Aquarium Gardening Notes

Controlling Brush Algae (Part 3)

This will most likely be my last post on Brush algae as I've managed to successfully control it using large doses of Flourish Excel. I've written my experience with this nasty stuff here.

This image apparently shows Brush algae under a microscope.

Here are a few last comments and observations I gathered from fellow hobbyists in an email forum discussion.

On the topic of Brush algae, in the reference book "How to Know the Freshwater Algae" by author G.W. Prescott: This type of alga is found in irrigation ditches in far western United States.

Other Treatments and Methods:

- Excel spot treatment with a syringe.

- Hydrogen peroxide treatment with a syringe.

- Keeping water fresh is good insurance against Brush Algae.

- Some hobbyists physically remove host leaves and then do major water changes when it shows up in their aquarium. (I was looking for ways to avoid this)

- Some hobbyists "nuke" the tank. They dismantle the tank and clean it thoroughly, thus, starting over. (I was looking for ways to avoid this)

Other Conditions that may encourage Brush algae:

- Many Fish: Some have said that particular alga thrive in water that has excess dissolved organic carbons (metabolic waste) from the fish and decaying plants plus relatively high levels of Phosphate coming from fish food.  The build up of fish waste and dissolved uneaten fish food, changes water chemistry leading to unpleasant complexities.

- John Glaeser made this observation: Though I can't prove it, I suspect Brush being opportunistic attaches to valued plants that have for whatever reasons are experiencing some sort of limiting factors in their growth equation........ thus reducing their growth or becoming nearly stagnant and less active. It seems when this happens colonizing algae attach to leaves and leach out nutrients.

Controlling Brush Algae (Part 2)

Introduction notes: This is a follow-up article to Brush Algae, Not Hair Algae. Click on any images in this article to expand. I conclude this article with Flourish Excel as the most effective product I tried for controlling brush algae in my aquariums. The rest of this long post will show that I experimented with a variety of other things first. Please keep in mind I'm a hobbyist. I'm not a scientist. Results may not be the same in your aquariums. Hopefully, my observations will be useful to others who grapple with brush algae.

(Picture above shows my 20 gallon wide earlier on, prior to the appearance of brush algae.)

Background: My aquariums became a favorite breeding ground for brush algae over time. Brush is a slow growing black, sometimes grayish or greenish furry tuft-like substance that likes to anchor itself on the rim of leaves, substrate and other hardware in the tank.

As time passed, the amount of brush increased. The growth also seemingly sped up. Eventually, this black fur covered much of the new plant foliage.

I do not know or understand how pests enter aquariums. I assume they come from varied sources. For instance, I take it for granted new plants often introduce unwanted pests that tag along. My main focus as a hobbyist, is to find a way to recover from and control whatever disaster comes.

(Picture on left shows grasses and substrate with brush algae. This was the beginning stages of the brush algae infestation.)

Finding the Cause: There's a line of thinking in the planted aquarium hobby that suggests it's better to find the source of the problem and correct it rather than to mask it with an additive. In other words, some are saying that such problems as with brush algae is caused by an unbalance in the aquarium. To that, I reply: Ok. I'll keep that in mind. It's a great ideal, and a logical starting point. However, I may never reach anywhere near ecological perfection in my planted aquariums. Anyway, I need to solve my current brush problem.

Regardless of unbalance or what-not, my goal is to reverse the effects and keep the problem under control, if not eliminate it altogether. If that involves using an additive, or changing the tank's parameters, I really don't care as long as the result can be reproduced time and time again without re-building the aquarium from scratch. I want a healthy aquarium for both fish and plants. If using an additive is a form of cheating, then fine. I cheat sometimes.

On that quest, I end up reading, testing, sharing with others and experimenting. Ideally, I would find the root cause of the problem and make necessary changes. In the case of brush algae, I have had very little success finding out what makes it so tenacious, but I have at last, found a way to reduce it to a minimum using Flourish Excel.

