Algae Growing On Plant Leaves

[Boks4eva]

Please can I have some help. I am running a 500-litre planted aquarium, predominantly young Discus along with Sterbai Corydoras, Peppermint Bristlenose and L333 Plecos as cleaners. I am feeding heavily (in order to grow the young discus), perform 30% water changes every 3 days, my tank looks sparkling with the following water parameters; pH at 6.6, Ammonia at 0.0ppm, Nitrites at 0.0ppm and Nitrates at 10.00-12.50ppm before water changes. I vacuum during the WCs and the tank and fish all look fantastic. My lights are on for a total of 8 hours a day, 3 hours in the morning and 5 hours in the evening. We live in an apartment, the tank is located in the lounge where there are no curtains with massive glass doors/windows and although the tank does not get direct sunlight the lounge is very bright so even when the lights are off the tank gets strong natural light, there is nothing I can do to alter this.

My problem, as can be seen from the attached photographs is that algae is growing on my plants. Previously I had lights on for 13 hours a day and developed the same problem, I dipped all plant leaves in bleach, removed the badly affected leaves and reduced the light to the abovementioned 8 hours. Unfortunately within 10 days the algae has returned. I also have hard green spots of algae on the glass and some light algae on the glass, I am able to remove all algae from the glass with a magnet algae scrubber, the green spots require a bit of hard work. As can be seen there is also algae on the pots in which my plants are kept.

I have reviewed this problem extensively from this forum and other online sources and THINK that I may have a phosphate problem in my tank. I do not own a phosphate test kit so can not confirm this. My thoughts are that I should purchase a phosphate test kit and if my phosphates are high place Seachem PhosGuard in my Fluval FX6 canister filter. This is all new to me, is my suggested idea the correct way to go or should I try a different course of action? Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated.

[LizStreithorst]

I want to hear the answer, too. Nothing ever works for long.

[Iminit]

Looks like black algae. Add a uv sterilizer. If you can get them ottos will work on it as will nerite snails and cherry shrimp. Anything live added need to be qt for at least a month. So get a sterilizer first. You can also add daily api co2 booster. It a type of algaecide. I’ve been using for years in my discus tanks. Expensive though. Cherry shrimp will eat it. But discus will eat the shrimp if they can catch them. I had luck with them in my discus tank till I added rams. Now I have a shrimp tank and when a plant in any of my tanks gets algae growing on it. I remove it and add to shrimp tank. They clean it up in a few days.

[pastry]

Just checking... but are you being honest on only 8 hours of lights on per day? Asking because I violate that rule often :P

Tootheprush can help with Anubias leaves (kind off). Shrimp & plecos don't do squat... just eat what's missed by everything else.

I'd say get 4-6 tiger lillies/lotus to grow to surface and hog 40-60% of the light.

[Iminit]

Here’s a pic of my cherry shrimp cleaning a sword I just put in131806 mine eat algae like crazy.

[Boks4eva]

Looks like black algae. Add a uv sterilizer. If you can get them ottos will work on it as will nerite snails and cherry shrimp. Anything live added need to be qt for at least a month. So get a sterilizer first. You can also add daily api co2 booster. It a type of algaecide. I’ve been using for years in my discus tanks. Expensive though. Cherry shrimp will eat it. But discus will eat the shrimp if they can catch them. I had luck with them in my discus tank till I added rams. Now I have a shrimp tank and when a plant in any of my tanks gets algae growing on it. I remove it and add to shrimp tank. They clean it up in a few days.

Thanks for your input Tom. Following your post I've looked into the UV sterilizer and according to everything I've read it appears that the UV Sterilizer removes algae from the water that passes through it but doesn't help with the algae that may already be on plants, is that correct? If so it may assist with further infestations? In Australia Seachem Excel is more readily available that API and is much cheaper if bought at say 2 litres, I see this is also regarded as a reasonable algaecide, is this a reasonable alternative to the API co2 booster? I only have a single tank so the shrimp tank isn't an option for me. I have access to a QT, but not on site.

