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Re: Daphne's algae




Chuck H said: 
 
> Daphne, you just described what I think is a nasty species of 
> Cladophora.  I have it, too.  It *loves* to attach to Fluorite, but
> it'll 
> attach to other porous objects and also plants (especially if they
> are slow 
> growers or unhealthy).  It will grow free-floating.  If I'm not
> mistaken, 
> Cladophora is one of the algae types that drove Paul Krombholz to
> develop 
> the bleach method in the first place.  I can see why.  It's the most 
> stubborn of all filamentous algae I've encountered and I've had
> around a 
> dozen distinct types.  It's incredibly adaptive and will grow in any 
> condition.  IME, one cannot wipe it out with nutrient management,
> though it 
> seems to thrive best when plenty of iron is around.
> 
> The only potential way I know of to wipe it out totally is to go with
> the 
> full bleach treatment -- I.e., tear the tank down, sterilize the tank
> and 
> equipment (bleach it for a few days), sterilize the substrate (boil
> it in a 
> crock pot for a day), quarantine the fish to let them poop out any
> eaten 
> algae, set the tank back up and then dip the plants and replant them.
>  Pray.
> 
> But one can learn to live with it, too.  Once you're sure CO2 and
> other 
> nutrients are in line, pick out as much of the algae as possible and
> then 
> keep at it from time to time when you're doing maintenance.  Be sure
> to 
> look in the shaded areas and under low growing, broad-leaf plants
> that 
> aren't normally too visible.  It will retreat to these areas and grow
> while 
> you're not looking.  When you're picking at it, try not to let bits
> get 
> away.  They will float off and possibly colonize other areas of the 
> tank.  If necessary, use H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) to clean off porous
> 
> ornaments and use either bleach or H2O2 to clean off harder stuff. 
> Be sure 
> to scrub (during treatment and after) and rinse the stuff thoroughly
> before 
> returning it to the tank.  One last thing:  The H2O2 "spot" treatment
> will 
> have some effect for particularly stubborn areas of infection, but it
> can 
> also put your livestock and plants at risk.  Use with extreme
> caution.

I'll just add to this that there have been times when the stuff has
actually receded somewhat in my tank -- unfortunately I was
manipulating or correcting factors for other reasons and, just like the
President, can't explain what causes the recession.  Generally, if the
plants are doing well, it sort of holds its own.  Chuck is right about
manual removal -- it really helps, *and* he's right on the money about
how you must be very careful about stray hairs floating away to start
new patches.  I vacuum while I peel and yank the stuff away.  

Note:  if it gets thick, it peels off more easily, the layer nearest
the substrate (driftwood, gravel, whatever) possibly being necrotic. 
That's not a reason to let it grow thick, but it's possibly a hint for
what parts to manually attack first.

It seems to do less well in shade.

If I see it suddenly start to look like it's in a bloom, I know my
plants are going to start looking crappy very soon.  I.e., it does seem
to do well during certain imbalances that are unfavorable to plants
(big surprise, right?)

Scott H.

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