black algae on plants

[Panda Suzie]

I have a 32g tank which was doing fine 'til I had to treat it
with Ich medicine. A few weeks later I noticed that there was a lot of black algae covering some of the plants. I have been doing weekly 30% water changes, and a 40% one this passed Friday.

Is there anything else I should be doing?

The only algae eater I have is a Siamese Flying Fox. Would anything else eat this type of algae?

 

[Lotus]

Can you give us some more info to help us help you?

Lighting/tank size
nitrate reading
Co2 levels
Phosphate reading (if you have it)
What brand of ich meds you used
Is this a hairy type of algae?

 

[Panda Suzie]

Hi, thanks for replying. Its a 32 gall tank with 2 lights: 1 aquaglo and 1 sunglo. Nitrites are zero. Dont know about the Co2 . This tank does not have a Co2 system. I dont have a phosphate reading.

The GH is nice and low 5 degrees (50-100 ppm) However, I also did a pH test and its quite alkaline - 7.8. I've been collecting rain water off the roof, may be its pickling up something from the roof tiles. I was buying RO water but it gets expensive.

I used NOX-ICH for the Ich. Its the one the pet store uses for their own fish.

No, its not a hairy type of algae. Just the opposite - its black and just coats the leaves, kinda blotchy.

This tank holds 6 tiger barb, 1 clown loach, 1 siamese flying fox and 2 yellow gouramies so its not overloaded.

 

[Lotus]

Does this algae grow in sheets on the leaves? How easy is it to remove?

 

[Panda Suzie]

I have to rub pretty hard with a sponge to get any of the algea off. It sticks really well to the leaves. I don't think it grows in sheets, but I'm not exactly sure what that would be like. Here are two pictures.

 

[Lotus]

It looks like what's called "brown algae" to me. It's fairly harmless. Otocinclus will get rid of it, but it should go away on its own.

By the way, a nitrate reading of zero isn't good in a planted tank, it means that the plants have used up all the nitrate, and are hungry for more. You can get some Flourish nitrogen to correct this imbalance, or there are a number of other sources for it.

 

[Panda Suzie]

Thank you for all your replies. I will get some otocats again. Hopefully they'll be ok this time.

 

[Lotus]

Whenever possible, try to get otos that have been in the store more than a week. They go through a long and unpleasant shipping process from South America, and many die during this or soon after.