# Fine white/translucent stringy algae w/pics



## thornomad (Mar 7, 2013)

Hi there - about a week ago I started to get some kind of algae ... not quite sure what kind. It's getting worse, not better. I cut down my light by a couple hours and added a water change. Take a look at the pics and let me know if you recognize it and if it has a particular cause ...

Appreciate your help. Tank details after the pics.





































Here is my setup:
40 breeder
buildmyled.com lighting
Eheim 2217
Hydor Koralia Nano 425
CO2 - inline diffuser, 3-4 BPS (drop checker in the green)

~20 neon tetras
4 corydoras
1.3 million snails

Nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia are all zero. Doing about 50% a week water changes up until now. And other than this issue, things have been doing pretty good overall.

Am not doing any dosing currently; had a bad experience over-dosing (chronicled here) so am hesitant to just start without knowing what I am up against.

I will say that while the pants are growing fine (the HC looks awesome) the colors of the plants are much more muted than I've seen them in the past and things don't like quite as robust as they have. Maybe this algae is a sign of what the problem is. 

Under-nutrient-ed?

Thanks again.


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## jmrmotorhead (Sep 27, 2011)

That would be staghorn algae. Common cause is low CO2, higher light, from what I remember. H2O2 seems to work as a spot treatment, as well as plucking it off and fixing core issue.



Matt


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## thornomad (Mar 7, 2013)

jmrmotorhead said:


> That would be staghorn algae. Common cause is low CO2, higher light, from what I remember. H2O2 seems to work as a spot treatment, as well as plucking it off and fixing core issue.


Now that i have a name for it you are right: that looks to be the thing.

Spent some time reading on here and it seems often caused by low CO2 and high ammonia (or spikes in ammonia). When I test my ammonia it has always been zero ... so, I wonder if maybe I am over feeding? I don't have a clue how to much to feed my fish.

Checked ammonia again today and it is zero.

Will try to up the CO2, keep the lights lowered, and feed a little less. Also will try and clean it up by hand a bit.

I read also can spot treat with H202 or Excel.


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## thornomad (Mar 7, 2013)

So I've upped my CO2 a few bpm and I've turned down the photo period a little. But still it seems to keep creeping back. Especially on my anubias. I've been trimming away other plants that have had it.

I read a little more and other than the ammonia spike folks are saying that nitrate levels need to be maintained around the 20ppm range. Mine are zero.

Maybe I will drying doing some dry dosing. I haven't done any of that since my escapade with the over-dosing ... but am not sure what else to try with this. Unless folks have other suggestions. I could buy some Excel, I guess ... but I assume dry dosing is similar (other than one can't spot treat).

I have KNO3, KH2PO4 and k2S04. Maybe I will give a half EI recommended dose a try and see if that brings up the nitrates.

Thoughts?


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## jbig (Jul 13, 2012)

I've been battling staghorn for a month or two now. In the beginning it was terrible. I cranked my co2 up a little bit and cleaned out my HOB's to improve flow through the tank, even bought a powerhead to increase flow as well but wound up not using it. When I slightly increased the co2, the flow, and decided to keep up on my dosing schedule instead of neglecting it, it knocked out most of the staghorn. it all started turning black/brown. There is considerably less staghorn in my tank right now but still a few traces.

but if you have 0 nitrates I'd say it's possible you have an imbalance somewhere. my nitrates normally sit around 20ppm.


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