Failed Attempts: The first suggestion made to me was to reduce iron. According to some, it was imperative that I reduce or starve the aquarium of this fertilizer and that it was the root cause of the healthy brush. Therefore, before anything else, I stopped dosing PPS-Pro, which was the most concentrated source of iron. This did not even have the slightest improvement effect on the aquarium. The brush was just as energetic as before.

(Picture above shows progression. The brush is now growing on the rims of sword leaves as well as on the substrate where it can find light. It also continues to cover new grass growth.)

Iron may be difficult to control in my aquariums because I use potting soil. I assume there's always some iron leeching from soil substrates. If iron is such a catalyst for brush algae, it might explain why it likes to grow on substrate in those areas where light penetrates. The combination of an iron-rich substrate and light might explain that. I also noticed that Cabomba carolinia never gets brush algae. This plant requires much iron. Could it be that the plant takes up so much iron that it doesn't allow the brush to grow  on it? Or is it just the plant's rapid and short life cycle? It does appear that brush grows faster on some plants than others. Hygrophilla difformis or Water Wysteria is another one that never seems affected by brush in my tanks.

Logically then, if brush needs iron, the reduction of iron should have a negative effect on brush growth. It's possible, but I would have to be able to measure this. (As if I was going to count brush filaments every day...) At any rate, from the above experiment, brush algae survived quite well with less or little iron.

Light: I then let Duckweed, Water Lettuce and the like take over the surface of the aquarium. I let the tank sit for weeks, without liquid fertilizers or much light. Some harm came to the plants as they were starved for light, but the brush algae continued its takeover, unabated.

(Picture here shows an overgrowth of floating plants. The most prominent is Water Lettuce. It's actually quite pretty but prevents light from reaching plants down below.)

So, iron reduction and light reduction over two months did not reverse the brush algae problem. It is hard to measure if the brush stopped growing or even slowed down, but it was clear that it had not receded. One indicator is that new plant growth invariably became covered with brush.

Copper: Enter the more drastic approaches. I dosed one aquarium with Had-a-Snail, a product that contains Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate. I continued the treatment for several days but did not see an improvement.

Hydrogen Peroxide: I read success stories online where hobbyists used syringes to spot-treat infested plants with Hydrogen peroxide. I thought this to be great news. Seeking a lasting treatment that doesn't bring harm to plants and fish however, I was hesitant to drop H.P. in my tanks. Both Copper and Hydrogen peroxide are potentially hazardous to the fish and perhaps some plants.

(Photo on left shows pieces of Kleiner Bar Sword infested with brush algae. Jar on right was treated with 3% solution of Hydrogen peroxide, with no visible improvement after 24 hours.)

Nevertheless, I purchased a bottle and proceeded to experiment. Not wanting to put this solution in the aquarium, I cut leaves off a Kleiner Bar Sword and placed them in two separate small jars with RO water. The first jar served as a control for comparison, and was not treated. I added a many drops of H.P. in the second jar. Come next morning, both jars looked the same, with no improvement in the one that had received a treatment. I was expecting the brush to change color overnight. I added more Hydrogen peroxide and waited another 24 hours, again, no difference. I assume the solution may have been too weak.

CO2: Some are of the opinion that CO2 injection will alleviate or control brush algae. All of my aquariums receive injected CO2 from DIY yeast cannisters. The CO2 levels are always maintained because I alternat cannisters on a weekly basis. The mixture is thoroughly dissolved with Red Sea CO2 Reactor 500. Seen here on left. (Click link to read my first review of this product.) In other words, all my aquariums receive CO2 gas in relatively large quantities, which has dramatically improved plant growth. Nevertheless, it has not stopped the progression of brush algae.

Algaecide: I have also been using AlgaeFix as directed, which is safe for plants, and Barley straw extract as directed. I use these products as part of my aquarium maintenance procedures. They also have had no observed effect on brush algae. Perhaps they help in slowing it down, but since I have been using these products from the start, I have not been able to measure this.

I also tried a couple of products that claim to be able to kill blue-green algae. One such product was called UltraLife Blue-green Algae Remover. It was ineffective against brush algae.

