Hair Algae

dwool36 · 03-07-2006, 06:08 PM

I have hair algae in my planted aquarium. I know this is a problem with o2 and co2 levels, but how do I fix it? The plants are planted in Flourite and given a "fertilizer" so I do not think nutrients are a problem.

Is there a way to fix this (along with manual removal) that does not involve purchasing a co2 tank (i.e. cheap...lol)?

Fishboy93 · 03-07-2006, 06:24 PM

how long is your light on and what is your WPG? thats where i went wrong..

dwool36 · 03-07-2006, 07:05 PM

What is WPG?

craftyflalady · 03-07-2006, 07:16 PM

WPG = Watts per gallon

Watts of lighting per gallon of water.

**Damon** · 03-07-2006, 10:17 PM

Most algae will grow on slow growing or non living items first (brush, beard, hair, thread, etc...). remove what you can. Waterchange. We still need to know tank specs to see what is out of balance. Algae is a sign something is wrong in your tank when it grows abundantly.

dwool36 · 03-08-2006, 03:55 AM

I am not sure of the WPG, I will check into that. My PH is 6.0, Ammonia 0, Nitites 0 and Nitrates always below 5.0 (Ram Tank). I leave the light on 10 - 12 hours/day.

**Damon** · 03-08-2006, 06:31 AM

Need more info. Ferts used? how often? How much? Co2? Waterchange schedule? Any other chemicals used in the tank? Tank location?

dwool36 · 03-08-2006, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simpte

Need more info. Ferts used? how often? How much? Co2? Waterchange schedule? Any other chemicals used in the tank? Tank location?

I use Seachem Flourish bi-weekly according to directions. The tank gets about 2 hours of indirect sunlight daily. Water changes are every 3 days. The only other chemical used is Jungle Start Right. The light is A GE Aqua Ray seen HERE. One bulb...10 gallon tank. As for CO2, I have no way to test.

**Damon** · 03-08-2006, 11:23 AM

Stocking levels?

dwool36 · 03-08-2006, 01:03 PM

2 blue rams 4 cardinal neons

KiltyONeal · 03-16-2006, 09:29 PM

I've found that once you get hair algae in your tank, it seems to stay with you until you get something to eat it. I had a problem with it in my 75 gallon freshwater tank even though all the levels seemed normal. I tried SAEs first, and they did eat some of it, but they could never keep up with the hair algae growth. Then I got 3 rosy barbs and within a few weeks it was all gone. Sometimes you just have to experiment and see what works for you.

**Damon** · 03-16-2006, 11:18 PM

Very true. Hair algae, once established, will grow in the perfect planted tank environment. Rosey barbs are great hair algae eaters as well as livebearers (guppies. mollies (excellent), and platys). Harass the algae. Keep removing what you can (I use a toothbrush). Bury whats on the gravel by flipping the gravel over. Be sure to do a large waterchange after this as moving the gravel will release a lot of NH4 which will lead to more algae.

RockabillyChick · 03-17-2006, 06:42 AM

that's funny. my hair algae ONLY grows on my hornwort, the fastest growing plant in my tank. but because it IS the fastest growing plant in my tank, when i get hair algae on it, i just pull off the affected stems and the hornwort grows right back.

**Damon** · 03-17-2006, 10:41 AM

I'm guessing it grows on the leaves closest to the lighting? Common also.

johnny-9 · 03-20-2006, 12:46 PM

I have found that if you interrupt the light cycle with total darkness for 3 hours on and 3 hours off that it helps a lot in battling hair and brush algae. Also do frequent water changes like 60-70% twice a week.
Hope this helps

Magdelaine · 03-27-2006, 08:45 AM

I have a variety of algaes growing in my tank right now, but I wouldn't say it's too bad. In any case, I DO want to get some algae eaters of some kind. I was thinking along the lines of a pleco or ottos, though. The algea is mostly thread algea and diatomaceaous algea. Seeing this thread (no pun intended) makes me think that livebearers would be a better option for the stuff that grows on plants? My guppy seems to ignore it; but I've heard swords really go for it.

emc7 · 03-27-2006, 12:28 PM

I've heard red-tailed goodieds eat it. Trouble is they like hard, alkaline, slightly salty water. I've been know to break don't a tank and scrub it to get rid of hair algae, but that doesn't work on plants. My plecos won't eat it.

03-07-2006, 06:08 PM	#1
dwool36 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 312	Hair Algae I have hair algae in my planted aquarium. I know this is a problem with o2 and co2 levels, but how do I fix it? The plants are planted in Flourite and given a "fertilizer" so I do not think nutrients are a problem. Is there a way to fix this (along with manual removal) that does not involve purchasing a co2 tank (i.e. cheap...lol)?

