Apologies but it's an Algae question

[HumanBean]

Sorry folks this is rather a pretty basic question and I should not be asking but

All of a sudden there is an influx of green and brown algae in my tank. Getting out of hand and not too sure what causing this. These are the things I tried

1) tested water chemistry and it's all good.
2) no lights for few days . It's an RGB LED light
3) no feeding for few days
4) no weekly water changes upto 90%
5) Once thoroughly cleaned the tank by scraping and rubbing of algae from walls and wood.
6 ) twice cleaned the canister filter in 3 weeks. Really cleaned


Plus there is no direct sunlight to tank. It hosted 2 Gars 1 Bichir and 1 pike cichlid. And few house keeping snails.

Weekly water changes with prime and pristine usage.

Please help

Thanks

 

[tlindsey]

Sorry folks this is rather a pretty basic question and I should not be asking but

All of a sudden there is an influx of green and brown algae in my tank. Getting out of hand and not too sure what causing this. These are the things I tried

1) tested water chemistry and it's all good.
2) no lights for few days . It's an RGB LED light
3) no feeding for few days
4) no weekly water changes upto 90%
5) Once thoroughly cleaned the tank by scraping and rubbing of algae from walls and wood.
6 ) twice cleaned the canister filter in 3 weeks. Really cleaned


Plus there is no direct sunlight to tank. It hosted 2 Gars 1 Bichir and 1 pike cichlid. And few house keeping snails.

Weekly water changes with prime and pristine usage.

Please help

Thanks

I would retest for Nitrates. Shake those bottles vigorously for 1minute. Test your water coming out of the tap.

 

[Magnus_Bane]

Sorry folks this is rather a pretty basic question and I should not be asking but

All of a sudden there is an influx of green and brown algae in my tank. Getting out of hand and not too sure what causing this. These are the things I tried

1) tested water chemistry and it's all good.
2) no lights for few days . It's an RGB LED light
3) no feeding for few days
4) no weekly water changes upto 90%
5) Once thoroughly cleaned the tank by scraping and rubbing of algae from walls and wood.
6 ) twice cleaned the canister filter in 3 weeks. Really cleaned


Plus there is no direct sunlight to tank. It hosted 2 Gars 1 Bichir and 1 pike cichlid. And few house keeping snails.

Weekly water changes with prime and pristine usage.

Please help

Thanks

Question do you have plants in the tank? If not I would definitely recommend getting some. Algae cannot grow if it's being outcompeted for resources by natural plant life.

 

[duanes]

Are you sure its algae, and not cyanobacteria? They are easily onfused.
Cyanobacteria feels slimy, and often covers substrate, and decor in sheets.
Algae often feels gritty to the touch.
Cyanobacteria doesn't care about light source.
I had it in a certain tank, the one below.

I got rid of it by using Rid-X, it provides bacteria that out-compete cyanobacteria for the nutrients it needs.
Here is the same log a few weeks after starting Rid-X

 

[Magnus_Bane]

Are you sure its algae, and not cyanobacteria? They are easily onfused.
Cyanobacteria feels slimy, and often covers substrate, and decor in sheets.
Algae often feels gritty to the touch.
Cyanobacteria doesn't care about light source.
I had it in a certain tank, the one below.

I got rid of it by using Rid-X, it provides bacteria that out-compete cyanobacteria for the nutrients it needs.
Here is the same log a few weeks after starting Rid-X

Is that bacteria harmful to the fish? I actually kind of like the way it looks on that piece of drift wood. Kind gives it more of a natural look imo.

 

[esoxlucius]

You state in your opening post, "all of a sudden....". So would I be right in thinking that until very recently your tank was clear of all this unsightly algae, whatever variety it is?

If your tank was clear of algae only a short time ago, but it is now taking over the tank, i'd simply have a good think about what you've done to trigger it's growth. Have you started doing things differently? Has something changed? Something has happened that has caused a glut of excess nutrient which has sent the algae into hyperdrive.

Solve that riddle and you will be on your way to addressing the problem.

 

[duanes]

Is that bacteria harmful to the fish? I actually kind of like the way it looks on that piece of drift wood. Kind gives it more of a natural look imo.

It is possibly harmful to certain fish that need high water quality if not controlled.
It is the same stuff that often takes over nutrient laden ponds of golf courses that kill animals that drink from them, or ponds where if kids swim in them, they get sick.
Cyanobacteria (Blue-green Algae) - Centers for Disease Controlwww.cdc.gov › habs › pdf › cyanobacteria_faq
Just curious, what your nitrate level is, what some people find acceptable, I find unhealthy.
What size tank?
And has your water change schedule and amount increased with the fishes growth, and appetite?
If you were doing a (for example) 40% weekly once a week when the fish were 3", would that be the same schedule as when they became 6"?

 

[Magnus_Bane]

It is possibly harmful to certain fish that need high water quality if not controlled.
It is the same stuff that often takes over nutrient laden ponds of golf courses that kill animals that drink from them, or ponds where if kids swim in them, they get sick.
Cyanobacteria (Blue-green Algae) - Centers for Disease Controlwww.cdc.gov › habs › pdf › cyanobacteria_faq

Ahh ok ok now I know exactly what your talking about. We had a couple lakes around here that had an outbreak of that a few years back and they had to drain the lakes and restock them entirely to get rid of it. Gave the lakes this aweful blue Gatorade color.

 

[HumanBean]

Are you sure its algae, and not cyanobacteria? They are easily onfused.
Cyanobacteria feels slimy, and often covers substrate, and decor in sheets.
Algae often feels gritty to the touch.
Cyanobacteria doesn't care about light source.
I had it in a certain tank, the one below.

I got rid of it by using Rid-X, it provides bacteria that out-compete cyanobacteria for the nutrients it needs.
Here is the same log a few weeks after starting Rid-X

Thanks duanes . It's not gritty at all to touch so this might cyanobacteria. I am getting Rid X right away to try. Again thanks a lot . Experience always comes in handy

 

[HumanBean]

You state in your opening post, "all of a sudden....". So would I be right in thinking that until very recently your tank was clear of all this unsightly algae, whatever variety it is?

If your tank was clear of algae only a short time ago, but it is now taking over the tank, i'd simply have a good think about what you've done to trigger it's growth. Have you started doing things differently? Has something changed? Something has happened that has caused a glut of excess nutrient which has sent the algae into hyperdrive.

Solve that riddle and you will be on your way to addressing the problem.

Thanks. Yes it was all of a sudden. I did not made any change. And schedule is pretty static. Weekly water change almost 70% plus indeed hikari massivore twice daily only in quantity which can be consumed in 15 min max and yes I do scoop out the remaining food if any. It was started with a small circle on the wall green in color in owned that right away but since then I am in circles.