Aquarium Parameters: I have four small aquariums of various size now, ranging from 35 gallons to 10 gallons. All my aquariums have a soil, flint, clay and gravel substrate. The largest tank also has 50% EcoComplete. I use Reverse Osmosis water only. I fertilize with PPS-Pro Poor Man's Drops only. My fixtures are home made jetting very bright light on the water ten hours a day. CO2 is injected in all tanks. All aquariums receive a large water change weekly. All but the smallest aquarium have brush. This tank has no algae at all. Likewise, it has no fish, only a few slow-growing sword plants.

Success: Finally, I tried a product called Flourish Excel. This is liquid organic carbon compound of some sort that bloggers say relieves brush algae. I have to concur. It is the only product that has shown marked improvement in the control of this tenacious brush algae. This is a long article for a few sentences to praise Excel, I know. But I wanted to show that I had also tried other things first.

I started overdosing the 20 gallon wide with Flourish in conjunction with the other previous treatments. The tank I've pictured throughout the article received Blue-Green Algae Remover as directed, Copper sulfate in daily small doses, as well as 30ml or Flourish Excel every day. Within days, the brush algae turned red. This was a significant change.

A time later, the fish started to nibble the brush away. They ate it directly off plants and substrate. It seems the treatment was making it less hardy. Somehow, the fish were finding it palatable. I took a video of fish eating Brush, and will post it to my blog soon.

A time later, the brush started lifting off the substrate. Tufts of brush started filling the filter intake. I interpreted this as a sign that it could no longer anchor itself properly. I was overjoyed. I continued the treatment.

A word of caution: 30 ml Excel in a 20 gallon aquarium is way more than directed. This is an overdose. It did not bring harm to fish, nor plants. However, I noticed that when mixed with AlgaeFix, fish became lethargic. I stock mostly Platies. Other fish may be much more sensitive to an overdose of Excel. Test accordingly.

(Picture above shows brush algae turned red after being treated with an overdose of Flourish Excel.)

Currently, the aquarium has a lot of mulm hovering where brush used to grow. Small creeping plants such as Four Leaf Clover and grasses are slowly re-taking the bottom where light is available. The brush growth has clearly fallen as it no longer covers new plant growth. New sword leaves are free and clear of brush.

(Picture on left shows 20 gallon wide as of this morning. Brush still exists near the bottom, but it no longer overtakes plants. I continue to treat it with Flourish Excel)

As far as my other aquariums are concerned, the large tank still has brush, but less than originally. The other 20 gallon aquarium has no brush algae to speak of. The only main ingredient in the fight against brush that was common to all three aquariums is the Flourish. As a matter of fact, the 20 gallon that did not receive Copper or Blue-Green Algae Remover is the one showing the most improvement. I've resumed regular PPS-Pro fertilizing in all three aquariums.

Cloudiness Caused by Substrate Dust (Part 2)

Here are BEFORE and AFTER pictures to show that substrate dust such as fine particles leached out of the substrate material can be effectively cleaned up in a few short hours with a water clarifier. TetraAqua's Water Clarifier works by binding the small water buoyant particles into larger ones that fall to the bottom of the aquarium.

BEFORE: This picture shows my new 20 gallon aquarium with cloudiness as it looked earlier today. The cloudiness is caused (I believe) by too much clay in the substrate. The fine particles become water suspended, which causes this thick fog. The turbidity is so intense, that I cannot see the plants in the background. Click on photo to enlarge.

WATER CHANGE: This second picture shows the aquarium immediately after a water change. There is improvement. There is still some turbidity and a lot of debris whirled around by the water change can be seen floating about. Click on photo to enlarge.

AFTER: Finally, here the tank appears perfectly clear two hours after adding TetraAqua's Water Clarifier. Platy fish appear happy and water is as clear as its ever been in this tank. Voila! Click on photo to enlarge.

It appears that TetraAqua's Water Clarifier does a terrific job and cleaning up fine dust particles suspended in the aquarium water, with no apparent harm to fish.

Cloudiness Caused by Substrate Dust (Part 1)

I have to write this because I've hit a nerve with a fellow hobbyist who is adamant that water clarifiers are useless.