03-07-2006, 06:24 PM	#2
Fishboy93 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ft. Myers, FL Age: 15 Posts: 658	how long is your light on and what is your WPG? thats where i went wrong.. __________________ 29 Gallon Reef

03-07-2006, 10:17 PM	#5
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Most algae will grow on slow growing or non living items first (brush, beard, hair, thread, etc...). remove what you can. Waterchange. We still need to know tank specs to see what is out of balance. Algae is a sign something is wrong in your tank when it grows abundantly. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

03-08-2006, 06:31 AM	#7
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Need more info. Ferts used? how often? How much? Co2? Waterchange schedule? Any other chemicals used in the tank? Tank location? __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

03-08-2006, 11:23 AM	#9
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Stocking levels? __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

Members currently in the Chat:6
	Users In Chat Room: wm_crash, akangelfood, Blue_Cray, GoodMike, mesapod, flamey Come On In!

03-07-2006, 07:05 PM	#3
dwool36 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 312	What is WPG?

03-07-2006, 07:16 PM	#4
craftyflalady Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Age: 50 Posts: 397	WPG = Watts per gallon Watts of lighting per gallon of water.

03-08-2006, 03:55 AM	#6
dwool36 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 312	I am not sure of the WPG, I will check into that. My PH is 6.0, Ammonia 0, Nitites 0 and Nitrates always below 5.0 (Ram Tank). I leave the light on 10 - 12 hours/day.

03-08-2006, 01:03 PM	#10
dwool36 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 312	2 blue rams 4 cardinal neons

03-16-2006, 09:29 PM	#11
KiltyONeal Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 61	I've found that once you get hair algae in your tank, it seems to stay with you until you get something to eat it. I had a problem with it in my 75 gallon freshwater tank even though all the levels seemed normal. I tried SAEs first, and they did eat some of it, but they could never keep up with the hair algae growth. Then I got 3 rosy barbs and within a few weeks it was all gone. Sometimes you just have to experiment and see what works for you.

03-16-2006, 11:18 PM	#12
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	Very true. Hair algae, once established, will grow in the perfect planted tank environment. Rosey barbs are great hair algae eaters as well as livebearers (guppies. mollies (excellent), and platys). Harass the algae. Keep removing what you can (I use a toothbrush). Bury whats on the gravel by flipping the gravel over. Be sure to do a large waterchange after this as moving the gravel will release a lot of NH4 which will lead to more algae. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

03-17-2006, 06:42 AM	#13
RockabillyChick Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 22 Posts: 298	that's funny. my hair algae ONLY grows on my hornwort, the fastest growing plant in my tank. but because it IS the fastest growing plant in my tank, when i get hair algae on it, i just pull off the affected stems and the hornwort grows right back. __________________ She does nothing to deserve it He only wants to observe it We sit back like they taught us We keep quiet like they taught us He just wants, he wants to prove it She does nothing to remove it We don't want anyone to mind us So we play the roles that they assigned us She does nothing to conceal it He touches her 'cause he wants to feel it We blame her for being there But we are all guilty http://rockabillychick.deviantart.com/

03-17-2006, 10:41 AM	#14
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	I'm guessing it grows on the leaves closest to the lighting? Common also. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

03-20-2006, 12:46 PM	#15
johnny-9 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Central Missouri Posts: 1	I have found that if you interrupt the light cycle with total darkness for 3 hours on and 3 hours off that it helps a lot in battling hair and brush algae. Also do frequent water changes like 60-70% twice a week. Hope this helps

03-27-2006, 08:45 AM	#16
Magdelaine Persistant Gurgler Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Northern Mojave Desert Age: 38 Posts: 154	I have a variety of algaes growing in my tank right now, but I wouldn't say it's too bad. In any case, I DO want to get some algae eaters of some kind. I was thinking along the lines of a pleco or ottos, though. The algea is mostly thread algea and diatomaceaous algea. Seeing this thread (no pun intended) makes me think that livebearers would be a better option for the stuff that grows on plants? My guppy seems to ignore it; but I've heard swords really go for it. __________________ 29 Gallon residents: 2 long-finned zebra danios 2 long-finned blue danios 1 male guppy 5 neons 3 otos 3 yo-yo loaches 10 Gallon residents: 1 long-finned zebra danio 1 gold mystery snail 1 gold gourami my fishy blog

03-27-2006, 12:28 PM	#17
emc7 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 39 Posts: 2,899	I've heard red-tailed goodieds eat it. Trouble is they like hard, alkaline, slightly salty water. I've been know to break don't a tank and scrub it to get rid of hair algae, but that doesn't work on plants. My plecos won't eat it.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Funny, informative, or just plain sad?	TheOldSalt	FYI (For Your Info)	17	07-29-2007 04:33 PM
Hair algae is taking over!!!	flynngriff	General Saltwater	20	04-22-2006 09:20 PM
Hair algae	mlefev	Aquatic Plants	10	09-22-2005 06:40 AM
Hair Algae Problems	adpgibso	General Saltwater	3	09-04-2005 10:30 PM
Algae in the planted tank	Damon	Aquatic Plants	5	06-07-2005 06:32 AM