black algae

[fuzzy]

ok I have black algae growing on the edges of my plants how do I get reed of it ? is there a fish that will eat it ? my placo wont touch it

 

[Miles]

Black Algae is usually contributed to the wrong spectrum of plant-growth bulb. (ie: You bought the cheapest bulb you could find at wal-mart..)

What are you using for lighting, and what is your lighting schedule?

 

[fishnutham]

miles is on the right track there prevention is the only cure for black algae .

to remove it has to be done manualy clip the plants that have the black hair attached it will remain there even its dead tough stuff to kill..

 

[TankBuster]

IMO it is not all in the lighting though. I spent a fortune on everything from halides to power compacts and I still had it everywhere on plants and driftwood. I cut my lighting down to a fraction of the wattage and used salt even. Stuff wont go away.

 

[fuzzy]

you are right ive got some plant/aquarium bulb 2x40wats and 2x40wats of i dont know cool white something for at least 12hr. a day

 

[fishnutham]

too much red spectrum in those bulbs trash em get some proper aquatic bulbs .

 

[ewurm]

I just use plants to prevent algae. I have a tank with tons of plants, very little algae.

 

[rasdbo]

no black algea but my plants do have dirt on them that i clean off.

 

[WyldFya]

I just use plants to prevent algae. I have a tank with tons of plants, very little algae.

Same here. I have no problems with algae in my heavily planted pleco tank, other than not having enough for the plecos to eat.

 

[dougall]

AFAIK Siamese algae eaters will eat it.

if it's not all over your plants, it's probably easiest to just pull the affected leaves out of the tank to remove the spores themselves.