This is not true in my experience. Although I would prefer to never use any kind of additive in my planted aquariums, I believe it is quite ok to experiment when faced with challenging difficulties.

For starters, cloudiness or what is referred to as turbidity, is simply water that is not clear because of stirred-up sediments, leached substrate particles, green water (single cell suspended algae), chemical reactions and so forth...

There are therefore different causes for cloudiness in the aquarium. I would make the assumption that likewise, there's a different cure for every different type of cloudiness problem.

Situations where water clarifiers are not effective:

In my experience, cloudiness such as green water cannot be cleared up by a water clarifier. Find the cause of the green water, and change the water.

Also, cloudiness may appear temporarily if you use an algae killer. This too cannot be cleared up easily with a water clarifier.

Clarifying substrate dusts:

Recently, I've mistakenly added too much clay in a new tank setup. I mixed an inordinate amount of pure kitty litter clay with potted soil, red flint and EcoComplete. After a few days, the clay dust began to rise up in the water and cause a very nasty "fog".

In order to reduce the cloudiness, I could have dismantled the aquarium and used a new substrate with less or no clay. Instead, I chose to raise the water change intervals. I followed with TetraAqua's WaterClarifier. The water clarifier liquid acts quickly by binding the fine dust particles together. They become less buoyant and sink to the bottom. Likewise, they become more easily trapped by water filters.

This process quickly clarifies the water. In my case, the water did not become 100% clear but the difference was obvious. The dust will continue to rise out of the substrate for some time. Eventually though, the water should be as clear as in any of my other tanks.

I will continue to use water clarifiers. I find them very useful to clear up dusts and fine particles quickly.

Brush Algae, not Hair Algae

The algae growth I am seeing in my 20 gallon wide aquarium is referred to as Brush Algae. It forms small 3 mm dark tufts on plant leaves and equipment. This feather-like algae can come in different colors such as the black seen in my tank, and also purple, gray and greenish-gray.

If the literature I found on the topic is correct, this is a type of red algae. Knowing this can help if you are looking for a chemical treatment. There is a variety that produces longer strands and is commonly called Beard Algae. There is also some referred to as Hair Algae, but mine looks more like what is described as brush; small feathery round tufts of short, fine black hairs.

I have no particular idea where the algae originated from. It may have been transported from fish added to the tank, or from store-purchased plants or even from plants exchanged with other hobbyists. It may be that the algae was present in the soil source used for substrate. It's an unlikely cause because store-purchased potting soils are sometimes sterilized. Alas, I have no idea how the algae gets into aquariums. It just does.

So unless you relish this aquarium inhabitant, the challenge is to prevent its growth, keep it under control or eliminate it altogether once it's established.

As far as I can read, algae takes nutrients from the water. Plants may take up nutrients from both the substrate and the water. So in theory, plants have an advantage. Some plants feed heavily from the bottom, while others seem to hardly make any underground roots.

My current experiment is to starve the algae by reducing the amount of available chelated iron in the water. I am doing this by altering my liquid fertilizer solution in measures described in a previous post. I am also going to increase the duration of the light period because more light hours will increase plant growth. Plants compete with the algae for nutrients. If the plants are growing faster and better, I make the assumption that the algae will have less of a foothold.

If this current try-out does not help the situation within a month or so, I will try a last resort method: Copper. There are no crustaceans in my aquarium and the plants I maintain will probably not suffer from a strong dose of copper sulphate. We'll see.

Controlling Hair Algae

I've been experimenting with chemicals to ward off a bloom of what appears to be hair algae in my established aquariums. The chemical products have had not effect so far. They have not even started to show any kind of progress as far as the hair algae that is already present in the aquariums.

Shown here is a 20 gallon tank with the beginning stages of a nasty black hair algae infestation. Click on image to enlarge.

I met up with fellow hobbyists this weekend and it was suggested that too much iron may be the cause. My aquariums do not have excess PO4. I use RO water exclusively, therefore, other than food and fish waste, the additives come from fertilizers and the soil substrate.

