My 55 Gallon Thread

gill again68

Active Member
I found this, I have a blue green algae that appeared in my tank. It was also around a cyano breakout. You can find other materials as well around this type of coloration. Again, as stated above, I am wrong and you all know it.

Red Slime Algae and Cyanobacteria in General
Albert J. Thiel
An Introduction
Blue green algae, or Cyanobacteria, are remarkable in as much as they are somewhat of a hybrid between algae and bacteria. In some ways they resemble green plants and algae, and in others they are much closer to bacteria. The latter explains why antibiotics are sometimes used to rid the tank blue-greens.
Although this method results in their disappearance, at least for a while, the dangers associated with using them in an aquarium need to be stressed here.
Biological filters contain many bacteria themselves. These, too, can be affected and more than likely will be. This can lead to ammonia spikes in the tank due to the loss of the bacterial bed (partially or completely). Note that since live rock and live sand contains bacteria as well, the use of antibiotics will affect them as well.
Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic. They release oxygen and uptake carbon dioxide, depending on the photoperiod and lighting conditions. Cyanobacteria contain pigments. The prevalence of one particular pigment ultimately determines the color of the algae.
It should be noted that they are among the oldest form of organisms found on earth. Traces of cyanobacteria have been found in fossils dating from the early Precambrian period, some 3 billion years ago. They are extremely common, even today, and are found in fresh, brackish and salt water. They are present even on land in moist environments. Cyanobacteria, referred to as blue-green algae, come in various colors.
Do not let the name confuse you. They are not necessarily blue-green but can be blackish, greenish, blue greenish, yellowish, brownish and reddish. The latter color is perhaps the one most saltwater hobbyists are familiar with.
Note that your aquarium doubtlessly contains many more cyanobacteria than you are aware of. The main reason being that many of the various forms of cyanobacteria are present in any environment where photosynthesis takes place. Their numbers may be small and their size certainly is. You do, therefore, not notice them.
At times though they become really conspicuous because they agglomerate and form masses and patches. By themselves they are extremely small and are generally studied under an electron microscope, lest they would not be visible. Regular microscopes are not powerful enough to allow scientists to study them in detail.
The appearance of blue-green algae is always a disappointment to the hobbyist. Regardless of the type though their presence indicates a disturbance of the biological equilibrium in the tank (Fay, 1983). More on this later.
Note that blue greens are neither algae nor bacteria. They exhibit characteristics of both and can thus be considered an evolutionary link between the two. From the standpoint of cell structure they are clearly bacteria. From the perspective of their photosynthetic ability and the presence of pigments, they are algae. Confusing? Probably so, but of no real importance since we are not trying to come up with the ultimately correct nomenclature.
 

jaxfishgirl

Active Member
hey, sorry I have not been around. Computer problems.
I think Gill is right. When you touch it, it comes off. And it is on my sand a little bit. I adjusted my powerheads a little bit and did a couple water changes. When I was playing with my powerheads it kicked up some sand, so I have been playing with them trying to get them right. And I got some chemipure Elite running in my sump.
It looks a little bit better today. I will continue fighting this crap. I will be doing some more water changes this weekend.
 
Originally Posted by IbanEz
http:///forum/post/3242826
At least you know the difference between hosting and being hosted. It is not all bad for you.

You best stay out of that one Iban the old man may know the difference between hosting and being hosted - but he sure as S$#% doesnt know the difference between underrated and overrated. So there GILL!!! lol
AND is good to see you back Jess

[hr]
psst...Buy a MAC hehe
 

jaxfishgirl

Active Member
Originally Posted by JimmyR1Rider
http:///forum/post/3243904
You best stay out of that one Iban the old man may know the difference between hosting and being hosted - but he sure as S$#% doesnt know the difference between underrated and overrated. So there GILL!!! lol
AND is good to see you back Jess

[hr]
psst...Buy a MAC hehe

lol thanks, no mac for me.
Originally Posted by meowzer

http:///forum/post/3243909
LOL....Just buy a new computer....that's what I would do...There is no way I would go w/o YIKES
It's killing me. do you think I am doing all that I can do to get rid of this junk? Anything else that you would do?
 

meowzer

Moderator
OK....so the green stuff CAN be blown off?????
Do you have pics of what is on the sand?
Do larger w/c's, rinse food, how long are lights on?
 

jaxfishgirl

Active Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3243940
OK....so the green stuff CAN be blown off?????
Do you have pics of what is on the sand?
Do larger w/c's, rinse food, how long are lights on?
It can, not necessarily blown off with like a turkey baster but you can wipe it off with your finger.
No pictures right now, not at home.
I leave the lights on for about 10 hours.
 

gill again68

Active Member
Umm can we go back to that Gill is right thing....

