Hair Algae

[ash_sherwood]

hi guys, new to this site as of last night, my problem is hair/fur algae. I have a juwel 125l rio tank. i have had the tank for around a year now. in the past 4 months this hair/fur algae has been non stop. i cannot get rid of it. i cleaned the tank back and sides and front, vacummed the gravel scrubbed all the deco and watched it all come back in this past 2 months. i am not going to give up on getting rid of it, but i want to start a planted tank and fear that unless i get rid of it it will just attatch to the live plants. any ideas or anyone got any experience in this. here is a picture of my bridge, it is also covering some other deco and the internal filter box.

http/i143.photobucket.com/albums/r147/ash-ov-cott/382582_10150970627190048_706100047_21593383_214071265_n.jpg

 

[This Old Spouse]

Is it possible to get a better photo?

 

[the_lock_man]

Suffering big algae problems myself, but plants will help the situation, by outcompeting the algae for the available nutrients.

How long are your lights on for?

 

[ash_sherwood]

yes good point, but i am worried they will grow hair algae on the leafs etc. the lights are on for around 7 hours a day no longer. here are some slightly better pictures.

 

[the_lock_man]

Looks like black brush algae to me, which is caused by fluctuating CO2 levels.

Ironically, the advice for this, so I understand, is LESS water changes, or to leave your new water to stand for 24 hours. Many water companies inject CO2 into their water, to help protect the pipes from corrosion, and the algae reacts quicker to the changing CO2 levels than any plants. You don't have any plants, so.......

Yes, this algae will grow on plants as well.

 

[ash_sherwood]

so if i dont do any water changes it will go? thats what i'm stuck on.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Less water changes and more circulation.


I believe manual removal is the best method initially. Take out the decor, and scrub them down with a new toothbrush. Then decrease water changes, cut back on the photoperiod, and increase the circulation in the tank.

 

[ash_sherwood]

Less water changes and more circulation.


I believe manual removal is the best method initially. Take out the decor, and scrub them down with a new toothbrush. Then decrease water changes, cut back on the photoperiod, and increase the circulation in the tank.

took all the decor out today, hot water, bathroom nailbrush lol, old toothbrush, removed nearly all BBA off all decor, side of tank glass, few bits of stones and a little vacuum up, so going to monitor the situation and see how it goes, haven't put all the decor back as planning on getting some live plants and dont want these rubbish artificical ones. so see how it goes.

 

[Dan-CR4]

I was fighting hair algae for around 8 months, was a right git to shift. eventually I added more plants and injected co2 I have now been hair algae free for for around 4 months, not sure if the plants or co2 got rid of it or combination of both, but i know what your going through, just stick with it and as said remove as much as you can manually.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Looks like black brush algae to me, which is caused by fluctuating CO2 levels.

Ironically, the advice for this, so I understand, is LESS water changes, or to leave your new water to stand for 24 hours. Many water companies inject CO2 into their water, to help protect the pipes from corrosion, and the algae reacts quicker to the changing CO2 levels than any plants. You don't have any plants, so.......

Yes, this algae will grow on plants as well.

funny enough im am suffering the same but green hair algae, circulation is more then enough with 2 1200's. mine grows on the spray bars and all over the plants

 

[snazy]

I know I shouldn't joke, and I am sorry for what you are going through with this problem, but on the pictures the algae even looks cute, especially on the bridge

 

[Brett_dale]

as mentioned i dont believe you have hair algae.

Currently going through a hair algae problem in my new tank, for me its the lighting, im seeing amazing plant growth but also a mass of hair algae (need to swap out the marine white light). Control wise iv been using amano shrimp, watched one the other day sit on a java fern leaf and clean the whole thing, problem is i need more of them

 

[BigbruiserAl]

as mentioned i dont believe you have hair algae.

Currently going through a hair algae problem in my new tank, for me its the lighting, im seeing amazing plant growth but also a mass of hair algae (need to swap out the marine white light). Control wise iv been using amano shrimp, watched one the other day sit on a java fern leaf and clean the whole thing, problem is i need more of them

thats not solving the problem imo that just masking it

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I disagree. If you have inhabitants in your tank and they eat all the algae that is produced, that sounds like a balanced system to me. Now, if you add chemicals to kill the algae, that is masking it. Using algae growth to feed your shrimp is a fine system, if you ask me. And I think the shrimp will be healthier that way than if you feed them any other type of food.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

I disagree. If you have inhabitants in your tank and they eat all the algae that is produced, that sounds like a balanced system to me. Now, if you add chemicals to kill the algae, that is masking it. Using algae growth to feed your shrimp is a fine system, if you ask me. And I think the shrimp will be healthier that way than if you feed them any other type of food.

And what happens when the shrimp die they cant raise shrimplets in fresh water they need brackish i believe