I must say, that PPS-Pro has worked wondrously for many months without any kind of hair algae. This is a recent problem.

For starters, I've already begun to reduce the amount of Iron chelate I add to the water. Instead of using the recommended PPS-Pro dosage, I re-mixed my drops with 1/5 Micro and 4/5 Macro solutions. I will dose daily with this blend and see what happens over time...

Algae Is Here (Part 5) Conclusion

In August 2007, I wrote a long post (see part 1 of this series) detailing all the different ideas I'd try out to reduce unsightly algae growth in my aquariums.

The conclusion to this series is long overdue. The reason it took me so long to finish writing about this is partly because the algae in my aquariums has been under control and has remained easily manageable.

I moved on from trying to control algae to actually enjoying my planted aquariums.

An Explanation

Out of all the things I tried, only a few seem to work well on a constant basis. One of the key elements is to find a method that is manageable on a day-to-day basis. That means polishing water, sticking Willow branches in the water or doing periodic blackouts is out of the question. Of course, these things may be of value given some circumstances, but resolving my algae problem involved finding something I could reproduce with same repeatable expected results. The following observations are not meant as sweeping statements, but rather a list of things that work in my aquariums.

Here's What I Found

PPS-Pro: This liquid fertilization method works. It's a recipe of different fertilizers. They are in proportional amounts to each other and mixed in a pure water solution. Doses are added to the aquarium every morning just before lights turn on. The dosage amount is an approximation. It is an overdose of sorts, to make sure the proper amount is given. At the end of the week, a partial water change nullifies any overdose. More info on PPS-Pro can be found on this web page.

CO2: I always added Carbon Dioxide to my aquariums but I am not convinced it was being mixed thoroughly with the water. I source my CO2 from yeast bottles. These are just recycled cola bottles in which I mix sugar, yeast and water. The mix ferments and releases CO2 through a valve glued to the cap of the bottle. The key change here is that the tube no longer feeds a bubble counter, but feeds into a CO2 reactor. The reactor is just a small pump and a vortex chamber that swirls water with CO2. Water is mixed thoroughly well and released into the aquarium. Some worry that yeast bottles do not produce a constant amount of CO2. This can be adjusted. I use two bottles per aquarium and change the mix on a weekly rotation.

Light: It seems to me, and also from what I read, that most aquatic plants need bright light. Of course, some species like Crypts need less light, but in general, bright lights are good. I changed my store-bought light fixtures to custom made fixtures. Why? I didn't want to pay upward of 300$ for plant growth fixtures, so I made my own for a few dollars. I inserted very bright 30 Watt, 2000 lumens, 64000K full spectrum bulbs in these fixtures and the rest is history.

RO Water: I no longer add well water or city water to my aquariums. The only water I use is reverse osmosis purified water from a Kent Maxxima RO filter. The device is expensive it provides almost 100% pure water with no impurities to speak of. I don't have to worry about water chemistry so much anymore because I know what goes into my aquariums.

Filtration: I don't really worry about this aspect. These are planted aquariums therefore, I only need a bit of mechanical filtration. I never use chemical filtration because this could removed important plant nutrients from the water. Biological filtration has never been a worry because as the tank ages, nitrifying bacteria eventually find their way in the tank and handle this aspect on their own. Therefore, I use Whisper hang on filters of appropriate size and change the filter pads every week or as needed. No mulm accumulation in my aquariums.

Other Additives

Every weekend, after a 40 to 50% water change, I add Tetra's EasyBalance. I like this product because it sets the PH around 6.5. It also contains Nitraban which is supposed to help control Nitrate. In reality, my PH is always around 6. It never surpasses 6.5 and never goes below 5.5. Fish and plants are happy.

I also add Tetra's Blackwater Extract. For some reason, I suspect fish and plants like this stuff. For one thing, Red Platies appear to be brighter in color. I also believe Cabomba carolinia likes this additive. Some think Blackwater tinges the water too much and prevents light penetration. I'm sure that's true to some extent but my tanks are so brightly lit that a bit of tea colored water doesn't affect plant growth.

