Vallisneria Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 I"m battling a hair algae problem at the moment and was wondering what causes hair algae. Here are a couple stats on my tank. 20gH 3x15w lights flourite substrate Hagen CO2 system(same as the DIY) 50% water changes weekly plants Crypts, swords, vals, giant hygro, and java moss Ferts Flourish Excel(daily) Flourish(2 times a week) KNO3(2 times a week) potassium phosphate(2 times a week) root tabs(every couple months) A few weeks ago I noticed that there was some hair algae growing on my vals. It isn't the bright green stuff, its more of a greyish/black/brown color. Its also very easy to wipe off the leaves. I"ve been trying to clean as much as I can off but it comes back in a few days. I"ve also added the DIY CO2 in hopes that more co2 will help and I wasn't sure if the flourish excel was enough. SO far I haven't noticed an improvement with the DIY co2 added. So now i'm wondering what causes hair algae or what hair algae indicates. Am I adding too much fert? Not enough fert? I have a ton of algae eating fish(2 BN plecos, algae shrimp and 5 zebra snails) but they dotn' seem to be eating it. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgmac Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Whenever I see hair algae in my tank I am sure that it is a direct result of not enough CO2. My tank is also experiencing some hair/fuzz algae now. Things that I am planning to do to try to help the situation: TAke out my AC200 filter and put in a powerhead with filter attachment and run CO2 into the venturi outlet of the powerhead. (I have an Eheim filter so won't be going without filtration) I will also be getting back into a more normal routine of fertilizing the plants, root tabs and liquids. I used to run a Hagen ladder with my home built CO2 reactor, and just had trouble getting enough CO2 to dissolve in the water. Maybe switch to a powerhead to distribute your CO2. I have read on other plant forums where lots of people are having success with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 but wouldn't the flourish excel be adding enough carbon(or whatever it adds)? I add 2ml each day of the flourish excel but lately i've been adding 4ml as its been recommended I double it to help with the hair algae. Since doubling the flourish doesn't seem to be working this time I decided to also add the DIY co2 bottle. So with 4ml a day of flourish excel and the diy co2 you still think I dont' have enough CO2 in this tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted October 16, 2006 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 How are you diffusing the CO2? Like cgmac says, those ladders don't really diffuse it that well. I have had best success bubbling CO2 into the intake of a powerhead, thus distributing a fine mist of CO2 throughout the tank. How fast is the Hygro growing? If you're not having to trim it at least every week, then I'd say CO2 is the limiting factor; and, therefore the reason the algae is able to have a foothold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted October 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Right now i'm using the CO2 ladder. IF I watch the bubbles they are almost completely dissolved by the time they get to the top. I guess I can bubble the co2 into the filter or maybe I can find a powerhead. The hygro is relatively new. I just added it 2 weeks ago. It seems to be growing ok, not super fast but I think that is becuase its changing its leaves to the underwater kind. So far I have new leaves coming from each node on the stem. I'll fiddle with the CO2 a bit more. Can I just add more flourish excel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 You can add more Excel if you don't really like your Val - at double dose mine (2 spp) melted like it was a Crypt moved from soft to hard water! You may just have to wait 'til the Hygro catches up, or add some floating plants (not duckweed!!) for a temp nutrient sponge. I'd still up the CO2, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted October 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 I guess I'll keep trying things untill I find something that helps. I"ll try to diffuse the Co2 better and I can add a bit of water wisteria to helps things out untill the hygro starts really growing. Man, plants are much more work then fish,lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted October 17, 2006 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 Man, plants are much more work then fish,lol Once they get established, the only maintenance will be trimming the Hygro, and thinning out the Val. Patience.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOSStile Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 On my 55 I maintained the C02 and dropped the ferts and my plants out competed the hair algae for nutients and the algae disappeared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted October 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Well the hair algae is still around. I've been trying to clean out as much as I can so the tank look cleaner but the algae is still growing back. I changed the DIY co2 so now its an airstone and the bubbles flow into the filter intake. So far I haven't noticed a change in the growth of the plants. I'm also still adding 2ml of excel each day. I removed the vallisneria as the algae seemed to be growing on it the most I replaced it with some water wisteria. Hopefully it will grow a bit faster then the vals were. So the battle continues :boxer: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ichthyosporidium Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Here is an interesting thread on hydrogen peroxide algae treatment. I have used it in the past with great sucess. I use hydrogen peroxide regularily in my hydroponic gardens and have also used it to revive sickly terrestrial plants as well. Read the thread thoroughly before deciding on whether or not to use this technique. Hydrogen peroxide Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted October 24, 2006 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 As I was looking at my planted tank today, I realized that it's likely impossible to be rid of all algae, all the time - I have a couple clumps of hair algae trying to grow. I don't have any algae crew, yet - SAEs just went in the tank, no BNs, no Amano shrimp yet. The algae crew is, IMO, a necessary part of the planted tank - if you're going to be using ferts, at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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