Identifying Algae

sthn75

Just thought i'd make a quick reference post for links to good websites to aid in identifying different algae types...

If anyone's got any other links they'd like to add please feel free to add them.

Also... add any helpful hints that you may have for controlling or getting rid of different types of algae.

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Mooo

Thanks sthn,
Very helpful links <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s -->

Brengun

If you don't want any algae use a uv sterilizer. Your bristlenose and otocinclus will hate you tho. <!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->

LauraFrog

Platys eat hair algae. They eat tonnes of hair algae. They eat just about every little filament of hair algae that can conceivably grow in any tank. I have never had a problem with hair algae in any tanks that I have kept platies in. Unfortunately they don't get rid of diatoms or the horrible brown slime that likes to grow all over the glass.

DO NOT use simazine in any cycled tank. Simazine is the active ingredient in a lot of algae killers. It kills any plants with fine leaves (such as ambulia, milfoil, hairgrass and moss) and wipes out the biological filter. The other common ingredient in algae control is a ridiculous long chemical name with lots of brackets in it. You'll recognise it if you see it. It's safe but not particularly effective.

Evee

I think I have staghorn algae..... crap. <!-- s:( --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" title="Sad" /><!-- s:( -->

sthn75

I used to have that too Evee... but it grew mostly on the underside of some driftwood so I never really took much notice of it.... most of it's gone now but I couldn't tell ya what exactly happened to it or why. I never found it much of a problem though when you compared it to some of the more persistent algae's.

Evee

Yeah, it's not too bad...ish. Just looks awful under the lights. It's mainly on the upper regions of the plants and driftwood.etc. I reckon if I do a thorough clean and that should knock it on the head (well..at least for the time being).
<!-- s:) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" title="Smile" /><!-- s:) -->
Starting to get an alround algae bloom actually. Cant wait til my new canister filters arrive!! That might help a bit. I just noticed that yuckky browny algae on my glass at lunch time today too.. hrrrmmm <!-- s:evil: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_evil.gif" alt=":evil:" title="Evil or Very Mad" /><!-- s:evil: -->

ekul

Does anyone know if bristlenoses eat hair algae? I have about 20 in one of my tanks, and the tank still has hair algae growing all over the flame moss. It's really annoying, and I don't know whether I should out more of my bristlenoses in the tank or just give up? Do they touch the stuff?

Thanks

sthn75

From what i've read & experienced myself... bristlenoses eat minimal algae of any kind let alone hair algae. You'd be better off trying to find some other way of combating it.

ekul

I think it varies from tank to tank. I first started collecting BNs to combat a 6 month algae problem in a cichlid tank. The BNs wiped out the algae (the green one that gets on the glass), though there was never hair algae in that tank that I saw. It's the same story with their current tanks. They eat the algae on the glass but not hair algae. I'm considering stopping their vegetable feedings for a couple of days to see if this forces them to munch on the hair algae.

sthn75

I highly doubt they will touch the hair algae regardless of what you do.

ekul

Bugger.

Can you suggest any herbivorous catfish that might do the job? They need to be 100% safe with fry, if possible.

Thanks

sthn75

I think there is a shrimp that cleans up hair algae pretty quickly... can't remember what type of shrimp it was though.... and I can't remember where I saw the info...

ekul

Glass shrimp generally destroy hair algae, and I've never had it in an established tank with cherries or crystals (which either means they eat it or those tanks simply don't get it due to low nitrate levels), but I'm looking to get something that will survive the longfin oscar and texas cichlid I bought this week. I put the oscar in one of my shrimp breeding tanks yesterday just to watch him go nuts on the local population (I've never had an oscar, so I wanted to watch the reaction). It must have cleaned up about 50 - 100 of them in about 5 minutes! Awesome to watch, not so good for the shrimp!

