Black Beard Algae

Hello ........ I have Black Beard Algae in my 75gal Aquarium . I have heard that liquid "Excel" will get rid of it ????? I'm going to try it this weekend . If anyone has had this problem and can help >>> Please reply .......

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Comment by Nick Arnett on October 16, 2012 at 2:12pm: yah seth is right there are only a couple true algae eaters (the chinese algae eater and a couple of the smaller pleco species, but even then not so much). fish and snails will only eat so much algae. the main problem is that there are too many nutrients in the water. a lot of times plants will take up excess nutrients, but slow growers (like your java fern) are probably maxed out on the uptake. so your best option.... gravel vac and do water changes often in addition to getting some algae killer chems. i've been lucky to have never had an issue with algae in any of my tanks, but that black beard stuff is super mcnasty!

Comment by Nick Arnett on October 16, 2012 at 2:14pm: real brave with the silver dollars in a planted tank... do you have some plants in there that they let be? or do have issues with those?

Comment by ŦůRbö ۰ Ҏяѻ ۰ on October 16, 2012 at 3:56pm: Yeah let me know what happens, I think I may be feed to much, but I do water changes 2 times a week... My light is on for 8 hours a day, and the tank does not get any real sun light. I do dose with Seachem's, have Co2; but I dont know if that is what causing the BBA to grow. I have cut the dosing in half and have seemed to slow it growth, (of the BBA and my plants) but after I clean it all off, cut the leaves off that it growing on it'll slowly come back in a couple of weeks. I dont want to "starve" my plants by not dosing...

Comment by ŦůRbö ۰ Ҏяѻ ۰ on October 16, 2012 at 4:05pm: Algae Killing chemicals will kill plants as well. It made the same way weed killer is made. Its a poison and will kill any plants, snails, and invertebrates (crabs, shrimp, crayfish...) It can even kill a small child if they get it on their skin.

Read the back of a package of any anti algae product if you do not believe me.

Plus it dosent rid your tank of algae, just stops it for a week or two.

Comment by thefisherman15 on October 16, 2012 at 6:23pm: Update on my 75gal ...... last weekend I worked on cleaning up the bba - trimmed the Java fern , added some excel , did a water change (cleaned the gravel) and added a timer to the light ( 8 hrs a day ) . I don't have that many plants in this aquarium - just some java fern and one large amazon sword . The amazon sword is doing great ( large and no bba ) . The bba was only on the java fern . I have cut back on feeding and have started doing water changes twice a week . I have two Silver Dollar's in this tank but they don't bother the plants at all . The tank is looking a lot better :) I have no bba in my other two Aquariums - just in my 75 .

Comment by LED on October 18, 2012 at 2:21pm: Please everyone remember that BBA is due to not enough co2 in the water in most cases.

Rex Guide

If you click on the link above you will see a list of algae problems and their possible causes. In your case you have probably too low CO2 levels. BBA seems to not be extensively related to nutrient levels, lights, or anything else for that matter EXCEPT co2 levels. Hence why excel works so well - it adds co2 to the water and it also is an algaecide

Comment by thefisherman15 on October 28, 2012 at 6:32am: Update Oct 28 (bba in my 75) : it is almost all gone , hard to find any now - as you can see from the photo I did trim the Java fern a bit , but it will come back . I'm working on a DIY Co2 unit to put on my 65gal aquarium /// if it works OK I might put one in this tank too ( my 75gal ) . Still dosing tanks with Excel , but I want to try the DIY Co2 unit that I'm building instead of chemicals (excel) .

Comment by thefisherman15 on November 3, 2012 at 5:44pm: Update on my 75 : the bba is under control now - it is hard to find any now . I have been putting Excel in according to the bottle & it has done the job. I'm very pleased with the results. I have a trace of bba in my other tank ( 65gal ) >>> I added a DIY Co2 unit on my 65 gal tank a week ago - I am checking the Co2 level each day to make sure it does not go to high - hoping the DIY Co2 unit will get rid of the small amount of bba in my 65gal . Thanks for everyones help on my problem with the bba .

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