Red algae
Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 9:21 pm
I have a well established tank. It has been running 13 years with the same fish and a few that are 8 years old. I have a problem that started over 2 years ago and has grown worse. Almost 3 1/4 of the glass is covered in red algae. The best way to describe it is that it looks like I stuck a needle in my thumb and left finger prints on the glass that are the color of dried blood. I can't see through the glass with the algae on it.
It isn't like regular green algae that you can scrape off. This almost seems like it is fused to the glass. It take 30 minutes to scrape off a small section if I can get it off at all. I have a scraper with a long metal razor type blade with a long handle. My tank is 125 gallon. I have trouble reaching to the bottom of the tank. I have to stand on something to do that. The front is the glass I can keep clean the best.
The back and sides are completely covered. I have given up on them. I've tried algae killers but they don't work. I think the stuff has spread to my sand bottom.
I went to the fish store and they said, I don't have red algae. I called the Shedd Aquarium and they said, you don't have red algae, red algae only grown in salt water.
I don't put salt in my water, but I do have red algae.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get rid of it. I don't thing it is edible like the green algae. The Shedd gave me the impression it is calcium based almost like coral and I can believe that.
I don't mind the algae but I want to see my fish!
It isn't like regular green algae that you can scrape off. This almost seems like it is fused to the glass. It take 30 minutes to scrape off a small section if I can get it off at all. I have a scraper with a long metal razor type blade with a long handle. My tank is 125 gallon. I have trouble reaching to the bottom of the tank. I have to stand on something to do that. The front is the glass I can keep clean the best.
The back and sides are completely covered. I have given up on them. I've tried algae killers but they don't work. I think the stuff has spread to my sand bottom.
I went to the fish store and they said, I don't have red algae. I called the Shedd Aquarium and they said, you don't have red algae, red algae only grown in salt water.
I don't put salt in my water, but I do have red algae.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get rid of it. I don't thing it is edible like the green algae. The Shedd gave me the impression it is calcium based almost like coral and I can believe that.
I don't mind the algae but I want to see my fish!