Hair Algae

[markybruv]

Hi, my name is Mark and i have been keeping fish (mainly cichlids) for nearly 25 years, and i have just recently been blighted with hair algae, i have never had this problem before and it's doing my nut in. The tank is a 55 gal with 2 channa bleheri, 2 small (4-5") oscars, and 2 small catfish, the water parameters are Nitrite =0 Nitrate =5 ammonia =0 and PH=7.4. Is there a non toxic and natural remedy to this problem? The lights are on for 10-12 hours a day and the tank is quite well planted, plenty of bogwood and a fine substrate. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[glolite]

Remove as much algae as possible manually.

Reduce lighting to 8 hours

Don't use fertilisers with phosphates in

Increase aeration with large/larger airstone

If this doesn't work consider 3 day blackout.

Hope this helps as hair algae can be a real pain, unsightly too.

 

[bagu]

id say remove as much as possible manually

big water change (to remove spores i believe)

then a 3 day blackout as mentioned above =]

also, id love to see some pics!

 

[Truck]

Don't use fertilisers with phosphates in

why???

NPK and other traces DO NOT cause algae...they feed it...some of the best planted experts in the world can grow wonderful plants...and dose a fair ammount of PO4 without getting any growing algae...the best method would to be increase flow...and dose CO2...it may also be worth telling us what lighting you have over your tank...T5's or t8's? and what wattages and what size tank and how deep?

 

[markybruv]

Thanks glolite, bagu and truckasauras, cheers for replying, i'll give those ideas a go


The tank is 20" deep and running 2xT8 tubes @ 40W each, fluval 405 doing the clean business.

bagu, video is on www.youtube.com/thewebmonkey9