# Green Algea Outbreak



## Buckman (Jan 10, 2007)

i put pool filter sand in my tank about a month ago. recently i have been having large amounts of green algea developing on top of the sand. like a blanket covering portions of tha sand. i have removed it several times by skimming off the top layer of sand, cleaning and removing all algea and repplacing the sand. in about a week it comes back. the algea is limited strictly to the sand and i have no problems with any other brown, black or hairy algea. any idea what it is or how to remove it? i'll add pictures if necessary. thanks.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

How much natural sunlight and artivicial are you getting? Also need to know your params. I'd turn off all lights and starve out the algae. What are you housing in the tank?


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## Buckman (Jan 10, 2007)

it gets a little natural light but not a whole lot. it did start after i bought a new light for the tank come to think of it. i've got one spilo in the tank. dont have parameters.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

The kelvin rating for your bulb is probably too low, thus promoting algae growth. Get a new one in 55-10k range.


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## Blue Flame (Jan 16, 2006)

It sounds like:

Blue Green (Cyanobacteria)

Causes:

* Low nitrates - Usually present when all of the nitrogen/nitrate has been removed from the water column. While this is a triggering condition, it is also exacerbated by the bacteria itself using any remaining nitrogen.
* High organics - Overfeeding, or excess organic matter in the tank can trigger BGA.
* Old light bulbs - Sometimes present when light bulbs are no longer emitting usable light. This may be more of a matter of your plants no longer being able to out-compete the bacteria.
* Poor water circulation - Circulation is key in a planted aquarium so that no "dead spots" are present where nutrients have been used up locally, but fresh ones are not being recirculated throughout.

Cures:

* Increase nitrates - Dose nitrates until the concentration reaches ~5ppm.
* Add fast growing plants - this helps to out-compete the algae for resources.
* Blackout - BGA cannot survive without light.
* Excel/H202 treatment - Use a syringe to spot treat problem areas. Then manually remove dead patches.
* Erythromycin - use antibiotics at half dosage to kill the bacteria. Mardel Labs' Maracyn contains erythromycin and has been used effectively without harming most plants.

Here's the link for all algae problems.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...%26tbs%3Disch:1


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## Buckman (Jan 10, 2007)

thanks for the good info, i cleaned it up today but i'll take pictures if it comes back.


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## 65galhex (Nov 5, 2008)

I have been battling this crap for some time now. It is extremely hard to get rid of. I too have pool filter sand and I feel that it is like a magnet to that stuff. I have tried black outs, I have tried increasing cirulation and I have tried manually removing it. I have half a mind to take out all the sand and start over, plus I could get a different color sand







I am also having an algae crisis to say the least.


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## corbypete (Jan 24, 2005)

the problem with that sand is that it completely lets water pass through it, meaning a huge surface area which is then cooked under your lamps. Microscopic particles can easily get trapped down deep in the substrate/ This can create all sorts of scenarios/complications.

Is there no way you could get some denser sand instead? You find you get some anaerobic activity with normal play sand but it's really manageable. Im considering black ,normal sand next over gravel


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## Soul Assassin (Nov 21, 2006)

to eliminate algae you must fix the root cause...removing it will not work

you must check all the potential reasons Blue stated


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## Black Piranhaz (Apr 14, 2010)

I say make sure it's fully cycled. Get some clean up crew (SAE, Otto, Snails). And make sure you have enough current to keep the waters flowing around.


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## corbypete (Jan 24, 2005)

does any of it stick to a magnet?

also is it 100% silica free?

remember, pool sand is used to filter pool water and still get to the bottom to be pumped back to the pool. For that reason food/liquid-mix may be going deeper than you realise, causing excess nutrients.


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## primetime3wise (Sep 28, 2003)

i don't know much about them, but for my algae i was thinking of a uv sterilizer. like the left 1/4 of my tank is near a window so it just makes problems worse, that is, on top of striplight.

i know it's been discussed before, but, what do you guys think of those?


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

primetime3wise said:


> i don't know much about them, but for my algae i was thinking of a uv sterilizer. like the left 1/4 of my tank is near a window so it just makes problems worse, that is, on top of striplight.
> 
> i know it's been discussed before, but, what do you guys think of those?


A UV sterilizer will kill free-floating algae, so it'll take care of green water, but it won't clear up algae on your glass, driftwood, plants, or substrate.


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