# Help!Black furry algae problem



## Davew (Feb 14, 2010)

Hi, I am looking fir sone advice about the black algae infestation I have in my 180 litre tropical tank. 
I can't get rhd of it as it's now in the corners of the tann between the rubber
seals. It gas been there fir a few months but I regularly scrape it off as 
best I can at each water change. It attaches to the glass, ornaments and 
even plants( I have to replace them after a couple of months as they get
covered in the ugly furry algae) thus is my first tank and I have a
community set up with about 30 fish in total. I do a 30% water change
every week ( sometimes it stretches to 2 wkd but not often) I read somewhere
that c02 can help. Please bear with ne as I an a complete beginner ! Does
anyone have any advice please?

Edit: sorry about the spelling. Posted from my phone


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Algae is present in any balanced aquarium, but should be under control. You mention plants, so I'm assuming this is a planted tank, and thus even moreso should algae not be an issue, at least not once the tank is established. And as you mention a few months, I'll assume it is not a new tank.

Algae in excess in a planted tank generally means there is more light than the plants need. Plants can only use light and nutrients if they are all sufficient and in balance. If nutrients are not sufficieint for the light intensity or duration, then plants can't grow further and algae has the advantage.

Can you tell us your light, the type (# of tubes, watts, what type of tube), and how long is it on every day. Also your water parameters if you know them, pH and hardness. And what if any plant fertilizer you use.

Byron.


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## kelly528 (Aug 31, 2009)

Ahh the notorious BBA (Black Beard Algae). First some questions:

-What kind of lighting does the tank have? Fluorescent or incandescent? How many watts?
-What level is your nitrates at?
-Do you have any plants?

Carbon will indeed help however if you don't want to spend the money on a CO2 tank you can utilise Seachem Excel, a liquid carbon substitute. In fact, success has been reported by 'blasting' the Excel onto the beard algae. Here[/i] is an excellent 14 day tutorial on how to combat your Beard Algae with Excel.


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## Davew (Feb 14, 2010)

Thanks for the replies. I have had my juwel 180 for about 2yrs.it has standard
lighting( not sure what type or wattage) you are right,I think it it the
black beard algae. I do have plants in but only 2-3 at once. the black
algae only appeared after 1 1/2 years. Before then no probs. I suspect
it came on a plant I bought from the shop. I have tried that flourish
excel but kept to the recomended doses. Maybe I should have tried
blasting it. Can you please explain what you mean by blasting? 
I typically keep the lights on for 8-10 hours per day. So, I will try the
flourish excel carbon treatment again and also reduce the lighting per
day to 6-8 hours and increase my water changes to 40% every 5 days.
Also I'll try to scrub off as much of the algae as I can each day. It's hard
though as it is now in hard to get places. Anymore suggestions? Apart
from move the fish to a holding tank abd clean the existing one ( this
would be a last resort)


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

I have BBA in two of my tanks, the SA ones as it turns out, but it is within limits (on the wood, now and then on a plant leaf). The trick is to keep it so. Light has to be balanced for the nutrients required by the plants, no more. So it may be a case of reducing or changing light or increasing nutrients, or both. Plus more plants if there is room; the more plants there are the more they use nutrients and light and algae is out of luck.

Before resorting to treatments like Excel, which has worked for some, I would get the balance in order. What are the plants you have? And we do need to know the light; the names and info will be on the tube at one end. Post the name(s), watts, K number, whatever you see there. Different types of light can cause this or other algae if it is inadequate for the plants.

Byron.


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