Black/Grey Algae in Fresh Water planted Tank

[jhutto]

Guys,
For those who also keep fresh water planted tanks a question...Not sure how to get rid of this grey/ black type algae. Have some nice plants growing with the pleokos (they are keeping the green stuff away) and other fish to eat it but it is growing particularly on the wood. Wood has been in the tank for many years and never had it before. No problem with the green stuff. Plants are doing great and so are fish but this stuff is ugly. I am keeping tetras with a lower ph. I feed the plants with Flourish and other elements but no CO2 yet. Any advice on how to get rid of?

Joe

 

[fishybusiness]

is it in small tufts? Sounds like it may be beard algae which is a pain to get rid off. I keep slow growing plants in my plant tank and it grows on my anubias.
Try adding some algae-fix to it and that may help a little. Also try pulling it off of the plants with your fingernail gently or scrub the driftwood with a tooth brush.

 

[tsciarini]

If youre not already... dose Flourish excel too.
Depending on where its growing, you can target kill algae with excel too; just be careful when directly hitting plants with it as it can kill them too.

Any chance you can take a pic of the algae?

 

[jhutto]

That is what it has got to be the bearded variety as it looks just like a beard and it does not come off the wood very easily. I am doing a water change and took the wood out to scrape it and it does not come off very well. Was looking for something to nuke it. I do use the flourish, excel etc. I will add some more when I finish the water change. Thanks.

Joe

 

[josh]

let the piece of wood sun dry for a week.