Algae infestation.

[damien]

I have a big problem with algae right now. It started about a month ago, but I was so stupid to care about it when it got out of control.

It's a type of algae(or cyanobacteria) that forms what looks like a carpet on the bottom of the tank and it also covers the plants. Some of the plants are completely covered with this stuff and removing it is unsuccesfull to say the least. I can pick it of the bottom pretty easily, and scraping it off the plants is also quite simple. The problem is however, 2 days later the whole tank is covered again. I've done a 20% water change last week, and today about 30%, so I hope that this works.
I was looking for the type of algae/bacteria this is and how to counter it, and I found something scary: I've seen a type of cyanobacteria that looks like what I have, and it is toxic!
I know that axies are carnivorous, but I'm affraid that they might accidentally eat some of it.
How should I act? I have no spare aquarium to put them in, and putting them in a bucket for an unknown amount of time sound kind of cruel.
I'll try to get a picture of the algae stuff, so you guys can take a look at it.

In the meantime: do you know anything that'll remove it quickly?
The last couple of days the stuff also exploded in my shrimp tank...and if it is toxic..I might lose them all.

 

[kapo]

See: www.caudata.org/cc/articles/Tank_critters.shtml

Are your tanks in/near a direct light source - my tank water went green when my sister left the curtains open for a couple of weeks during summer. Frequent partial waterchanges (20% /30% daily) , adding some daphnia and shutting the curtains helped.

 

[Abrahm]

Algae blooms like this usually take off when there is an excess of nutrients in the tank. As Kapo said if your tank gets any direct sunlight find some way to block it. Also, if you have a hood light you may want to leave it off for a while to get rid of the algae.

If you are using a plant fertilizer for your aquatic plants discontinue its use as you may be using too much and the extra nutrients are being absorbed by the algae. How often do you siphon out the gravel? There may be a build up of waste products within the gravel that are being used by the algae.

Siphoning out the gravel, and performing frequent water changes like Kapo suggested would be a good start to get rid of this algae, coupled with manual removal and lessening light exposure.

 

[damien]

The aquarium is in my bedroom, where the curtains are nearly always closed, so too much light is not a problem.
I tested the water after the 30% change, and I saw that the ammonium levels were above 0. Not very high, but slightly above the 'normal' level. The rest was reasonable. Nitrate was a bit high (12.5-25), but not alarming.
I'll continue with the water changes and I'll see what happens.
Will it help if I manually remove the algae as well?

 

[niajetze]

check your nitrate level might be high you can always

1. reduce light levels
2. increase other plants that can out compete the algae (java moss/fern)
3. carry on with the water changes
4. add shrimp. . . . I know you said this algae is toxic but I wouldnt think that it would kill the shrimp they are designed to eat it!!! I have not heard of toxic algae but algae can be dangerous as it will use up air in the tank and the conditions that can cause this kind of growth (high nitrate levels) can be toxic though not as much as amonia and nitrite (it is probably worth checking these too).