An algae or fungus is eating my plants?

Hello, Iam a real plant rookie here. I planted alot of hygrophillia polysperma about a week ago with some other bunch plants. The hygopilliia has a grey algea or slime that is growing around the stems and destorying the plant. The stem will turn brown and pull apart where this slime is. Any Idea what I can do to fix this?

 

Re: An algae or fungus is eating my plants?

I will add some info. I have a 55 gallon tank, with 2wpg light (AH 2x55 kit), I have pressurized co2 running about 20ppm.
Kh 6
gh 6
ph 7
Nitrate running about 5 to 10 I have been dosing ko3.
Phosphate is off the scale. I have not dosed but I have high phosphate. I suspect from some contaminated eco complete. I have been doing 50 pecent water changes evey couple days and it is slowly coming down.

The plants have been in the tank about a week. I planted about 20 bunches of plants. Mexican oak, Wisteria, Ludwiga repens, Hygropillia tropical sunset, a couple crypts, a couple java fern, a few dwraf sag, and an coffee anabus.

I just took out about half of my Hygropilia. Anything with the slime or algea on it I trashed. I also noticed that it had got to the annabus and rotted away about half the root where the leafs attach. It looked like a white fuss on the anabus root. It had the same effect the plant was being rotted or eaten away.

I just did another 50 percent water change, cut away any affected part of the plants and did a very small dose of kno3 and trace.

Any other suggestion will be greatly appreciated.

 

Re: An algea or fungus is eating my plants?

Tom,
Thanks. The slime or algae doing the damage is grey or light brown. There is no green or blue to it. I do have some green hair algae growing but it is not harming anything.

I will crank the CO2 up later today. I should get my ph co2 controller in the mail so i can be more precise. I was concerned about going that low with my ph test kit. The color scale is poor on the kit.

I will also increase the dose of kno3 as you suggest. I have also been adding about an 1/8 teaspoon of K2SO4 2x a week. Should I stop dosing that?

I just want to be sure. You think I should dose phosphate even though my test reads off the scale? (contaminated eco) My tap water has zero.

Thanks again.

Rick

 

Re: An algae or fungus is eating my plants?

Ok, I followed the schedule. Dosed KNO3, KHP204, CSM+B and cranked the co2 up. The grey algae is gone and plants are growing well. Thanks Tom.

I do have some green hair algea growing way up high near the lights where the ludwiga repens has climbed and some brown and green algea on the glass. I think the brown and green algea on the glass is the same thing. It looks green for a couple days and if I don't wipe it off it turns brown like it dies? I wipe it with a paper towel every couple days in places I can reach. This is like a spot algae it is little dots it does not grow out from the glass.

I have two otts and they do graze on the hair algae but don't get it all. I would buy some more but I have a hard time keeping them alive. The two that are still alive are doing great I have had them 3 weeks or so. I have had 4 die on me they seem to die within the first couple of days after I get them. I have other fish that are doing great no issues at all. Any adivce on keeping ottos alive?