinh]

I'd overdose phosphates (3-4ppm), see if it clears.

What's your fertilizing schedule? How much c02 are you pumping through? seems to be a lot of c02 even for 2 CF lights, I imagine they are the fluval CFs?

[Darbex]

I wouldn't mess with nutrients. Phosphates promote algae growth if it's more than the plants can take in. Only things I would mess is carbon, water changes, and getting algae eaters.