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Still in deep trouble with a type of algae

french47

french47

Member
Joined
1 Jun 2010
Messages
39
Location
Caister on Sea, Norfolk
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I have written before about this problem and I have tried some of the replies , Tank blacked out, reduced lighting, more lighting etc, I am getting to the stage of a complete rip out and dump the wood which I did buy from an aquatic store, it's been soaked, scrubbed on three different occasions and yet it still comes back. I have been told to wait it will clear, but for how long must I wait.
Details of tank
Size 5'x2'x2' 150 x 60 x 60 cm
volume 109 gallons, 495 litres
filtration 2 filters rated at 1500 ltrs / hour
lighting 2 x 54w sylvania Growlux and 2 x Osram 54w skywhite
I have tried with just the white lights on, just the growlux on, both on,
The lights are on a timer 2 hours in the morning, off for 2 hours then on for four.
aaat the moment I have just two tubes running.
Please help me, I am desperate to find an answer
Cheers
 
Hi,
This looks like diatoms. I assume this is a non-CO2 enriched tank? Is it only on the wood? You had algae and someone told you to use more light....and you did it?
Is this new wood? If it's not diatomic algae then it could be fungus. Does it wipe off easily?
How did you perform the blackout and what were the effects?
Did you clean the wood prior to the blackout?
How long has the tank been running?

Sorry for all the questions, but it does help the troubleshooting.

Cheers,
 
G'Day mate,

It is non Co2, and it's only on the wood.
I had the 4 tubes on a timer that made it worse. now down to 2.
If you get hold of it, it turns to slime.
The wood has been taken out of the tank twice and been given a good scrub with a brass wire brush and a full water change each time. It was twice scrub before it went into the tank
The tank has been running over 6 weeks now..
I have 12 Otto's, 1 Royal Plec and an 1 Ancistrus, but the stuff keeps growing.
It starts with a grey fur that gets longer and changes to golden / light brown hair. It does not appear to grow on plants, it just gets hooked up on them

I do so hope you can help.
Cheers
 
The fuzz is probably from the wood itself, which is normal when wood is first soaked into a tank. It may take several weeks to stop growing. The colour change could be from the tannins additionally released from the wood.
The same happens in my tanks in the beginning. Just scrub it off and it will stop showing up one day. I don't think it's algae.
 
Hey, as mentioned in your previous thread I'm fairly sure this is a type of mould from the wood. I have small pieces of Sumatra in my nano that still grows mould at its been running 3 months or so with crs and amanos neither of which touch it. Think some wood just takes longer and being as your wood is quite chunky it could be a while.... I find best action is after cleaning give it a wipe with a toothbrush every couple of days with regular water changes mate.
 
Take the piece of wood and soak it in dilute bleach (Miltons fluid used for sterilising baby bottles etc.) for a few minutes and then wash thoroughly in dechlorinated water before reintroducing into the tank. Also clean out the filter (not with bleach) to get rid of any spores that maybe there.
 
I had persistent bba (or it might have been a type of mould -not sure) on some wood. Tried removing it from the tank and scrubbing it (grew back in a few days) Tried removing it and coating it with liquid carbon (grew back in a week or so) Resorted to immersing the wood in a large pan of boiling water for a few minutes. It has never come back since doing this. Could be worth a try? Got to be better than toothbrush again...!
 
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