Hair Algae Problems..

[G_Sharky]

Hi guys just wondering if anybody have any suggestions regarding on how to get rid of hair algae...my tank is 20 gallons US and here are the specs
light 6.5 watts per gallon
ph 6.8
kh 5 degrees
NO2 about 20-25 ppm
water change once a week
lights on for 9 hours straight
I have a couple of odessa barbs that i recently purchase and i could see that they are plucking on the algae, but i don't think they could keep up with it...I was thinking of purcahsing more, but that could upset my bioload...I need your help guys....it's all over my tank even on the glass...

 

[zig]

Ok well hair algae is usually associated with low co2 levels, i presume by No2 you mean co2 you need to increase this to a stable 30ppm throughout the photoperiod, are you using DIY co2 or pressurised co2? a tank with this much light over it really needs pressurised co2, you also dont give details of your fert routine, nitrate levels, phosphate, trace dosing etc. so its hard to give you any more advice, but my best guess would be a co2 issue. Adding any more algae eating fish wont really help improve matters, the algae will win in the end if you dont sort out whats causeing it.

 

[Sean_Buckley]

I would say that it is too much light, not enough CO2, too many or not enough ferts, or a combination of the above.
Sean

 

[G_Sharky]

For CO2 i`m using the nutrafin plant system and using a DIY mix with yeast and sugar...I do dose ferts
MON, TUE i dose phosphorus and pottasium(using the directions on the back)
Wed I dose 1/4 cap of Nitrogen
thurs I dose with 4 ml of potassium
Fri I dose 1/4 nitrogen
sat I dose 4 ml of potassium
sunday I dose 5 ml of tropica master grow
i also put some seachem root tabs on the gravel

 

[George Farmer]

As suggested you have a lot of light making any algae inevitable if one nutrient is even slightly off-balance.

Unstable CO2 levels will likely be the biggest culprit. Do you just have the one Nutrafin unit? Running two and changing the mixtures alternately would help keep levels stable.

In the mean time I would run half lighting, 3 Watts per Gallon is plenty and a lot more forgiving.

 

[G_Sharky]

thanks....I`ll try lowering down my light for now.....see what happens