When I had a breakout I turkey basted and water changed as well as less lights and less feeding. Other than that I think you are already looking at flow issues.
 
Ok well I hate to be the one to tell you this but...... I was talking to my fishguy that told me you are at last resort. He said you have to burn sage in the room with the aquarium- hire a native american medicine man, you and all the inhabitants in the house have to paint your faces and dance around the tank in your underwear. He said IF and ONLY IF you follow his directions to the tee itll be there forever. Please dont shoot the messenger.
 

meowzer

Moderator
HMMMM....OK...add flow, siphon and do larger w/c's
How often do you do w/c's?
I would definitely DEcrease light time too
 
Originally Posted by Gill again68
http:///forum/post/3243948
You know thats what they were doing when she knocked her rocks over and blamed it on some kids

LMFAO!!!!!
I almost fell out of my chair.
No seriously though Jess your on the right track do one thing at a time and narrow it down to whats causing it youll get it whooped just may take a little time is all.
 

ibanez

Member
Originally Posted by JimmyR1Rider
http:///forum/post/3243946
Ok well I hate to be the one to tell you this but...... I was talking to my fishguy that told me you are at last resort. He said you have to burn sage in the room with the aquarium- hire a native american medicine man, you and all the inhabitants in the house have to paint your faces and dance around the tank in your underwear. He said IF and ONLY IF you follow his directions to the tee itll be there forever. Please dont shoot the messenger.
Don't forget the must take pictures and post them on this site part of that.
 
Originally Posted by IbanEz
http:///forum/post/3244051
Don't forget the must take pictures and post them on this site part of that.
LMAO and like Iban said I forgot to say he did also say to post pics of the ritual to prove to the forum gods that it was done!
 

gill again68

Active Member
Dont be afraid to turkey baste that stuff and get it up in the water column. Your skimmer will get allot of it. I know when I got my breakout I was like, If I disturb it I am going to spread it to other areas of the tank. Well the only way your gonna get rid of it is to stir it up a bit so just go for it. I really think what helped me clean mine so quickly was the less feeding and less light part. You can run carbon or a GFO to help clean particulates out of the water.
Let us know how its going. Oh, if you do have that dance I would like a video of it please.
 

jaxfishgirl

Active Member
wow, a lot to respond too....its killing me not having a computer working right now
Originally Posted by JimmyR1Rider
http:///forum/post/3243946
Ok well I hate to be the one to tell you this but...... I was talking to my fishguy that told me you are at last resort. He said you have to burn sage in the room with the aquarium- hire a native american medicine man, you and all the inhabitants in the house have to paint your faces and dance around the tank in your underwear. He said IF and ONLY IF you follow his directions to the tee itll be there forever. Please dont shoot the messenger.
LOL you're funny. I may have to try that.
Originally Posted by Gill again68
http:///forum/post/3243948
You know thats what they were doing when she knocked her rocks over and blamed it on some kids

Shhhh!!!!! Don't be spreading that around
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3243949
HMMMM....OK...add flow, siphon and do larger w/c's
How often do you do w/c's?
I would definitely DEcrease light time too
Welll....I was not doing w/c's like I should have been, but NOW I am doing weekly

is 8 hours a good time, or lower?
Originally Posted by IbanEz

http:///forum/post/3244051
Don't forget the must take pictures and post them on this site part of that.
LMAO, if I did do that, posting pictures would be that last thing I did. LOL
Originally Posted by Gill again68

http:///forum/post/3244087
ss="message">Dont be afraid to turkey baste that stuff and get it up in the water column. Your skimmer will get allot of it. I know when I got my breakout I was like, If I disturb it I am going to spread it to other areas of the tank. Well the only way your gonna get rid of it is to stir it up a bit so just go for it. I really think what helped me clean mine so quickly was the less feeding and less light part. You can run carbon or a GFO to help clean particulates out of the water.
Let us know how its going. Oh, if you do have that dance I would like a video of it please.

I am running CHemipure Elite right now. It's weird, I can't turkey baste it off my rocks. I have to actually rub it off. When I do use the turkey baster a lot of other junk comes off but not the green stuff. It's on my sand also so that's why i am thinking it's not the beginning of coraline. But it just won't blow off. My skimmer is getting some nasty junk out. Cleaned it today and omg it was gross.
I am also trying to siphon it off the sand as much as I can. I bought 20 astrea snails today to try and help my "little" problem. Probably overkill, but ehhh whatever. I also got some bumblebee snails cause they are sooo cute!
 

meowzer

Moderator
Could be something different than cyano though....cyano should blow off easily....
Do you have actinics, or just white lights???
 
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