ALGAE ON PLANTS?

[YAMA]

I have a relatively a 5 gallon tank thats been up and going about 6 months.  It has chili rasboras and 6 cherry shrimp that were just added last week.  I'm hoping the shrimp can help with whatever kind of algae is on my plants.  Does anybody know what this is and how to get rid of it?  The lights were on around 8 hrs daily but I've cut it back to 6 hours.  It looks like white/grey fuzz but when you try and pull it off it looks stringy. I have Java fern, java moss, anubias nana petite, staurogyne repens, and bacopa in the tank.  Its on all of them and even down into the plants. What can I do to get rid of it?

Edited March 29 by YAMA
added another picture

[FLFishChik]

Cutting the lights back will help. Also, make sure you are not over feeding your fish. Water changes will also help cut down on the available nutrients in the water the algae are feeding on.

how often do you do water changes?

Edited March 30 by FLFishChik

[YAMA]

I should have added my nitrates are 10 ppm and I've not added anymore fertilizer.  I've already cut the light back to 6 hours so if I cut it back further, how long should I leave them on? I've been doing weekly water changes of about 25% weekly; should I do more?  Any idea what kind of algae this is?

[FLFishChik]

It looks like possibly hair algae. If you just cut the lights back, Then it will take a little while to see a difference. Just keep an eye on it. 25-30% water change weekly on a tank that small is good. Give it some time. If it doesn’t start reducing or gets worse, then maybe cut the lights back another hour.

[Chad]

I like my nitrates at 20 ppm or higher for happy plants. Not sure what algae that is exactly but lowering light intensity or duration is a slow process of experimentation that every fish keeper goes through. Try something, watch it for a week or two, adjust, repeat. As for cherry shrimp, I love them. They absolutely eat algae, unfortunately I’ve never experienced them eating a noticeable amount. Enjoy them, but don’t expect much algae removal. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

It might seem counter intuitive, but I would up your nitrates with fertilizer to 20ppm at least, and consider root tabs for the plants that prefer to eat from the substrate rather than the water column. 

[EricksonAquatics]

On 3/29/2024 at 7:46 PM, AllFishNoBrakes said:

up your nitrates with fertilizer to 20ppm

I second this. I’m still battling hair algae (which looks like what you might have) and by decreasing the intensity/period of light time and increasing fertilizer, the hair algae is slowly depleting!

[Pepere]

I am not a big fan of the whole dimming your lights to battle algae program.  I also have not had much success with algae eating livestock taking care if the issue.

 

I tried those strategies for months and months with minimal to show for it,

My greatest success battling Algae has been from optimizing plant growth and reducing preferred food for the algae.  Healthy vibrant plant growth defends itself well from algae growth.  Struggling plants leach waste organics from their leaves that Algae likes to munch on.

I have found the best results with practices such as weekly 50% water changes, increasing flow in the tank, using the combination of a turkey baster to suspend detritus from the substrate while using a siphon to pull out the resulting cloud of debris stirred up by the turkey baster while doing the water changes. Clean your filter often, especially during initial clean up…. Doing water change clean ups more often than weekly in the initial phase…. Pulling out plants and soaking them in room temp seltzer water overnight and replanting them… keeping water parameters such as GH with optimum  Ca and Mg levels and low KH optimized and stable as well as Nitrates in the 20-30 ppm level.   
 

Using these methods I have been able to Maintain a non CO2 injected tank free of visible algae.

 

I have also utilized 15 minute hydrogen peroxide whole tank treatments to help knock down algae.    The way I do it is to remove biomedia from the tank and let it set in a bucket of tank water during treatment.  Turn on filter without media to have good flow in the tank assuming some sort of powered filter with good flow…. Add 4 tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide per 10 gallons of water and allow it to circulate for 15 minutes and then do a 50% water change to reduce Hydrogen Peroxide levels.

I would only do this hydrogen peroxide treatment a few days after having thoroughly cleaned the tank and substrate and soaking the plants in seltzer first. In fact I would personally do a few whole tank cleaning sessions first before doing the peroxide treatment.  If you are not comfortable doing the whole tank treatment with peroxide I can understand.  It can speed things up, but I bet you can achieve similar results over time simply with the cleaning and stability methods over a longer period of time.  
 

I would not reduce lighting photoperiod below 6 hours myself.

 

All of the above is what works for me…

[DaveO]

I agree with the above by ALL fish, Erickson, And Pepere. If you cut back fertilizer and light you will help the algae thrive. Feed your plants.

I keep lights on 10 hours and keep nitrates between 20 and 40 ppm. I have very little algae. To get rid of the algea you already have you might add ramshorn snails. They will get rid of it.

Edited March 30 by DaveO

[Katherine]

On 3/30/2024 at 7:51 AM, DaveO said:

To get rid of the algea you already have you might add ramshorn snails. They will get rid of it.

I don't think that's a great idea with shrimp in the tank. They'd much rather eat any food that's being added for the shrimp than the algae. They're not very good algae eaters when they have any other option.

[Pepere]

I haven't had any personal experience with Ramshorn snails doing anything for me in regards to algae.  And I have had Ramshorn snails that hitch hiked in to my tank on plants that have been resistant to attempts to eradicate them..  I finally gave up…. In my personal experience I feel their algae control abilities are over rated…

[DaveO]

I only speak from my own personal experience.  Your experience may vary. The ramshorn work well for me, with or without shrimp. They absolutely eat the algae and will make a big difference in the overall plant health in a tank. 

[flossy]

If you don't want to add snails, you can add amano shrimp. From my experience, they are great algae eaters as long as you don't overfeed your tank. They will clear most of your algae.

[skadmiral]

Have you tried hydrogen peroxide? I agree with the water changes 20 to 30% weekly. I have been successful using the h2o2. It removes the algae. Turns it red then the fish eat it. I use a spray bottle and liberally spray it down. It breaks down into water h2o. And a hydrogen atom. Nothing to harm the fish. Used this with black beard also. I will dip my new plants to remove anything on them before i put them in the tanks.  It workes for me. It might work for you too. I started using it after i watched Cory use it. Thanks for all the advice Cory!