[Boks4eva]

Just checking... but are you being honest on only 8 hours of lights on per day? Asking because I violate that rule often :P

Tootheprush can help with Anubias leaves (kind off). Shrimp & plecos don't do squat... just eat what's missed by everything else.

I'd say get 4-6 tiger lillies/lotus to grow to surface and hog 40-60% of the light.

Thanks Elliot. Yes 8 hours is correct, they are on a timer. I've only once over-ridden the timer to show a mate what the tank looks like with lights on. Yes, I have tried cleaning the anubias with a toothbrush and it worked reasonably well, but it has grown back, I need to eliminate the cause. I'm not familiar with tiger lillies, I do not know if they are available it Australia, I will do further investigation.

[bluelagoon]

Like mentioned above liquid CO2 boosters will work by slightly over dosing. The Siamese Algae Eater will eat all species of algae including black hair algae. Elbow grease for the spot algae on the class. H2O2 can be used and safer than bleach. 8-9 hours is plenty of light for planted tanks but yours has bright day light too, not much you can do here. I had black hair and spot algae on anubias plants in one of my endler tanks; which I used H2O2 and got rid of it. Might need to up your WC's to see if that could be an issue. Your plants don't look that healthy (lush and green) and they look like there are not growing like they should. They seem to have a lack of the correct nutrients. I would also do a steady 8 hour period instead of two day light cycles in your tank. Or you can also try having your light cycle on during day light hours only, since the room has bright light during the day.

[pablos]

For me following methods work:
- H2O2 + Seachem excel … but it requires a lot of work with syringe injection and need to be repeated
- 1:20 bleach .. but it requires removing plants
- erythromycin… most effective so far. I used Azithromycin 250mg tablet per 250 litters.

[Boks4eva]

Like mentioned above liquid CO2 boosters will work by slightly over dosing. The Siamese Algae Eater will eat all species of algae including black hair algae. Elbow grease for the spot algae on the class. H2O2 can be used and safer than bleach. 8-9 hours is plenty of light for planted tanks but yours has bright day light too, not much you can do here. I had black hair and spot algae on anubias plants in one of my endler tanks; which I used H2O2 and got rid of it. Might need to up your WC's to see if that could be an issue. Your plants don't look that healthy (lush and green) and they look like there are not growing like they should. They seem to have a lack of the correct nutrients. I would also do a steady 8 hour period instead of two day light cycles in your tank. Or you can also try having your light cycle on during day light hours only, since the room has bright light during the day.

Thanks Mervin. You are correct about the overall condition of my plants. These have all been recently repotted, I decided not to plant into tank substrate but to rather pot, the new growth, not really apparent in the photos, is really encouraging. I'm trying to decide between Ottos (Otocinclus Arnoldi) and SIA (Siamese Algae Eater), from what I have researched Ottos are more difficult to keep but presumably if the tank parameters are good enough for Discus then Ottos should be okay, locally it is easier to obtain Ottos than SIA. In addition I will treat daily with Seachem Excel. I have reduced my light timers to a one off 6 hours period from 4.00pm to 10.00pm

To kickstart I will treat with H202, my only query is as to how this should be done, I've seen various suggestions, eg treat with 3% H202 to the entire tank at 2ml per 10 litres ie my tank would require 100ml, I've also seen rather spray directly onto the plant whilst the plant is in the aquarium or alternately treat plants outside the tank with the H202. Please advise how I should go about this.

[Boks4eva]

For me following methods work:
- H2O2 + Seachem excel … but it requires a lot of work with syringe injection and need to be repeated.

Thanks Pablos, please see my comment above asking how you went about treating with H202

[pastry]

John, I call them "tiger lillies" but have seen different names. They are grown from bulbs. At first like fat little spears but one day decide to "leap" ... week or 2 later their stems reach the surface and they're leaves are lilly pads. I'm willing to bet you have them down under!

[Boks4eva]

Since initially posting this I'm rethinking the Ottos, I went to my LFS and they did not want to sell me Ottos, they said my tank at 28-29°C was too warm for them, they advised not to keep Ottos in water at higher than 26°C. I have also checked on a few threads on this forum where Ottos sometimes suck onto the slime coat of discus, I don't want to take a chance.

