Thread Algae

[blue acara]

Over the last 2 days my dwarf hair grass has been covered in this annoying algea. Will blocking out the light for 3 days kill it/ is there anyway to stop it coming back? ive got 47 watts over a 5.5 gallon so mabie its too much light, 8-9 hours per day. I might change the lighting schedule to 9 hours 22 watts with 3 hours in the middle of 47 watts.

Are these ideas reasonable?

 

[Themuleous]

Hair grass has a bit of a reputation for being an algae magnet. Whats your fert dosing like? You doing EI? Some amano shrimp might eat it.

Changing the lighting sounds like an idea and with the amount of light you are talking I would suggest no more than 8hrs total, with a midday burst at full light. You might find this interesting

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=182826&hl=

Sam

 

[blue acara]

Yes very interesting, so I may have to little NO3 and PO4, and my lighting is definatly excessive. I am dosing E.I. about 5ppm NO3 and 1ppm PO4 every other day. Mabie I should double the dosage? Ive got 4 Amano shrimp in there and they eat a bit of it but don't even dent it. Its too small to pick off but ive been trying to brush/knock off what I can- so a blackout will not help?

I may add some more shrimp but to be honest the shrimp in there now seem to be scratching themselvs, I suspect flukes. Can shrimp get flukes? Giving them meds may kill them and flukes meds dont seem to work. Dont really want to add more while they are ill.

 

[Themuleous]

I would certainly up the NO3 to say 10ppm every other day. Do you know what the levels in the tank are? Try to aim for 2-3ppm PO4 and 10-20ppm NO3, it seems to be the current thinking that for every 1ppm of PO4 you need 4ppm of NO3 in the tank so altering the dosing to get levels in that ratio should help. But it wouldn't be ultra ridged about it.

Blackouts only tend to work on BGA, doubt it'll have much of an effect on thread.

I don't really know what to suggest for the shrimp, but I know I used 17 to rid my 4g of thread when it first got it.

Sam