What kind of Algae is this?

[Elisabeth83]

I noticed in my 30 gallon I have some funny looking algae sprouting from one of my silk plants. Theres only about 3 of them. They kinda look like little trees or kinda like a clump of hair

I did a search on google for algae but there was much stuff on algae I didn't know where to begin

Anyone know what kind it is? Good or Bad? Why it appears?

http/www.lissie.scorpiondata.com/100_17911.JPG

Guess I am just curious

 

[DarkSide]

Do you have any long-hired cats? Because I think that may very well be hair

 

[aqtaquaman]

May be the invisiable kind.

 

[fufanu360]

yeah it sorta looks like a hairball to me

 

[emo]

I had that on my live plants, had my lights on for 12 hours a day non-stop.

I think it's just a type of hair algae. Best way to remove it is to get a cotton bud (q-tip) put it in the middle of the algae and wind it round... it'll take a few minutes to get most of it. After that, lower the time your lights are on. I have mine on for 9 hours... using the siesta method suggested by 'gf225'

I have excellent results using a siesta; 4 hours on, 3 off, 5 on (9 hours total) working back from when I go to bed using a timer. It's important to have some light in the tank during the siesta period i.e. diffused daylight through a window. The plants 'think' this cloud cover but the algae is less responsive.

This cleared up all that stuff within a week! Just keep using the cotton bud to wind up any long bits. That should sort you out

 

[Elisabeth83]

haha no it isn't a hairball There were 3 of them growing from the leaves of my silk plant. I took one of them off...it easily came off just using my fingers. It's really cool Algae...it seems to kinda filter the water using all the long "hairs" stuff gets stuck in them.

I'll try to cut down on the lights...mine are usually on for about 12 hours a day..sometimes less but usually around 12 hours.

Thanks emo for your tips

 

[Angry_Platy]

I like the idea of the siesta thing. Now to get timers for all my tanks

 

[Dubby]

It looks like staghorn algae. Cutting down light using an ON-OFF appraoch as suggested would help.