Thread Algae

[Themuleous]

Ive got a massive thread algae (or could be hair, certainly looks more like thread, will try and get a pic on here this wkd) problem.

I have upped the NO3 to around 30ppm, CO2 has always been running at between 30 and 45ppm, and Ive got 6 amano and 1 tiger shrimp in there. Is there anything else I could do? Add more shrimp perhaps? BTW is there a standard stocking density for amano shrimp?

Thanks people

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

Ive got a massive thread algae (or could be hair, certainly looks more like thread, will try and get a pic on here this wkd) problem.

I have upped the NO3 to around 30ppm, CO2 has always been running at between 30 and 45ppm, and Ive got 6 amano and 1 tiger shrimp in there. Is there anything else I could do? Add more shrimp perhaps? BTW is there a standard stocking density for amano shrimp?

Thanks people

Sam

I am in the same boat, Sam! I have also heard that potassium levels may also have something to do with hair algae/thread algae. I'm battling this as well and my heart goes out to you. It sucks. I've upped my Nitrogen, Potassium, and CO2 to see if that helps. It's not rampant, yet, but it's still annoying.

llj :

 

[Themuleous]

Glad to hear Im not alone! Mine might very well have something to do with the major haircut I give the HM (ordered some replacement plants, woohooo!) as before it was largely under control, but since that the plants have not grown nearly as well and that may have allowed the algae to get a better foot hold.

Ive not heard the thing about the potassium, but worth a try!

 

[lljdma06]

Glad to hear Im not alone! Mine might very well have something to do with the major haircut I give the HM (ordered some replacement plants, woohooo!) as before it was largely under control, but since that the plants have not grown nearly as well and that may have allowed the algae to get a better foot hold.

Ive not heard the thing about the potassium, but worth a try!

Happened to me when I did a major haircut too. I think it's the drop in biomass. I need new plants, but can't get them until I move back to Miami. Then I'll have a great big order!

Actually thinking about putting HM in my nano. You think it'll grow bushy with 3WPG? I like the combo with HM, HC, and a tonina, and then the endlers for fish. What do you think? Sorry to be off topic.

 

[Themuleous]

Sounds like a good idea the only thing ive found with HM is that it gets quite long and leggy a bit like a stem plant and in my very short tank it looks its best when growing along the surface of the water rather than upright in the water coloum. This situation however is not what I wanted hence the hair cut. I guess what I'm saying is that I'll look much better in a taller tank where it is given more space to grow upwards for longer before being cut back.

You could be right out the biomass, the amount of HM i cut out probably accounted for 40-50% of the total biomass, thats another problem with small tanks, no margin for error!

Hopefully going to convert my main tank to a low-light one this month, will keep you posted.

Sam

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Just think though Sam,

When it comes to doing a non nano tank, it should be a breaze!
Thats what im telling myself anyway.

Oh and i also have noticed some hair algea just apearing in my cube, not sure what im going to do with it yet, im getting amano shrimp x3 tomorrow to add to my 3 cherry shrimp and about 12 MTS, its my A-Team.Get to work troops!!!!!

 

[Themuleous]

Haha yeh thats what I keep telling myself -> if i can master the nano, anything else will be a breeze!

I'm soo tempted to chuck like 50 amano shrip in the nano, that ought to do something for the algae

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Yeh, send them i on the offencive!
CHARRRRGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Takashi Amono puts loads into a tank just to get rid of the algea, and then removes them, but where do you move them too, yet more tanks!!!

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh thats what I was wondering! Its all very well using millions but you gotta keep them somewhere in between! I guess I could just put them on rotational exercise round my tanks, they'd then be used to working in difference environments. I could train them up to be SAS shrimp, working in all over the place!

 

[Graeme Edwards]

Deffinetly

 

[Themuleous]

Anyone else have any advice?

 

[zig]

Double check your CO2 levels

Take a sample of your tankwater and let it sit for 24 hours and then do a Ph test on this sample, if the water in your tank is testing 0.8 0r 1.0 full Ph unit below the sample then you are hitting 30ppm CO2, this is a really good way to double check your CO2 levels.

What type of trace are you dosing and how much do you dose each week?

And when you say massive hair algae, do you mean you have lots all of a sudden or?

 

[Themuleous]

Ill give that a try Zig, cheers great way of checking.

Im using the aquaessentials trace mix and dosing as recommended. I'm not 100% certain I got the dilution rate right when I first mixed it up but I reckon it cant be far off if not. Could that be it?

I mean its been getting worse for a few weeks, but now has totally covered the HM, much worse than ever before.

All that said I went a bit mad yesterday on the way home from work and got 10 more amano shrimp which makes 16 and 1 tiger. Got up this mo and about 80% of the thread algae has gone!

WOOHOOOOOO BREAK THROUGH!

But it sounds from what you're saying as if there may be an underlying cause Zig so would be good to tackle that as well. The more I think about it the more I think it might very well have been to do with the big loss of the HM when I did the prune, but let me know what you think any

Thanks Zig

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

YEAH SAM!!! Cleaned most of mine off today, but I will remember amano shrimp for the future, especially for the nano and the 15g. I managed to save all of my plants, the infestation wasn't too bad. Sam, Siamese algae eaters also do thread algae, correct? Amano shrimp are not such a great option for the 36g, which will have tiger barbs and chain loaches.

Glad for you, and know how you feel.

llj

 

[Themuleous]

Yeh would think SAE would probably be better for a 36g purely due to the cost of getting enough shrimp!