Dark Green Horrid Smelling Algae

R

ronrca

Guest
#1
#1

In my 30G and my 90G I have this dark green disgusting smelling algae growing. Even when I touch it or take it out of the tank, everything smells. My hands and the whole house. In the 30G, it is slowly disappearing but very slowly. I have heard that it might be some kind of bacteria. I have also read that it might be blue/green algae. I have tried many different things that I have read like more light, less light, less/more hours of light. What is it really and what can I do about it! I would like to stay away from any chemicals however.

My 30G:
50+ German Blue Ram fry
hanging filter
temp around 80F
1x 20W 2.5' SunGlo bulb, on for 16 hours
Set up 1 year ago

My 90G:
6 Red Turquoise
1 German Blue Ram
Canister Filter
Dual Bio Filter
temp around 84F
4x 40W 3' bulbs, on for 16 hours (not all at once)
Set up 3 months ago

The Nh, no2, and no3 are 0 in both tanks.
 

D

dattack

Large Fish
#2
Oct 22, 2002
982
0
0
#2
I have a feeling that it might be the blue green algae.  I hate that stuff because it's nasty. The fastest way is to use Maracyn (Erythomycin) and it clears it up in a couple of days. But the Maracyn might screw up your biological filter  mostly. I would use full strength so you won't get any bacterial resistance in your tank. I used this as my last resort after failed attemps to increase circulation and water changes.  
Some people have turned off the lights for like 3-5 days to get rid of it also. This cyanobacteria for IME likes the stagnant water and the increase circulation with a power head help to decrease it. Or you can use fast growing plants to suck up all the nutrients out of the water column to outcompete the blue-green algae.
 

R

ronrca

Guest
#3
#3

I spoke with my lfs and sure enough, cyanobacteria. He gave me some EM tablets (Erythomycin), 12 first day, 12 third. It worked very well.
 

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