# Cleaning algae off plants.



## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

What's the best way to clean algae off my plants? Remove them and rinse in tap water? It's green hair algae I think. My light cycle is already at 6 hours a day. I'm dosing excel every other day


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I would dose every day until it is gone. Depending on how bad it is you may not need to pull out and do anything.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

It seems pretty bad for my taste. So, the excel will get rid of the algae? Or just prevent new growth?


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## hotwingz (Mar 3, 2013)

I know plants will out compete algae for nutrients. But I'm also curious on how upping the ferts will get rid of algae. I'm having a similar problem.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

hotwingz said:


> I know plants will out compete algae for nutrients. But I'm also curious on how upping the ferts will get rid of algae. I'm having a similar problem.


Thing is, plants aren't really in competition with algae. This is a big thing going around the aquarium community that is absolutely wrong. Algae requires so little of everything, light, nutrients, etc that it just doesn't take away from anything a plant needs or vice versa. Healthy growing plants tend to ward off algae. You can see many, many tanks out there in the world of planted tanks dosing large amounts of fertilizers daily and without much algae to speak of, if any. If these tanks can operate without algae, some dosing amounts like 30ppm of nitrates 3X per week, how then does the theory hold any weight?

If the plant is not getting proper nutrients they can suffer and make them a target for algae. Every time I have gotten algae it was corrected by adjusting CO2 or my fert dosing habits.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

chenowethpm said:


> It seems pretty bad for my taste. So, the excel will get rid of the algae? Or just prevent new growth?


Can you post a pic?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Some algaes can be killed with H2O2 injected directly on it.Here's a link on H2O2;
Hydrogen peroxide - The Free Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit - The Aquarium Wiki
Ours is 3% not 6 or 9 like in other countries.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

This link is about algae in a high light tank,but still has lots of info on different types of algae;James' Planted Tank - Algae Guide
Sometimes even just increasing water flow with a small circulation pump can help.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

What I have looks like the blue green algae.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Pretty sure the easiest way to kill BGA is erythromycin.It is really a bacteria.Search killing BGA with erythromicin.Many have done it.I thought I had BGA but it was BBA(Black Beard/Brush Algae) and that was killed with overdosing the excell.I went through 1 gallon of the seachem excell and ordered "Metricide" which is twice the strength of exell(the active ingredient {glutaraldehyde}).
Metrex - MetriCide | Medical Disinfectant | Medical Disinfectants | Hospital Disinfectants
I found it on ebay or amazon for $26 a gallon from a medical supplier in California.
The erythromicyn is cheapest @ kensfish.
I went as high as 5x excell dose and now dose 60ml of the metricide,which is equal to 120ml of excell(on my 180g).


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

I might try a 3 day blackout treatment that is recommended by the James planted tank article. Seems to be a pretty stress free way to do it. But I will have a lot of trouble because I love to sit and watch this tank daily, it's basically what I use for a t.v.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

get you a chinese algee eater thay do great in my tank on plants.i have two.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

I totally understand the idea of getting a Chinese algae eater to take care of the algae, but I don't really want to get a CAE because I don't want to keep a CAE. they are great when they are little but when they get big they can be aggressive and suck the slime coat off your fish.


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## Lunch Box (Jun 11, 2012)

To actually remove the algae that is growing on the leaves, I remove the plant and use the softest (new) toothbrush I can find and gently scrap the leaves with the brush to remove the algae. Don't know if it's a good idea or not, but it works for me.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

use Hydrogen peroxide .i used it in the past and worked great.it takes 4 or 5 treatments to get rid of it.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

If I wanted to try some hydrogen peroxide what might the best method be?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I would do so with a big syringe, like a turkey baster. Do it during your water change or while the tank is full. You can do the same with Excel.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

jrman83 said:


> I would do so with a big syringe, like a turkey baster. Do it during your water change or while the tank is full. You can do the same with Excel.


So your saying squirt it directly onto the algae. Does the filter need to be off so there's no water movement during treatment. Is this something I could overdo? It's just H2O2 correct?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

chenowethpm said:


> So your saying squirt it directly onto the algae. Does the filter need to be off so there's no water movement during treatment. Is this something I could overdo? It's just H2O2 correct?


Filter does not need to be off for this method, but may help. I think there is a max amount per size of your tank, but if you are only using the baster it will take longer to reach that max level. I would only do it 1-2 times per water change.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Thanks man, I've been dosing excel daily and the algae doesn't seem to be getting worse, but there's still quite a bit on my wood and some of the plants. That's what I'm trying to deal with now . Some of my plants like the anacharis are growing like crazy. Now I just want some plants that will add some color. I had added some ludwigia peruensis(sp) but it died. May not have enough light for the reds.


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

BGA I removed with H2O2. 3% solution, 30 ml for 100 l
That time I had read it in our AT-Zeitung. it works. The redox value is increased. The do not like the BGA.
Green filamentous algae do I remove with a small bottle brush.
(The size of the pH-tubes). wrap and gently pull it out.


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