# Algae is trying to take over!



## Bradkey Bunch (May 20, 2017)

What do do you have in there because you could get some shrimp but the best idea is to get a otocinclus I have one myself does the job amazing and the best part is that they are shrimp safe


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

*Algae is trying to take over! 😩*

You need to get to the source. Too much/too little light. Too much/too little ferts. Pics are not working btw. 

Figure out source first. Or it will just keep coming back and get worse. 

Then you can OD using metricide or excel. I suggest using three times the amount. I did 5x and it worked for me

Yup that's staghorn algae. Doing extra metricide worked for me once I figured out why I was getting in first place. My method wiped it out clean in 4 days. 

I can almost guarantee you have too much light being your tank low tech. With that light you can make a custom setting giving you say 70% max light instead of 100%. I would highly recommend this. Also cut back on your photoperiod. 

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## DiegoBedoyaVision (Mar 30, 2017)

@Bradkey Bunch I just added my tank specs/info to the original post
@clownplanted Really? They work for me.. try to refresh page/app


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

Remember co2 booster is a different kind of co2 source. It's not exactly co2. Until you get co2 you need to lower the light intensity and photoperiod. I updated my previous post so please read it. 


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## II Knucklez II (Oct 31, 2011)

Or could be not enough flow ad well. A light flow across the tank would be best but not to much.

Looks like black beard algae (BBA) and it's hard to get rid of with spot treating with excel but can be done. I found the best way to get rid of it is getting a Siamese algae eater (SAE). They are the best at eating it all up

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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

Reading your specs you posted that definitely too much light too long. That 8 hours should be if you have co2. I would cut the light down to 70% like I said and only run that for 6 hours a day. Especially till you get the algae taken care of. 

When you cut back the light I would dose 20ml metricide/excel daily. 


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

II Knucklez II said:


> Or could be not enough flow ad well. A light flow across the tank would be best but not to much.
> 
> Looks like black beard algae (BBA) and it's hard to get rid of with spot treating with excel but can be done. I found the best way to get rid of it is getting a Siamese algae eater (SAE). They are the best at eating it all up
> 
> Sent from my SM-G930T1 using Tapatalk




It's staghorn. I just went through and killed it off by doing what I said. By OD metricide and cutting light period down. Algae eaters will not touch it. I know cause I have amano shrimp, and SAE's and would not touch it. 

I agree good flow is good however in this case staghorn actually likes higher flow. 


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## DiegoBedoyaVision (Mar 30, 2017)

I just lowered my light to 70% setting. I'll cut back to 6 hours of it per day the rest on 24/7 mode. As far as algae eaters... I have 7 amano shrimp and 7 otos in there. They clean algae but they never touch "staghorn" algae; they've been doing well with other types tho, none the less its starting to become an outbreak so I wanted to control it asap before it gets really out of hand. I will go buy some Metricide right away. Do LFS sell them usually? Also I heard SAE can be conflicting with Otos in the same tank?


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

In my case I was doing 5x the amount of recommended excel/metricide dosing daily. By day 2 all the stag algae was turning red and stopped growing. By day 4 it was all dead and only needed trimming/removal. All of my livestock which included tetras, danios, clown loaches, Cory cats, SAE's were fine during the treatment. I do suggest trimming off the highly infected leaves. I did not spot treat but just treated the water. 


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

DiegoBedoyaVision said:


> I just lowered my light to 70% setting. I'll cut back to 6 hours of it per day the rest on 24/7 mode. As far as algae eaters... I have 7 amano shrimp and 7 otos in there. They clean algae but they never touch "staghorn" algae; they've been doing well with other types tho, none the less its starting to become an outbreak so I wanted to control it asap before it gets really out of hand. I will go buy some Metricide right away. Do LFS sell them usually? Also I heard SAE can be conflicting with Otos in the same tank?




My algae eaters all get along fine. Your LFS most likely will not carry metricide. I bought on Amazon. I'll send a link. When you get it to make it the same strength as excel mix 300ml of metricide with 200ml RO water. This will give you the same glut percent of 1.5 as excel. 

When you get it throw away the activator that comes with it. Metrex Metricide Gallon 14 Day - Model 182337 - Each https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015TDIOU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_f6hizbS3QRY49

There is only one left in stock so I would suggest getting it soon.

And like I said very important DO NOT ADD THE ACTIVATOR that comes with the bottle. Throw the activator away. 








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## DiegoBedoyaVision (Mar 30, 2017)

Is there a difference between using Excel or Metricide? I have Excel already thats why I'm asking..


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

DiegoBedoyaVision said:


> Hey all,
> 
> I was wondering if I could get some help...
> Algae is trying to take over my tank and it's starting to drive me insane lol...
> ...


This looks like a lighting issue with a 16 hour photoperiod.

Metricide, Glut, Excel or whatever is not a substitution for CO2/gas.
It works a little but is mostly an algaecide.

I have no tank with a photoperiod over 6.5 hours @ 110PAR.
If adding the ramp up and ramp down times it totals 7.25 hours.

Plants could be pulled and dipped, most of your plant list could handle it.
20:1 H2O2 or paint brush with glut and rinse?

Good Luck!


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## DiegoBedoyaVision (Mar 30, 2017)

Maryland Guppy said:


> This looks like a lighting issue with a 16 hour photoperiod.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What's the exact process for the dip & also what do you think of Alum dip for the plants?


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

Anubias and ferns you can use excel with a paint brush.
Wait 15 seconds and dip in clean water.

luwigia 20:1:: H2O:H2O2 sit in solution 3-5 minutes.

I have used both of these with success.
Saved all my anubias from a BBA event (twice)!:grin2:

Macrandra and Ammania maybe another story.
I can't imagine they are too well off as you are not running CO2.

Try a stem of each at first and see how they do?


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

DiegoBedoyaVision said:


> Is there a difference between using Excel or Metricide? I have Excel already thats why I'm asking..




No difference. If you have excel use that. Mentioned metricide as it's cheaper. Will go through excel fast though treating. You can spot treat but unless you fix the source which you should have with the light it will keep coming back. Reason I mention to treat entire tank is to stop it all and do not have to take plants out. Trim as many infected leaves from the plants as you can. Then start treating and should not see more outbreak. 


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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

You can also spot treat infected areas in the tank. What I would suggest is drain 50% of water. Use a syringe. I used a large one. Filled with 15ml metricide. Then spot directly spray on worse areas. Then fill tank back up. This will help speed up the process. I got this from Amazon. 










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## clownplanted (Mar 3, 2017)

One other thought is your root tabs schedule. I know they recommend monthly but for me that seems a bit much. Also where are you placing the root tabs? Should not go crazy with them and just place directly under the root feeders. I like to make my own osmocote plus root tabs. Place only a few balls in each capsule and plant directly under only root feeders and just need to replace every 3 months or so. I wonder if the API root tabs are fast disolving which would explain why need to replace every month but if you use a lot could quickly build up nutrients in water column especially if aren't being fully used which is my guess. Just a thought. 


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## Colin Wrexham (Mar 24, 2017)

I found black mollys love eating it

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## DiegoBedoyaVision (Mar 30, 2017)

Huge thank you to @clownplanted for helping me out with this process.. over the past few weeks I was dosing the method he suggested mixing 300 mL of Metricide with 200 mL DI water in a 500 mL bottle. I've been dosing 20 mL daily to leaves that have algae and I also trimmed the really sick leaves. I've set my lighting schedule to 6 hours daily on 70% to control any issues down the line. Here's a full photo update:






































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