I also add what's known as Barley Straw extract. This liquid has apparently been tested to reduce some types of algae. I've also used a product called AlgaeFix but in combination with the other additives, it produces temporary turbidity. I am currently not using it to see if I get more algae without it.

Before and After Pictures

With all this said, here are before and after pictures. The timespan between pictures is about 1 month. Judge the results for yourself. I may not be a good aquascaping artist, but for now, I have the growth aspect mastered at least.

BEFORE: 10 Gallon Aquarium

AFTER: 10 Gallon Aquarium

BEFORE: 35 Gallon Aquarium

AFTER: 35 Gallon Aquarium

Chemistry, parameters, and maintenance of my Aquariums

• Daily PPS-Pro liquid fertilization.
• 100% reverse osmosis (RO) water.
• Do-it-yourself C02: Yeast bottles.
• CO2 Reactor to mix CO2 with water efficiently.
• Custom light fixtures: Bright to very bright light.
• Rich substrate: Combination of EcoComplete, soil, clay, laterite, flint, gravel.
• As many plants as can fit in the tank.
• No more than 1 inch of fish per gallon.
• 50% water change every weekend.
• Tetra EasyBalance with water change.
• Tetra BlackwaterExtract with water change.
• Barley Straw Extract with water change.
• AlgaeFix with water change. (I no longer use this product)

Algae is Here (Part 4)

The algae bloom was problematic enough yesterday to make the water very cloudy and dirty up the front glass. I brushed off the front glass and did a 50% water change in both aquariums. While removing the water, I also cleaned out the hang-on filters and stuffed them with Barley straw. This product is meant to inhibit the growth of certain forms of algae. I read online that the method can be reproduced in laboratories but is not always successful on all types of algae. Time will tell. The product is good for six months. It's effect on algae occurs as it decomposes in the filter.

After the water change yesterday, I added the following conditioners:

EasyBalance: 10 ml per 10 gallons of aquarium water.
Tetra's Blackwater Extract: 10 ml per 10 gallons of aquarium water.
AlgaeFix: 14 drops per 10 gallons of aquarium water.
PH Down: As needed to keep the PH between 6.5 and 7.0.

(PH is already easily softened because of the water change using only Reverse Osmosis water.)

Following the water change and conditioning, a yellowish cloudiness appeared probably because the ingredients killed off some of the floating algae. The blackwater extract does tint the water a bit as well.

This morning, the aquariums are much clearer and the algae bloom has visibly subsided. It will be interesting to see if the algae on walls and plants regresses with time.

I want to mention that I added the blackwater extract because I have a hunch this might also have anti-algal properties. The Tetra product does not mention this, but one of the main ingredients is an extract of peat. I haven't found a direct link online but some limited information about tannic acid. I do recall that algae broke out rapidly in my aquariums after I stopped using peat. Can't place a direct cause and effect on this since that is not the only modification that might have cause algae.

I have not yet received all the ingredients for the PPS-Pro maintenance method. Therefore, I am holding off on fertilizers until I am able to begin the PPS-Pro routine. From now on though, I will do a 50% water change and continue with the above-mentioned conditioners if their combination show promise. This should not interfere with PPS-Pro.

Algae is Here (Part 3)

In the last couple of days, I've tried a couple of things to reduce algae. None of these tricks seem to be working.

1) Organic Carbon: I placed a very large amount of the Flourish Excel organic carbon liquid in my 10 gallon aquarium. This did not visibly reduce algae so far. The algae progresses, slowly covering gravel, glass, hardware and some plants. Furthermore, after adding the large dose, the Betta quickly died. The water is a bit cloudy too, which has never been a problem in this tank.

Furthermore, the organic carbon may be one of the sources of turbidity in my larger 35 gallon tank. Starting with a cleared up tank, I added trace elements. No turbidity after several hours. Then, I added a large amount of organic carbon. The aquarium became slightly cloudy. Perhaps this is what causes the incessant cloudiness I see in this larger aquarium whenever I change the water and fertilize.

