Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

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harriw2
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Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by harriw2 »

I recently up-sized from a 20g to 30g tank. The new 30 has been up for about a month and 1 week ago a green film/slim/algae started to coat the glass (all 4 sides). I have cleaned the glass 3 times and it comes back in a few hours. I have done two 5g water changes and cleaned my filter twice. I also added chemiclean yesterday and it is still there today, even after wiping it off it is back in 5 hours. The tank is not in a bright room and the 20g that was in the same spot never had this problem. It only has 3 small fish and a few corals. Any tips on what I can do to get rid of it?
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mikester
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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by mikester »

check your perimeter it might be thrown off since you upgraded your tank
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bluwtr
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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by bluwtr »

If it's what I'm thinking it is you will have a hard time getting ride of it. It is most likely a single celled algae and it is what makes ponds look like pea soup and such. There are several ways to handle ALL algae problems, but of course the root is excess nutrients. Are you running a skimmer or some other form of nutrients export--macro algae in a fuge; algae turf scrubber etc? If not, that is most likely your problem. Another cause of algal outbreaks are old bulbs which lead to spectrum shift. We can't see it but the algae can and it will grow very well. How old are you bulbs and what kind of lighting do you have?

Several ways to deal with it. First, lights out for 3 days. Fish and any corals won't care--they will think it has just been really cloudy for a few days. Next, large water change (10-15g) after blowing off rocks and be sure to vacuum your sand to remove detritus. Cut back on your feedings to every three days and only feed what the fish will eat in about 2 minutes.

Again, if you don't have any of the other ways of removing nutrients, I highly recommend getting something (i.e.-skimmer). Lastly, a UV sterilizer will take care of the algae if the other steps don't knock it out--it zaps the cells as they go by and is very effective against single celled algaes.

HTH and good luck.
Wes

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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by Amphiprion »

Sounds like cyanobacteria from the description, most likely due to organic and phosphate-laden pore water being freed. Using media that specifically targets phosphate, like GFO, along with carbon would help and would be a bit more efficient than water changes. Eventually, it should stabilize, though. I would actually stop water changes initially. The reason for this is that it adds quite a few trace elements that may normally be limiting, along with currently elevated nutrients, which may be helping to spark growth. A bit counter-intuitive, but you'd be surprised how often it holds true in such circumstances.

Edit: Continued manual removal won't hurt, either.
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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by bluwtr »

Andrew, don't believe it's cyano since the OP said it's green. I don't recall seeing a green cyano, but God knows I've been wrong before.....but it was a LONG time ago.....and it was only once.........and I was little........but I ended up being right after all! :lol:
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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by harriw2 »

bluwtr, thank you.

I think you have right. I will try what you suggested and let you know.

Thanks for the help one way or the other,

Will
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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by bluwtr »

You're welcome and good luck. Let us know how things work out.
Wes

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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by Amphiprion »

Cyanobacteria come in a variety of colors, with many being a dark green color, which is what the group was named after. Either way, it doesn't sound like green water, such as what is found in ponds. If it is a true green alga that is not primarily in the water column, then something like a UV sterilizer won't be very effective. This is all speculation without any photos, making it difficult to offer a good recommendation.
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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by bluwtr »

Yes I realize that cyano comes in different colors but it is primarily the familiar rust/maroon color that we find in our aquariums and that is usually on the bottom and on rocks vs. the glass. A UV sterilize WILL help because it will destroy any cells whether they are bacterial or algal. I agree that is isn't green water as such found in a pond, rather I was just using that as an example of a single cellular algae. I've read other posts on other sites with owners having the same problem, and it was algal.

As I stated in my first reply however, the main cause of any "bloom" is excess nutrients and thats why I recommended the water change, reduced feeding and lights out period. I also agree that pics would be more helpful.
Wes

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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by Amphiprion »

I don't necessarily disagree at all, really.


I only said that a uv sterilizer is relatively ineffective against film algae, not that it wouldn't help at all. If set correctly, it will reduce water column densities, but the overall effect on such algae will not be that significant. If it was, it would be the cure-all for a lot of commercial systems that are plagued by film algae that already run large sterilizers. Then again, getting rid of film algae isn't their primary or intended purpose, either. They are effective against waterborne cells only (and only small ones, unless they are heavily oversized).
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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by bluwtr »

After rereading my first post I realize I left off an important piece of information and I believe that has caused some of the confusion. Andrew is correct in that a UV sterilizer will not kill fill algae when it's on the glass. What I failed to mention was that the sterilizer will kill any spores and any algae removed from the glass by scraping when it becomes suspended in the water column. There is no way for the sterilizer to kill the algae on the glass because as Andrew has pointed out--the UV light can't get to it. Sorry for the screw up on my part and leaving out a key piece of info. :oops:

I feel that the sterilizer will help reduce the algae by removing spores and cells that could otherwise re-adhere to the glass and begin to grow new chains of cells.
Wes

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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by jt3069 »

there are also claims that uv sterilizers (will kill the dna not allowing it to reproduce or grow)
free floating pathogens includeing ick and many parasites that are prone to fish death

but like bluwtr said it will kill the spores of the alage that are suspended in the water column, thuse stoping lots of common nusance alage's from reproduceing
eventually killing(removing it from your tank)

down sides are that it will kill phyto plankton and beneficial free floating bacteria

i may have left some things out, im sure someone will correct me
LIVING CHEMISTRY SET
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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by Amphiprion »

bluwtr wrote:After rereading my first post I realize I left off an important piece of information and I believe that has caused some of the confusion. Andrew is correct in that a UV sterilizer will not kill fill algae when it's on the glass. What I failed to mention was that the sterilizer will kill any spores and any algae removed from the glass by scraping when it becomes suspended in the water column. There is no way for the sterilizer to kill the algae on the glass because as Andrew has pointed out--the UV light can't get to it. Sorry for the screw up on my part and leaving out a key piece of info. :oops:

I feel that the sterilizer will help reduce the algae by removing spores and cells that could otherwise re-adhere to the glass and begin to grow new chains of cells.
Nothing to apologize for. I was getting somewhat confused earlier, admittedly. In any case, I agree 100% with this.
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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by bluwtr »

LOL!
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Re: Green film/slim/algae on glass, need help

Post by harriw2 »

Thank you for help help everyone.

I did treat for cyno on Saturday. As of Monday, it was still there.

Monday night I scrubbed walls and rock and did a 10gallon water change. Left the lights off until today. Turned them on and NO GREEN! Hopefully it is gone.

Thanks again,

Will
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