[bluelagoon]

For me following methods work:
- H2O2 + Seachem excel … but it requires a lot of work with syringe injection and need to be repeated
- 1:20 bleach .. but it requires removing plants
- erythromycin… most effective so far. I used Azithromycin 250mg tablet per 250 litters.

Erythromycin or any other antibiotic cannot kill algae. Only works on blue-green algae, which is cyanobacteria; a bacteria that uses algae and sunlight to thrive.

[bluelagoon]

@ Boks4eva, 6 hours is not enough light for most plants. 8 is the minimum. I have one of my planted tanks on 8 hours but most are on for 9 or 10. A lot depends on your lights and nutrients and tanks are a bit different from one to another.

[smsimcik]

Thanks Pablos, please see my comment above asking how you went about treating with H202

Use a syringe to inject 3% H2O2 directly on the algae. If you have potted plants, take them out of the tank, squirt H2O2 on the algae covered leaves, wait 2-3 minutes, then put the plant back in the tank.
Like Tom said, cherry shrimp will completely clean that black-brown algae in a matter of hours. I have them in all my planted tanks.
Sounds like your light and water parameters are ok, but you are right in that you need to test for phosphate. That may be a problem. Your heavy feeding schedule is also adding a lot of nutrients to the water column that is feeding the algae. Larger water changes would help with that.

[pablos]

Erythromycin or any other antibiotic cannot kill algae. Only works on blue-green algae, which is cyanobacteria; a bacteria that uses algae and sunlight to thrive.

What is see on the picture it’s not only algae. The same dark brown on Anubias i combated with Erythromycin

[bluelagoon]

If erythromycin worked it was not algae. If it had a foul odor, it was cyanobacteria. You'll never forget the smell once you smell it. When I had a planted discus tank the water changes were too great to keep the right/correct amount of nutrients in my water for a lush green tank. 75% or more every day or every other day. I had to use the EI method for nutrients. I bought all my chemicals from a hydroponic shop in raw form and made my own mix to make it cheaper because of the large WC's. Really is difficult to buy nitrate in most stores here because of it being used in explosives. That method worked great for me. I got rid of hair algae on anubias plants recently by dipping them in H2O2, which is a very low tech planted tank. I've also used the syringe method like mentioned above. I have had SAE that even ate the cyanobacteria; I couldn't believe but I saw it myself.

[Boks4eva]

So, an update on where I am. Apologies for tardy reply, wanted to have some, hopefully, positive news. Firstly many thanks to all that contributed to my query, some really useful advice. I implemented the following measures.

1. Introduced a strict 8 hour continuous lighting regime, 2.00pm to 10.00pm daily
2. Removed as many plants from the tank as possible and sprayed them directly with H2O2
3. Purchased 2 litres of Seachem Excel and dose 12.5ml in my 500 litre tank (1ml/40 litres) every second day
4. Installed a solid navy blue background to the side and back of my tank, these restrict the amount of natural light entering the tank, also improved the look of the tank
5. Moved some of my anubias into deeper areas of the tank, further from the lights
6. Increased the amount of water changes to 40% every 3 days
7. Decided not to go with Ottos or SAE, frightened of these fish sucking onto the sides of my discus, I know it doesn’t always happen, but don’t want to risk it.

It is early days but there has been a big improvement in the plant health and the algae is definitely reducing. My white pots were previously covered in algae and this has almost totally disappeared. Even algae on the glass, whilst still appearing, has reduced. Some photos are attached to show improvement, not perfect yet, but vast improvement, sorry don't know why photos are all sideways. Thanks once again.

[Boks4eva]

Sorry, just trying to see if I could give the photos the correct orientation, problem solved

[Iminit]

Plants look great as do your discus!! Keep up the good work. As to the SAE and ottos they will work fine in your tank. They are in all of mine. Qt them before adding to your discus. SAE do not have a sucker mouth so no fear of eating slime coat. Ottos on the other hand may but being so small the discus just shake them off. 131871sae on either side of tank.131872 my other tank and there right in the middle with the discus.

[pablos]

Wow .. your plants and especially swords look way better now. I echo Tom: ottos and sae are just fine.