Hairy Green Algae

[Spinal]

This is REALLY driving me bonkers! Some of my plants (not all strangely enough) are COVERED in a lush growth of some form of algae. Its short (1cm or less) and grows like hair covering every part of the plant. My foxtails and another plant I'm not sure of the name are most affected, while most other plants don't seem to have any!

I don't really know the name of the algae, if necessary, I can get a camera to get some pics, but in the meantime; does anyone have any ideas?

I turned off CO2 and stopped ferts a month ago, no change. I tried an anti-algae treatment, no chage...

I might try a 4-day blackout, even though I read that they are ineffective against most algae.... bah!

Michele

 

[Underwurlde]

ID that algae:
http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

A blackout will work - but there must be NO chink, NO peeking, NO feeding.

CO2 is about 95% the root cause of algae related issues.
CO2 info: http/www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57706

Just do a lot of focusing on CO2 if you use it - IT MUST BE STABLE - aim for 30ppm.
Get that CO2 into the water! - http/www.barrreport.com/articles/41-diy-...-co2-users.html
Less light is better than more.
Lots of plants from day one - minimum 50% coverage.

With low light you have less algae all the way around: Adding high CO2 to a low light tank yields perhaps the best growth per watt of light you can do. Algae prefer CO2 like plants, but need very, very little (much less than plants). What algae need more than plants is a lot of light.

Less light = less nutrient demand.
More light = more nutrient demand.

Algae versus Plants:
In a planted tank there is a constant battle between lower plants (algae) and higher plants (normal plants we want to grow).

Basically if plants grow well then algae doesn’t, and vice versa. Algae’s worst nightmare is a tank full of healthy, growing plants: the better the growth the less likely algae has a chance. This is why fast-growing plants (generally stem and floating) are ideal algae-busters.

The reasons for this are fairly complex but put simply plants produce alleochemicals when growing. These chemicals act like a form of chemical warfare known as alleopathy - it is a principle found throughout nature in plant forms and includes even marine corals. It is this alleopathy that fights off algae.

Action:
Get that CO2 back on!! And test for levels!
Continue dosing ferts - get those plants to grow!
EI Dosing: http/www.barrreport.com/estimative-index...-test-kits.html
Perhaps reduce lighting - see pinned articles.

Andy

 

[nry]

The only way I can not get that in my low light tank (at least without spending on some better CO2 stuff) is to limit light to a 7.5 hour period. Any more and it goes mad. A blackout will likely get rid of it, but it may come back, the blackout is not dealing with the reasons behind the outbreak and its continued presence.

 

[Spinal]

Ok, I've ID'd it...
Hair, Thread and Fuzz Algae
In the rear-top (closer to the bulbs) some of the strands are getting VERY long...

I'm running at 2/2.2 WpG, used to do EI before I cut all my ferts and CO2 off...

I popped by my LFS and they had a chemical remover for Green Hair Algae, I'll give that a shot... (especially as that site says "no apparent problem"). Lets hope it works and doesn't kill my inverts....

Michele

 

[Underwurlde]

...used to do EI before I cut all my ferts and CO2 off...

Can I ask you why?

I popped by my LFS and they had a chemical remover for Green Hair Algae, I'll give that a shot... (especially as that site says "no apparent problem").

This will not solve the CAUSE of the problem. The algae will come back!

Lets hope it works and doesn't kill my inverts....

Check to see if it uses COPPER. If it does, then your shrimp may not survive!

GL

Andy

 

[Spinal]

Why did I stop ferts and CO2? Because of the algae! I've been fighting it for... oh, 3 months roughly now! I was told that it might be an excess of ferts, so if I cut ferts and CO2 the plants should out-compete the algae... hmmmm....

As for the chemical, that is something I have to keep to mind, but as I can't find a cause I really don't know what to do!

I checked for copper, it said nothing, so I asked the LFS teller, who had no clue, who in turn asked the manager who said it should be safe for inverts... fingers crossed!

Michele

 

[George Farmer]

As suggested, turning off CO2 will increase algae issues with your lighting, as will stopping ferts - this is assuming you are heavily planted.



How heavily planted are you i.e. how much of the substrate is covered?

What is foxtail?

I consider a "planted" tank to have at least half of the substrate covered. Less than this and the plant growth has a hard time competing with algae for light and nutrients.

A blackout is only really effective against BGA (cyanobacteria).

My advice -

1. Manually remove as much algae as possible, throw away any highly infected leaves/plants.
2. Do a 50+% water change and clean filter.
3. Plant heavily (75% substrate covered) with lots of fast weeds i.e. Hygrophila polysperma, Egeria densa. Most LFS should have some. Look at getting around 50+ stems per 20G.
4. Start CO2 at a stable 30ppm. If using yeast-based then change mixture weekly to keep it stable.
5. Photoperiod 10 hours max. No siesta. Use a timer.
6. Once plants start to grow - they should pearl with your light and CO2 then start dosing ferts.
7. Change 50% water weekly. Clean filter monthly.
8. Once the algae has gone then you can replace the weeds with "nicer" plants. Keep it heavily planted.

Look after the plants, they are the best defence against algae. Neglect them and see the algae grow.