Need Urgent Help with Plants

[rubenhak]

Hi,

I've setup a plant aquarium with Fluval Chi 5gal. I've put just few plants in it. Its been 3 days it was set up. I notice some black "things" on the plants. Please see the pictures below. What does that mean and how to fight against this.






Any help is appreciated!

Thank you,
Ruben

[rubenhak]

Just came across an article about "Red Algae". Is that the one I'm currently experiencing?

"Red Algae: This is the worst algae you will encounter. This appears as blackish dots on aquarium plants, wood, etc. (aka:Black dot algae) It also appears like bunches of thread known as beard algae, or small clusters or tufts known as black brush algae. This usually appears in nitrate-rich water with ph over 7.0 (C02 deficient). This form of algae is very common to the cryptocoryne species of plants, and several others imported from Southeast Asia. This stuff is practically impossible to get off the leaves, I've heard of scraping it off the leaves with your fingernails, but I always seem to damage the leaves when I try to do this, and I can never get it all off so it grows right back. Just remove the leave is my best advice. Trim the plant back and get rid of all of it. Scrape it off any decorations, or if it is on the sides of your tank. Do a good water change and reduce the PH level if it is high. Adding or increasing your CO2 level will usually reduce the ph and prevent this stuff. Also, if your tank lights are getting old they could be losing their color spectrum and this will add to the problem. There are a few Algae eaters that will eat the beard Algae, such as Crossocheilus Siamensis (true Siamese flying fox from Thailand-no substitutions) but, even these little guys cannot do away with an infestation, or keep up with it if it is rampant."