Re: Diatom Bloom

[Frauley Elson <fraulels@videotron.ca>]

I find cyanobacteria will eat up my water changes, but if I turn off the
lights for a week to ten days, the 'algae' will die. Since I keep plants
like Bolbitis, Anubias, Crypts etc, pulling out affected plants would
set me back months.
-Gary

"David K. Bowers" wrote:
> 
> I got quite a heavy cyanobacteria culture going on a 20 long when I
> converted it to a planted tank and placed a 55 watt power compact over it.
> My cabombas were covered in the slime as was the heater.  I removed the
> slime by throwing away the plants and cleaning the heater, did a big water
> change, added a whole lot more plants to take up the extra nutrients and
> haven't had a problem since.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Dave
> 
> > Cyanobacteria are not algae, but they look and act much like some types of
> > true green algae. They are commonly referred to as blue-green algae and
> > sometimes as "slime" algae. They form a very dark-green (sometimes almost
> > black) film that can spread out and blanket anything that doesn't get out
> of
> > its way.
> >
> > Like true green algae, cyanobacteria also bloom in response to heavy
> > nutrient loads, and in thriving tend to remove these excess nutrients from
> > solution. The important difference is that blue-green algae produce
> poisons
> > (known as cyanotoxins) that can and will kill fish and other aquatic life.
> > Not to cause a panic, as physical removal of the cyanobacteria mats and
> > regular water changes will protect most fish even in the face of an
> ongoing
> > bloom ("infection"). However, left unchecked, the poisons will accumulate
> > and the fish will eventually get sick and die.
> >
> > I'm not sure whether the fish die as a direct result of the toxins, or
> > indirectly as a result of opportunistic infections attacking weakened
> fish.
> > Probably either, depending on the age, species, and overall health of the
> > fish in question. I do know that fish, clearly heavily stressed and "sick"
> > in the presence of a heavy blue-green algae bloom, can make quite quick
> and
> > dramatic recoveries when the bulk of the algae is removed and the water is
> > 50-80% changed.
> >
> > One reason I felt I needed to speak up here was Bonny's statement that her
> > tank is brightly lit. When I think of diatoms, I think of the brown film
> > ("brown algae") that tends to grow in the back corners and other low light
> > situations rather than under bright light. I may be wrong here. Others
> with
> > more knowledge feel free to correct me.
> >
> > I do know that cyanobacteria can grow under fairly modest light, but can
> > also thrive in bright light, even full, direct sunlight.
> 
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