Hair Algae

[nightowl2912]

hi all,
can any one help please iv got hair algae in the 15g tank and on my plants.
iv got some interpet anti hair algae will this besafe with my fish and shrimps
thank u
Andy

 

[adam98150]

We need more info on your tank otherwise we can't help.

 

[nightowl2912]

We need more info on your tank otherwise we can't help.

what info do u need

 

[AlexAndCarmen]

Get yourself a product called seachem Flourish excel. It will boost your plant growth and kill off brush algae no problem. I wouldn't recommend using algaecides, some use copper and the likes which kills shrimp.

 

[George Farmer]

We need more info on your tank otherwise we can't help.

what info do u need

Lighting, any CO2, ferts, planting (species and density), maintenance, water chemistry........the more info the better.

In a planted tank algae is caused by poor plant growth. Unless you identify the cause of the algae i.e. why your plants aren't growing well enough then algae treatments simply delay the inevitable - more algae.

Most have algae because they aren't planted heavily enough. IME a "lightly" planted tank will always suffer from algae at some stage.

 

[nightowl2912]

hi all i get back to u with the info,
but it looks like it may be staghorn and not hair algae

Andy

 

[nightowl2912]

We need more info on your tank otherwise we can't help.

what info do u need

Lighting, any CO2, ferts, planting (species and density), maintenance, water chemistry........the more info the better.

In a planted tank algae is caused by poor plant growth. Unless you identify the cause of the algae i.e. why your plants aren't growing well enough then algae treatments simply delay the inevitable - more algae.

Most have algae because they aren't planted heavily enough. IME a "lightly" planted tank will always suffer from algae at some stage.

hi George,
lighting 36w compact

co2 pressurized

ferts sera florena

plants java moss 8" x 3" amazon sword x2 (8" h) vallisneria gigantea x8 (2"-20") vallisneria spiralis x6 (4")
2 that i dont know and a unbrella fern 6" just removed elodea densa hornwort java fern

water chemistry 10mins after light out

po4 2.5

kh 12 degree

ph 7.6

nitrate 0ppm

ammoinia 0ppm

nitrite 0ppm

maintenance 2-3x a week
water changes 1 a week 20l

 

[George Farmer]

Your CO2 is too low. With KH 12 you need a pH of around 7.1 to acheive 30ppm CO2.

If your zero nitrate (NO3) reading is correct then this is not good news either, especially with a relatively high PO4 reading. Low NO3 may stunt plant growth that may help trigger algae. KNO3 will help.

Removing your hornwort and eledea may have also contributed. Now you are left with no fast growing stem plants (unless an "unbrella fern" is?)

Get your CO2 sorted. Double check NO3 levels and adjust if required, aim for approx. 20ppm NO3 if PO3 is 2.5ppm. Plant with some fast growing stems.

 

[nightowl2912]

hi george,
thank u for that
i 4got to say that my CO2 is on with my light, my light comes on at 7:30 and off at 21:00
do u think i should leave my CO2 on 24-7, and can you give me a name of a fert that has got kno3 in it please

Andy

 

[George Farmer]

You could try 24/7 CO2, or just up your bubble rate.

Seachem Flourish Nitrogen and Kent Botanica Nitro+ contain NO3. Dry powder Potassium nitrate (KNO3) is much cheaper. http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...products_id=522

 

[craynerd]

Just my two pence worth, george has given good advice.

Increase CO2 and leave it on 24/7, add 10-15 ppm nitrate every other day (all that has been said) however, you haven`t said what photoperiod you have. If its solid i would reduce it to about 9 hours with a siesta. Something like 3-2sieasta-6.
Plant growth will seriously reduce however hopefully it should clear up the algae problem after a week.

Then you can take ur CO2 to just lights on again (so you are not wasting much CO2, personally mine runs 24/7 period!) increase your photoperiod (maybe even remove the siesta) and continue the nitrate dosing.

I have had a hairalgae issue a while ago with my tank and after several approaches, i found it easy to attack it hard then calm down. It just gets the problem cleared quicker.

Good Luck

Chris

 

[George Farmer]

Interesting you suggest a siesta Chris. I think these can work due to the build-up of CO2 during the dark period. However if CO2 levels are appropriate to start with then a constant 9 or 10 hour photoperiod IME is better for plant growth - and therefore algae reduction.

 

[JamesC]

Never been convinced with siesta's either. Theory is that algae takes longer to adapt to the light so breaking up the light during the day will give the plants the advantage. As has been already suggested good CO2 is the answer here. I put as much in as I dare during the day, but turn it off at night just in case there is a CO2 overdose.

 

[Fillet 'O' Fish]

Hi
Obviously all the advice form George etc is A1 and should be tried first. However I had similar issues and could not get rid of the hair algae, but started using Seachem Flourish and Florish Excell as my ferts rather than the various Dennerle products, and it cleared it up within days !!
(he says trying to find a piece of wood to touch )

 

[nightowl2912]

thank u george, and all,
i'll drop my light on time down from 13.5hrs too 10hrs i'v uped the bubble rate too about 3-4 a sec,
i'll pickup some Seachem Flourish excell and Seachem Flourish nitrogen and i'll send off for some
Dry powder Potassium nitrate.
and i'll see how it gose

thank u all again,

Andy