Generally my solution to algae in cichlid tanks (I used to keep adult red devils) is to make a filter out of LECA (little puffy clay balls with huge effective surface area) in a big pot, spray the outlet of a powerhead over the media, and grow something like basil or tomatoes (even grew less legitimate herbs this way back in the day). I think it's called aquaponics or something. The plants suck up ALL the nitrate, and the growing media forms the ideal wet / dry surface for biological filtration. It looks pretty cool too. However, I only do that for outdoor tanks, so am looking for a fish that will destroy the algae on this shaded indoor tank.

Thanks

Queenserpentine

eww! Hair algae.....not good...the bane of my goldfish tanks existance.

ntstargazer

Hmmmm ... looks like I have blue green Algae !!! <!-- s --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_e_confused.gif" alt="" title="Confused" /><!-- s -->
I have a 4ft tank on my Verandah, it does not get direct sunlight and the tank light is almost never on !
Looks like I will need to be a bit more dilligent with my water changes to keep it at bay
Might have some bearded Algae too
What are those fish that eat the Algae off the plants, but dont harm the plant ?
They are a strippy type of cat fish <!-- s:scratch: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_scratch.gif" alt=":scratch:" title="scratch" /><!-- s:scratch: -->
Have not been on here for a while as my tanks are pretty well stocked and stable
Thanks Ian

Brengun

Think you might be talking about a Siamese algae eater. The are very good at their job while small but get lazy when they get bigger. You could just contact jp21 in Gove and grab a bristlenose catty juvenile off her. It would make short work of algae.

For your black beard algae there is nothing for it but to keep those water changes up to date as the algae thrives on nitrates.
You could also dose it with Seachem Flora Excel liquid fertilizer and a direct hit with that stuff on BBA will kill it. Be careful with it around java fern though as it will burn the leaves a bit on those.

The blue-green one isn't that prolific if you remove quite a bit of it manually. I have it growing usually on the insides of my lids and often scrape it off to feed bristlenoses. Even cherry shrimp love it.

ntstargazer

Thanks Brengun
That is the fish i was thinking of, I had one of them before.
I actually have a bristlenose in the tank & either he is too well fed or there is more Algae than he can eat !
Will do a water change and filter clean TODAY !
I have put a monthly schedule in my iphone today (With an Alarm ! ) to do my water changes <!-- s:fish: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_fish.gif" alt=":fish:" title="fish" /><!-- s:fish: -->

I will try some of that Seachem Flora Excel liquid fertilizer directly on my Anubis which i can easily pull out of the tank.

jp21

Hey Ian Give me ring if you want a couple more bristlenoses.The young ones are pretty keen on the algae.I have a heap.Was wondering how your tanks were going?. Are you still down at the Gam units?Give me ring anyway..Jen <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt=":D" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->

AmericanCichlidsMad

plecos natures solution to an algae problem

whiskymittens

hair algae, my sis had that in her tank a few years ago, she let it go real bad and things died and she gave up... seems it's nto that hard to get rid of afterall

fentorydekson

They eat just about every small wire hair growth of algae, you can imagine in any tanks. I have never had a problem, hair algae in any tank, platies in. Unfortunately, I have been terrible they do not get rid of brown or diatomaceous mud, like the growth in the glass world.

Mooo

Darwin Algae Shrimp will devour Hair Algae ..you can obtain some from Dave Wilson @ http://www.aquagreen.com.au

chris88

Red Cherry shrimp are algae eating machines! no probs with BBA in my fry tank (where my cherries are) but have a bit in the bigger tank where the bristlenoses won't touch the stuff.
Luckily I've managed to keep it to a minimum with Flourish Excel - whenever I dose, I just use an eyedropper to squirt it directly onto the BBA.
(this is my first post btw, I've been using these forums for ages as my go to guide and thought I'd finally contribute! Belated thanks for all the advice guys!)

Mooo

Hair algae is consumed readily by Darwin Algae Shrimp, acquired from http://www.aquagreen.com.au, Mine do a great job, never seen Hair algae since their inclusion in my tanks .. <!-- s:dance6: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/Boogiedancing.gif" alt=":dance6:" title="dance6" /><!-- s:dance6: -->