2) Willow branches: Even if the Willow branches root and manage to uptake large quantities of Nitrites and Nitrates, this is not a permanent solution because the branches need to be removed once rooted. Not only that, but it's quite ugly: Stems sticking down into the aquarium landscape and thin Willow leaves strewn about on top of the canopy.

Things I intend to try next

1) PPS-Pro: I purchased all the fertilizers needed to dose the aquariums according to this simple method. This would be a sustainable method for controlling algae and fertilizing the aquarium IF it works. Once problem is that I don't have a solid understanding as to how to measure if the plants are taking up the right amount of these ferts.

2) Scottish Barley Straw: PPS-Pro could be complemented with this additive. If the Barley Straw in the filter doesn't cause any other side-effects, then I will use both methods together.

Once I start using PPS-Pro, I will put all other fertilizers aside. Hope to see the 35 gallon clear up permanently.

Algae is Here (Part 2)

I'm now collecting ideas on how to control algae. Will begin applying some of these as soon as I collected the necessary items.

1) Reduced Lighting: I am not going to reduce the intensity of the light, although that would probably help. The bright light is intended for those plants who do best in bright light conditions. The goal is to make sure it benefits the plants, not the algae. However, I do cover the sides of the aquarium with backdrop so that sun light may only enter the aquarium through the front glass.

2) Organic Carbon: I read somewhere that adding an organic source of carbon fertilizer helps clear out algae. I added a large amount of Flourish Excel yesterday evening. We'll see how this affects the aquarium. Incidentally, it seems to cloud up the water in my 35 gallon tank.

3) Polishing the Water: I inserted a product called Purigen in the filter media. This cleanses the water very well, but will it affect algae? Don't know. The combination of this and organic carbon was too much for my Betta. It died.

4) Willow Tree Branches: Someone suggests that Willow branches inserted in the aquarium water will absorb enormous quantities of Nitrate. The branches will form roots withing about 8 days and the algae will go away. Branches may be removed at that time otherwise they will compete with plants for nutrients. There are Willow trees in my neighborhood. I will try to get 2 feet clippings this morning.

5) Blackout: This is complete light deprivation, as opposed to reduced lighting. The lights are kept off for several days. The hope is that it kills off the algae before it kills off the plants. This is one option I'm not interested in. If I can't control algae during normal aquarium maintenance and operation, what's the point? I want to figure out optimum conditions for the aquarium so that plants flourish, water looks clear and algae is kept at a minimum.

6) Redfield Ratio: This seems like the best solution, if it works. Redfield suggests that by keeping Nitrate and Phosphate in balance, that blue-green and other types of algae can be avoided. The positive side of this method is that it can be applied and maintained continually as part of the normal operation of the aquarium. The downside is that it's often difficult to have precise measurements on Phosphate and Nitrate, especially at low levels.

7) Scottish Barley Straw: Arizona Aquatic Gardens recommends inserting authentic Scottish Barley straw to the aquarium filter. I'm very curious about this method and have ordered some of this product.

8) Chemicals: I have several bottles of algae control substances that I used in plantless tanks. Now that all my tanks have freshwater plants, I am not willing to control algae using these chemicals. Some of these claim to be plant-safe, but Baby Tears for example is known to have difficulty with algae control chemicals.

9) Raising Phosphate: My local aquarium club insists on lowering Phosphate while others in forums insist on raising it the keep algae at bay. Should I raise it back to 3 mg/l? I could always try this if everything else fails.

10) Allelopathy: This is not a method to combat algae in itself. It's a term that refers to a plant's ability to defend itself (very loose definition). Why is it for example, that the healthy leaves of a Water Wysteria have no algae on them while the tank is infested around it?

11) Fish: Some fish readily eat algae. I see Red Platies graze on it on the sides of my 35 gallon aquarium all the time. Even the Angel fish take part once in a while.

12) Water Temperature: Another curiosity. I reduced water temperature several degrees this week. Could that have contributed to the recent surge in algae?

13) PPS-Pro: (Perpetual Preservation Systems) Found this method here. Will give it a try.