# Algae Problems



## Supernova (Feb 17, 2009)

I've been battling with a huge algae problem for the last couple months. I'm not sure what type.. only that it is green and grows like a carpet.

The tank was newly cycled this spring, I added a few fish from an old tank and bought a couple new ones. Then, a couple months ago I had ick go through the tank and lost all but two fish. I treated the tank with meds. Soon after the algae started growing and it is out of control. Could it be that I have too few fish? I was worried about getting new ones while I had this issue.
I've cut back feeding to the bare minimum, changed my bulb, I've left the light off for a week now (although the room is fairly bright) and did a removal of the algae. It's pretty easy to remove as it comes out in big strips, but it only lasted about a week and came back.

Any suggestions?


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Is it blue green by any chance ? Very soft, looks almost black when you collect it up ? Or is it sort of like hair or fibrous ?


----------



## Supernova (Feb 17, 2009)

I looked them both up, and I think it looks like blue green algae.


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

It is messy as can be, for sure. The only good thing about it is that it is easy to scrape or lift off surfaces. So that's cyanobacteria, actually, rather than algae. I had it a couple of times, but once I cleaned it up it pretty much did not come back. I thoroughly cleaned the filter after removing the stuff too, as fragments get filtered out and provide a source of new infestation.

It seems to be related to high light, more so than nutrients in the water. Worst I had was when it covered the rear wall of a tank, which was sitting right in a south facing window, with bright summer sunshine on it all day. 

There is something you can do, I just can't recall what it is at this moment. Let me go look and see, I might have something bookmarked on it.


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Ok, it does have to do with excess of some nutrients, as well as too much light. This site has a recommendation that seems like it ought to work, but the underlying causes have to be fixed up to keep it from returning as it has been. New tanks are somewhat more susceptible to it.

Check this.. http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/maintenance1/p/algaebluegreen.htm


----------



## Supernova (Feb 17, 2009)

Thanks for the help, I'm going to try doing another thorough cleaning and the erthromycin treatment. After cleaning, should I change my filter? Or just rinse really well?


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

One thing I don't know is if the erythromycin will damage or kill the BB in the filter. If it does, you may have to cycle again, unless you have another filter you can use to reseed this one.

In any event, do thoroughly clean out the filter media in tank water, because all the broken up bits will end up in the filter. And keep an eye on the water parameters, in case it does turn out that the BB are killed by the treatment.


----------



## Yami (May 1, 2011)

OP the problem is not excess nutrient, I assume you have plants and lights in your tank, correct? The reason for the green carpet algae is lack of CO2 and nutrient for your plants. Normally a newly setup tank don't have this problem, as many nutrient are coming from the new substrate and fresh water provided the CO2. But once the tank has settled about a month or so, the nutrient would have depleted and the green carpet looking algae appears. Once you supplement back the CO2 and nutrient, they will disappear as they are unable to compete with the plants.

Cleaning does not help, they will come back when the water condition is right. I have had this issue for long time, and now finally found out this solution. Just wanna share with you.


----------



## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

BGA will appear even in an unlit tank. A half dose of erthromyacin is supposed to kill it. Erthromyacin claims to not kill the BB. Regardless, it kills the cynobacteria. There are a few things that are supposed to help such as increased circulation, which seemed to have no effect when I tried it.


----------



## Yami (May 1, 2011)

BillD said:


> BGA will appear even in an unlit tank. A half dose of erthromyacin is supposed to kill it. Erthromyacin claims to not kill the BB. Regardless, it kills the cynobacteria. There are a few things that are supposed to help such as increased circulation, which seemed to have no effect when I tried it.


Yes, erthomyacin will definitely kill it! But the cause of the problem still exist, I would be concerned about the cause because it may affect fish and plants health in the aquarium. Circulation does not help, it is only effective in treating cyanobacteria in saltwater, known as red slime algae.


----------



## tranceaddict (Apr 3, 2011)

take a picture of it. and possibly where the BGA originates from (like where you see it coming from mostly) . If its a plant root, rock, gravel.


----------

