Hair Algae

[P.senegalus]

I pulled this off a plastic plant in my planted 30 gal. I found some growing on my java moss as well. I removed the plastic plant.

Will this kill my java moss? Is there anything I can do to stop the hair algae?
I have already cut back on the amount of light the tank is getting.

[Fuzz]

i don't think that's hair algae...it looks like some kind of moss or plant.

[P.senegalus]

I wasn't really sure what it was. I removed most but some is still there. It doesn't have a slimy feel, but I never had anything other than the algae that grows on the glass before.

[emc7]

Are you sure it isn't java moss?

[P.senegalus]

Yep, this stuff is growing on the java moss as well as the plastic plants and some of my hornwort. In the water it looks like thin green thread growing on the plants, no branching. On the hornwort it looks more algae like but I can't get a good picture of it
^Some of it on my plastic plant.

[ZebraDanio12]

Theres some of this on a few of my plants...I was wonderin how to get rid of it also...

[lohachata]

it could also be string moss.....looks like it to me.

[ZebraDanio12]

whats string moss?

[Fuzz]

Looks more like hair algae in the 2nd pic, but it isn't clear.

I do know that some algae is really hard to get rid of because you have to figure out what specific fish will eat it. You can manually remove it when it gets out of control, but that won't get rid of all of it and it will come back. That's what sucks about algae, it keeps coming back, multiplying, and seems impossible to get rid of.

Keep in mind that algae doesn't harm your fish in any way. It just looks bad. Although I don't recommend it, there's algae killing chemicals out there, too.

You can cut the light back to 6 hours since you don't have live plants...get a timer(they're only 10 bucks if you don't have one) and set it up for a time that you'll be home and are going to be able enjoy your tank. Algae benefits from Actinic(blue) lighting too, so don't run any actinic/"night" lighting when your day lights are off.

I don't know what kind of fish you're keeping or how big your tank is but you can also try a snail, otocinclus, SAE, bristlenose, or even Amano shrimp.

Another option is water changes. Monthly 25% water changes doesn't seem like enough to me. After two weeks, my filter starts to get clogged. I personally do weekly 30%-50% water changes, but that's mainly because I have planted tanks. Getting rid of the excess nutrients in the water that nothing in your tank is using will help minimize the algae growth.

Although algae isn't a plant, it grows similarly to plants. Give it light and nutrients, and it will grow.

[P.senegalus]

I think this stuff grows too fast to be a moss.

Found some more growing on my hornwort. I thought hornwort prevented algae from growing on itself?

In an attempt to stop the spread of this thing, I'm cutting the light time more, and less fertilizers too.

[ZebraDanio12]

Is it a dark green? Looks just like mine.

Maybe hair algae?

[P.senegalus]

Yep it's dark green. I took that piece of hornwort out, good thing it grows fast.

[lohachata]

the ferts are what is causing the algae growth...