Em Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 I took a few photos of my 3 foot tank which seems to be a havesting ground for some sort of algae, as shown in the below photos Side View, notice it all over the sponge filter and drift wood. (please excuse reflection of me) Top View, this is just a portion of what was there last week. Top view of what I managed to pull off the driftwood during the tank's cleanout on Monday Side view, with a bit of gravel in the bottom. It seem to love to clump together when I take it off anything in the tank but grows on seems to grow on anything in this tank. Any idea what kind of algae I have here? it doesn't do the eel any harm and I've used it in my last few spawns as a source of little microbes for betta fry and didn't killed them or the parents. And what can I do with it, it seems a waste to just throw it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 I call that green hair algae, not sure what its actual name is. I liked it until one of my favourite male bettas got trapped in it and it actually cut him, I needed scissors to get him out. He was an elderly gent and had trouble recovering. I have also heard that Sienna Smiles had trouble with fry getting trapped in it and dying. I still have bits of it but I manually remove it pretty frequently so it's mostly just wisps now. I'm sure it would be good for your garden/compost as it would theoretically be full of nitrogen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDP Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 I'd call it green hair algae too, I used to have it in my 2 foot tank then one day my bristlenose cat just decided to eat it, never had any since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbies Betta Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 I've got the same prob in my outside 3ft. it's a pain, but looks wicked on my pirate ship flowing in the filter current :D the only prob is that it grows on all the plants also, so I basically have to uproot the plants and untangle them there's a weed killer that u can get. we used it in our outside pond, when that was all u cud see. it got rid of it pretty quickly, and since then we haven't seen it in the pond. (the weed killer was an anti-algae pond one that treated for Green hair algae/blanket weed, not roundup or anything ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterJ Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 I had it pretty bad in my 2 foot fry tank. The pond snails couldn't keep up with it but the applesnails keep it under control (the lfs said they wouldn't ). When I take the applesnails out for a spawn the hair comes back within a week or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celeste84 Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 i've got a bunch of baby apple snails if you'd like some. they're about the size of a ten cent piece, but will grow pretty quickly (up to the size of a tennis ball) and live for 4-6 years. i keep the adults in my main tank along with golden loaches and i never see any algae in there at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted September 17, 2006 Report Share Posted September 17, 2006 I pretty much get the same thing, mostly on sword leaves, the only thing ive really found effective was a black out for 3 days, ive added co2 to help the plants gain the upperhand, but i dont belive its diffusing properly Otos are supposed to be great algae eaters, i however can never find healthy specimens AND the price expensive, they like to be in groups too... If you add some more plants they may outcompete with it also. EDIT: went through my favorites and found a good website http://www.aquaticscape.com/articles/algae.htm#types Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leema Posted September 19, 2006 Report Share Posted September 19, 2006 This has been called 'matt algae' to me. I get it mega in my pond. About twice a year I tear it apart and remove as much as possible. It seems to go well for a couple of months afterwards. In my 3ft, I've got it on my javamoss... So I'm going to have to sacrafice a bunch of that to get rid of it. I'm not really sure what to be doing, either - so I'm interested in the ideas. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambo Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 My solution to remove 'sticky' algae, as strange as it sounds, is to remove the fish (if possible, or just the parts with the algae, and do this in a bucket), and add a strong mixture of that free floating blue green algae, till the tank is basically green. Keep adding light. I find that when i have done this the sticky algae dies. Then just do a whole lotta water changes. Completly fixed my castle thingy that had hair all over it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Lambo, do you mean BGA or green water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celeste84 Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 BGA is a cyanobacteria, it's VERY bad to have in your tanks as it can stagnate the water, it excretes something into the water (can't remember what but i know it's bad for plants and fish), and can cause massive fish kills due to a cumulation of effects it causes i'd be very wary of ever introducing it into my tanks system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambo Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Is there a difference? I mean the 'chuck some fert in a bucket of water and algae will arise' type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celeste84 Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 ahhh you're talking about the algae that LOOKS blue/green in colour, not blue-green algae the cyanobacteria (usually a reddy-brown colour). very big difference this is what i was talking about though with the toxins: bad CB edit: i should add that spirulina is a cyanobateria, but isn't a toxic form :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambo Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 cheers for clearing that up :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 cyanobacteria isn't reddy brown in fresh water, it's emerald green. horrid stuff. I hate being forced to use antibiotics :notsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Em Posted September 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 I've found a way to clean out the algae, YABBIES! I took out some of what I've cleaned out, so now I'm going to see how they get along with Elva; the eel (hopefully they won't attack one another) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celeste84 Posted September 21, 2006 Report Share Posted September 21, 2006 ood luck em lilli, really? the only spawns of BGA i've ever seen were in the local dam and it was red-brown then again there is more than one type :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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