HAIR ALGEA

[CFC]

Does anyone no of a way of getting rid of the black hair algea in my tank,i have tried everything i can think of,i've heavily planted it,cut down the number of hours the lights are on for,reduced nitrate levels down (although its still at 60ppm but thats how it comes out of the tap)and even tried expensive "anti hair algea"treatments,but everytime i think ive got it beat it reappears and soon infests every thing.I cant add hair algea eating fish as i have predatory fish and the only ones i know of would end up as lunch and since the tank is large (300ltrs)i cant afford to keep dosing with treatments (was costing £10 a week and still didnt clear it totally).Please tell me there's an effective way of getting rid of this menace i'm willing to try practically anything.

 

[William]

I think WWW trys a product called Nitrozorb or something, he swears by it says it reduces his nitrate concentration right down and can be recharged by salt water I think... he's from london also (i think ) so it should be easy to pick it up, I've never tried it though

The main trouble is that the conditions are right for it to grow, are the plants doing any good are they growing strongly? What you ideally need to do I think is lower the nitrate concentrations let the plants take a foothold and over time they should out compete the algae... easy in theory!!

 

[wetwetwet]

cfc - I sypathise...

Are you sure its hair algae? - long thin strands that grow off the edge of leaves etc.

...or more like black 'tufts' that grows in groups sometimes on the edge of leaves but can cover anything - rocks, decor etc...

The latter stuff is rather nasty...

Like you I have very high nitrate out the tap but am now keeping that in control (as william said) with a product called NitaZorb. Now running at about 20-30ppm down from 80-100+. About a tenner a pouce (on-line) (I've got one in a 400l tank) and rechargable using salt

Some I've heard don't rate it but works for me


Also since my algae problems I've also got a bit of a clean-up crew - 8 ottos, 8 amano shrimp (was ten ) and 4 SAEs - not much algae to worry about now


btw - not keen on adding chemicals as a fix - ....tooo bloody expensive for one

 

[CFC]

Unfortunately i have both kinds of black algea growing in the tank,but more of the hair algea than the tufty type.I have tried nitrazorb and another type called clearwater but neither seemed to do much before they were saturated,i'm currently trying something called nitrex,but again its been in a slow filter for 2 months now without any noticable results.Wish i could add SAE's and otto's but they would be lunch,i do have a pair of large bristle noses but they've decided they prefer a meat diet (mussles,cockles and lance fish)and have given up algea! Its nice to know that other people have had this problem and that it can be defeated i'll just have to keep at it .

 

[Captain]

Can you give more info on your tank?
- Size
- number of watts of light
- CO2 injection
- KH and pH
- fertilizers you use
- Is the tank heavily planted

The absolute best way to get rid of algae is to provide plants with
plenty of light, plenty of ferts, and plenty of CO2. The plants will grow
and the algae will start to disappear.