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?
An algae or fungus is eating my plants?
- Thread starter rrguymon
- Start date
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.
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 algae or fungus is eating my plants?
Reduce the pH to 6.8 or 6.7 or so using CO2 gas only to do this.
Increase KNO3/KH2PO4/trace dosing.
Keep up on water changes and dosing(2x a week will be fine)
CO2 issue-see above
KNO3: add 1/2 teaspoon 2x a week
KH2PO4 add 1/16" teaspoon 2x a week
Traces 10mls 2-3x a week
50% weekly water change.
See if that does not ramp things up.
If the algae is slimy, take a look and see if it's not BGA, it'll have a blue-green color, form sheets that cover things, easy to fluff off but fast growing.
Let me know if that describes the algae.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Reduce the pH to 6.8 or 6.7 or so using CO2 gas only to do this.
Increase KNO3/KH2PO4/trace dosing.
Keep up on water changes and dosing(2x a week will be fine)
CO2 issue-see above
KNO3: add 1/2 teaspoon 2x a week
KH2PO4 add 1/16" teaspoon 2x a week
Traces 10mls 2-3x a week
50% weekly water change.
See if that does not ramp things up.
If the algae is slimy, take a look and see if it's not BGA, it'll have a blue-green color, form sheets that cover things, easy to fluff off but fast growing.
Let me know if that describes the algae.
Regards,
Tom Barr
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
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?
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?
Re: An algae or fungus is eating my plants?
Wait before buying them when they come into the LFS.
I'd use SAE's or some other critter shrimps etc for cleaning, ottos are nice and all, but not that good as far as cleaning most algae.
If you keep up on things and on top, things will ablance out after a week or a few weeks. Once they are in good shape, you can relax.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Wait before buying them when they come into the LFS.
I'd use SAE's or some other critter shrimps etc for cleaning, ottos are nice and all, but not that good as far as cleaning most algae.
If you keep up on things and on top, things will ablance out after a week or a few weeks. Once they are in good shape, you can relax.
Regards,
Tom Barr