black fuzz on live plants!?

by **Mike0372983** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:36 pm

Just bought my new light, coralife 65 watt 50/50 bulb... and all the sudden some of the plants grow, but the others just get black fuzz all over their leaves, and for my hairgrass, on the tips. I know there isnst enough lighting in for the hairgrass....

but just wondering if its because the light bulb in the coralife is meant for reef and salwater, I by axcident leave the light on for like 12 hours some times. O ya and the gravel suddenly get brown really fast and the wall get algae all over them! better get some snails...

by **a1k8t31524** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 3:37 pm

two different types of alge this could be, either red hair (aka brush alge) or what is called beard alge either one will thrive on slow growing plants and since you just added more lighting this is probally what caused your alge and live plants will compete for nutrients in the water normally the plants will win but if you have excess nutrients you could devlope an alge problem. a lowere ph will help with this atound 6.8 or so mos alge does best in higher or netural ph. water changes and a "alage crew" will help to i.ee ottocinclious, flying fox, malasian trumpet snails. But do your best to clean it off of the plant leaves b/c it will inhibit the photosynhisis sp? and could kill off your plants in the long run
what are your water params, watts per gallon and all of that?

by **Tmercier834747** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:57 pm

If you don't have easy access to the nerite snails get amano shrimp. They will even consume hair algae (don't know of any fish or snails that do this as efficiently). I got a crew of 8 that carry the bioload of about a 1" fish combined..they eliminated my brush algae in about a week, and the algae was so bad it was killing off all my high light plants.

My dwarf baby tears are still recovering. Some other plants weren't so fortunate.

Amanos will also rely on fish food and will accept any excitedly (mine walk upside down on the surface of the water almost as soon as it hits the surface lol) but will continue to graze the aquarium throughout the day for algae. The more fish food they eat the less algae they'll eat.

by **Mike0372983** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 1:26 pm

I havent really seen any amanos, but I have seen some glass shrimp, aybe there are some, i will check when I exchange my filter, again... its too LOUD again, even though it says silent, actualy louder then my first one... was think about getting an internall, or underwwater, or if I can afford it, a canister...which out of the internal or underwater is best for a planted tank?

and for alk not sure about the water params but the watts per gallon is 2.4

by **Tmercier834747** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 2:55 pm

ghost shrimp won't eat algae.

In-tank filters are nice cause you can really hide them well, but might be difficult to get the most efficiency out of especially if you have sand substrates like me. Unfortunately they take up room in the tank you could be using for decor/plants/etc.

My experience with these is vague but I have a very small fluval internal in my 5gal designed for only mechanical filtration. I don't think internal filters are good for chemical filtration, but like I said I don't have much experience.

Canister filters work GREAT but take up a lot of room so you better hope you have a cabinet under your tank to hide it. My rena filstar xp1 is totally silent after the inital oxygen is flushed out. I think I paid $115 for it. It's filtering a 30gal tank, rated for 75 I think.

by **Mike0372983** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 3:27 pm

i do have acabinet under...but they are silent maybe I will look into one of those

by **doomydarkdoom** » Sun Sep 21, 2008 9:30 pm

The xp1 is rated for 45, the xp2 is the 75. I have both on different tanks and I swear by them... the only way I can tell if they're running sometimes is to put my hand on the top and see if they're vibrating.

by **yasherkoach** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 2:52 am

Olive Nerite Snails to the rescue - will not eat plants

by **Tmercier834747** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 12:28 pm

Petco.com is running an internet purchase special on the rena xp filters, and I stand corrected thanks to doom. For some reason I thought the XP1 was 75. :( Now for some reason it feels inadequate. lol

With shipping I quoted the XP2 (75gal) for $114 @ petco.com.

I think if I were to drive 5 minutes to my local petsmart I'd pay roughly $130-140 for this filter which they didn't have in stock when I got my xp1. GRRRR. Marinedepot.com wants $140. So I guess if you were to buy one you'd know where to get it. =P

by **a1k8t31524** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 6:05 pm

i dont understand why people get so upset about filter noise.....my 55 gal runs 1 hob 1 canister a massive airpump for my diy co2 2 powerheads, and a 1 submersible pump for my wet/dry filter...... pansies....lol

black fuzz on live plants!?

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