# Problem with algae (green AND black)



## Cracker (Aug 20, 2010)

I've got an old handmedown 50 gallon tank. It is stocked with a large spotted sailfin pleco, three gold gouramis, a couple of green corys and about ten-12 various tetras in small groupings. (Not ten to twelve GROUPS, ten to 12 fish) LOL

For five years, no real issues. Then I started having a lot of black algae come up on the plants and decor (fake plants). Now I have a pea soup green algae issue.

Please understand I have difficulty understanding some of the chemistry that goes into the water and fish keeping...so must have just been lucky that fish loss over these five years has been minimal..and usually based on putting the wrong type of fish together (poor guys). 

The tank is in a sunlit room (bachelor apt) so I put it in an alcove and for five years it's been okay with the level of sunlight it has been getting. 

So far I have turned the heater down (water was running at 86, it is now at 82) , have covered the glass with bristolboard and have put a bag of biophos in the filter. I am unsure whether this is helping and how long I should wait...
also, what sort of water tests should I be doing? 

I appreciate any help you guys can give me.

Thanks.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

What is your water change schedule like Cracker? The black algae might not be alge at all but a type of cynobacteria. 

For the green water I would just do your usual weekly water changes and clean/remove as much of the black stuff as possible. 

How much do you feed your tank? Do you find lots of left overs?


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## Cracker (Aug 20, 2010)

Hi Ciddian, 
Sorry I was away from the thread so long....
I do about 30 percent water changes every 10 days to two weeks, though I was away in July and it was probably closer to three weeks...
I just recently found out I shouldn't be changing my filters each time. 

I took the blackout off yesterday and there has been significant improvement, where the water is not opaque green, now just kindof "tinted" heavily.

Interestingly the black stuff has also decreased in this time...so bacteria or algae??

I did a 40 percent change yesterday.

Oh and feeding, I am feeding flakes and only do enough that will be gone within ten minutes or so, so no leftovers. I occasionally put in one or two algaeeater wafers as a treat for my pleco.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Np Cracker 

Try to do a water change every friday for a while, maybe about 25% or so and don't maintain the filter unless the flow is not good anymore.  Yea you really don't need/should change it out every time.

If the black stuff kinda covers everything like a blanket its a cynobacteria. 
Here is a better explanation and ways to fight it which we are trying now except for medication which I would not personally do right off the bat.

http://naturalaquariums.com/plantedtank/0608.html

hope that helps


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## Cracker (Aug 20, 2010)

Thanks!
I will institute more frequent changes...do you think I should still be blacking out the tank? How long is too long? Do I need to use the light for a couple hours a day for the fish?

Anyhoo, I looked at the article. The black stuff is not blanketlike at all, just the tips of the fake plants and ceramic castle etc, so I guess it's probably not a cyanobacteria.


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## missindifferent (Jun 25, 2010)

I think I have a similar problem.
I bought a 15g tank, and put it next to the window (my bad). It was there for about a month. Then I noticed plants were starting to do poorly and had black algae. So I covered the back of the aquarium and switched the plants with plants in my baby guppy/shrimp tank.

It's been like 2 weeks, and the plant situation has not improved. The edge of the leaves look charred. Also I scrubbed the back of the tank 2 weeks ago, and it's pretty much grown back by now, even though the back is still covered?

I have no idea what to do!!


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

no furry tips to the black stuff right? Or if not its at least doesn't come off easily?

Fish don't really mind low light or even just the lights off with other sources of light coming in. 

There are a couple of ways you could tackle the tough algae issue. You could try a 19:1 bleach dip for a minute. Usually this helps for plants like anubias and other tougher types of plants.

Some people have said that more light helps as some tougher black algaes do better in lower light situations. (have no idea how truthful that is..) but I did get a pair of anubias with major black algae on it and it didn't get better until I threw better lights on the tank. Not 100% of course, but it looks better.

Some people have also advised using Flourish Excel as well.

Hope that helps ya! I haven't had much experience with the bleach dips, delicate plants wont do well with it but hardy plants might benefit. I have used excel myself, avoid directly treating plants like mosses.


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## missindifferent (Jun 25, 2010)

Ciddian said:


> no furry tips to the black stuff right? Or if not its at least doesn't come off easily?
> 
> Fish don't really mind low light or even just the lights off with other sources of light coming in.
> 
> ...


Well, the algae looks dark greenish, maybe it's hair algae.
Thanks a lot for your opinion. I'll try both turning out the light and the bleach method. If it doesn't work, I'll just move all the plants into the baby tank since plants do very well there


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