hair algae

[xXMrBonesXx]

well I'm pretty sure I'm an idiot and put too much fertilizer in and now it looks like black hair is growing on my plants, is this good or bad algae, I've been doing my best to just pull it off with my fingers but it keeps growing and growing. I've been doing about 15% water changes a day lately too, not sure if its working yet because I'm only on day 2

 

[Lateral Line]

Most people regard the black hair or beard algae, (it is actually a red algae species), as one of the worst kinds. It is usually present where there are excessive nutrients, and is very difficult to get rid of whilst that condition continues. SAE's will eat it if hungry, but few other algae eating fish will.

That said, what is good and what is bad depends to some extent on the taste of the aquarist, I guess there are those who like it, although I can't imagine why.

 

[Scougie]

I had this and it's a nightmare. The advice I got from my LFS was to plant more plants, as many as possible. So I did. loaded the tank with Vallis it grows quickly and it out competed the hair algae for the nutrients in the water. As well as doing that I pulled the leaves of most of the affected plants. After a week the hair algae was almost gone. The result is a heavily loaded planted tank that actually looks very nice!

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

well i've been doing water changes (about a 50%er) today cause its starting to effect the inside glass, ive been pulling the hair algae off with my fingers and oddly enough it feels just like hair lol, and i dont know if i have the lighting for a heavy planted tank, its a 32 gallon tank and i have 40 watts of light (1 Sun-Glo + 1 Flora-Glo) but im thinking of switching the Flora-Glo with a Life-Glo

 

[Da_Oz]

Less Iron. Iron is what cuases hair.

 

[konrad05]

I fertilize with mainly iron and I don't get algae. I had hair algae when I started out though, 3 siamese algae eaters took care of it all within a week.

 

[Da_Oz]

http/www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_algae.htm

 

[Lateral Line]

Da_Oz:

I am fairly sure Bones is talking about black hair algae, not "blanket weed". Hair/beard algae is usually associated with excess nutrients in general, not specifically iron.

Something, for example, that encourages it like nothing else are the pH adjusting chemicals people are sold to "correct" their water. These things are just full of phosphates which algae really love. Bad stuff.

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

Red algae: Also called Black Beard Algae (bba), or Black Brush Algae. Short hairs (1/4" long), closely packed together. Appears dark green, black, or dark red. Grows on plant leaves, and sometimes on decorations/substrate. Often grows all around the edges of plant leaves.

that one fits the situation perfectly

so I'm guessing I'll have to go the Siamese Algae Eater way or the more nitrate way but since i have no clue how much to add I'll try some algae eaters, appox. how many for a 32 gallon tank, theres a lot of this type of algae

 

[Lateral Line]

SAE's are a shoaling fish best kept in groups of at least 3. They grow to over 4"/100mm often larger, so be sure you have enough tank space. There are several very similar looking fish that are often sold as SAE's. These others do not eat the algae, and can be quarrelsome. The important features are to be sure the black stripe goes from the snout all the way, including through the tail fin, and the edges of the black stripe are not dead straight, they are serrated, with a FF for example, the line has a straight edge. The other fins should be largely unmarked.

SAE's are not available all year and sometimes difficult to find, but they are a very useful fish.

 

[tear-scar]

This photo journal of mine has some pics of true SAE for help with identification . . .

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...st=0&hl=journal

 

[Gil]

This is exactly the problem I am having. Thanks to everyone for your posts and pictures on the subject. Are SAE available in the UK?
TIA

 

[zoraak]

I found out two ways of dealing with hair algae. One is risky and the other is drastic:

1: starve the hair algae. The cheapest yet risky move is to allow the green algae a free reign on the back and side tank glass. They will simply starve the hair algea (even your plants if you are not careful). They’re so efficient that you might even get 0 nitrate readings!

2: the drastic measure is to take the plant or decoration which has hire algae, soak it in a mild bleach and water solution maximum of 4 minutes for plans.