Green hair algae problems!

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

meese-a-mew

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Sep 15, 2012
Messages
353
I've been having algae forever. It wasn't a problem before and all of a sudden it is. I usually have my light on for 7-9 hours a day and there is still so much algae. And for some reason it's growing more every night and I don't know how.

Tank is 25g
8x Neon Tetras
5x German Blue Rams

Help!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Is it anywhere near the sunlight? That will do it to you. I know specifications of lights that will promote algae growth as well, if you wanted that info I could give it to you, or you could research the blue, red and green wavelengths in your bulbs

Sent from my SM-N900V using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Is it anywhere near the sunlight? That will do it to you. I know specifications of lights that will promote algae growth as well, if you wanted that info I could give it to you, or you could research the blue, red and green wavelengths in your bulbs

Sent from my SM-N900V using Aquarium Advice mobile app


Give me all the info you can lol. It's near a window but the blinds are always closed.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Different lights have different color outputs. You can find these usually on the boxes with the color spectrum diagrams. The reds need to be 2/3 and the blue 1/3 in comparison. The reason for this is the reds need to have a longer wavelength, causing the plants to absorb that color faster than the blue because the blue is a faster wavelength. Greens also help plants but help more with the color of the fish that we see with our eyes. The reason I am telling you this is because of you don't have 2/3 red, 1/3 blue it can promote algae growth but this is usually a last resort, I would look further into the window light that might be slipping through the blinds. Do you have an algae eater?

Sent from my SM-N900V using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
I don't but I'm going to be buying
2 Ottos and hopefully a bristle nose pleco



Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
That's probably perfect for your tank. Before you place them in the tank, I would give the glass a good scrubbing. The algae won't go away, but you will give those guys a fair chance at keeping your tank clean. I also have Ottos and a bristle nose and let me tell you what, they do great work!

Sent from my SM-N900V using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
How long has the tank been up and running? Cleaning the algea and buying an oto or two is really just a bandaid. Hair algea, in my opinion, is one of the more pain in the Butt algea that takes some work to get rid of.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Tanks been up for a year and a half. But just completely re did the scape so idk if that has anything to do with it.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Depending on how you re scape that could be what started the issue. I know people who rescape with the tank full, do it in an hour and the lights on the whole time. I know others who are very meticulous and drain the tank, move fish to another home, kill the lights and filters (obviousy) and take 2 or three days to make sure they like it before re filling.

Anytime your light cycle drastically changes it can promote algea growth. So if you had no light for a couple days during the re scape and then turned it back on for the full 7-9 hours, algea blooms rapidly would start to develop. I would personally start there. I have many many tanks, all located in a room with blinds and that light has never been an issue!

Here's my advice.

Keep the light off for 4 days. Do 30% water changes all 4 days trying to suck up any of the hair algea possible, give a good glass scrubbing during one of the water changes. Add your oto's. On the 5th day turn your light on wit a timer and do 4hours on in the morning. Have the light of for 8 hours. And then 4hours on at night. This will allow the light to be on for 8 hours, but not straight. It breaks up the light cycle so you'll have better luck with the algeA.

Hair algea may take a couple try's to get rid of as it spreads so rapidly! But the 4 day blackout and new light cycle should help


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Buying algae eaters is just battling the algea it isn't finding the root of the problem. I am almost sure you are either over feeding or not properly maintaining, because the algea is feeding off from something.

Great thing about a tank your size is water changes are easy. On my small tanks I have a 2 liter juice container that I dip in the tank twice to dump old water and then fill it back up it only takes 10 minutes. Do this every day until the algea goes away.

As far as feeding goes those rams I am sure look like they are begging for food all the time so its easy to over feed. When you feed all food should be gone in 30-60 seconds do this once a day.
 
Back
Top Bottom