Cardex
Aquarium Advice Activist
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2013
- Messages
- 146
Do RCS eat it ?
Black hair alge
- Thread starter maestromad
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
aqua_chem
Aquarium Advice Addict
No very well. Amanos eat BBA and most hair algae though, although you would need a small army to deal with a significant bloom.
Yep I'm the same member that will continue to discourage people from using dangerous chemicals in our closed tank systems. You have no idea how it effects plants, fish, and other parts of the ecosystem or even if there any long term problems it can cause. Most everyone who has a tank has algae problems at one time or another. Once the problem that is causing the algae is corrected and the tank balances then you don't have to worry about it. By using a chemical the underlying problem causing the algae is still there and algae will return. Then you will want to use the chemical again. And the problem of what is causing the algae will remain. I just added an additional light fixture and CO2 and my 220g which has been algae free for over a year has a touch of hair algae on the fissidens fontanus. I anticipated this as I changed light and CO2 in the tank. So I am altering my old lighting schedule and will keep tweeking things until I get the tank balanced again. It may take time to get the tank balanced but it's better to fix the problem correctly making for a healthier tank than going for a quick fix using a chemical.
aqua_chem
Aquarium Advice Addict
Chemicals actually rarely work and have a bad habit of killing other things as well.
Patrice
Aquarium Advice FINatic
It very simple, all you need to do is up your magnesium compare to your calcium. Usually for 33, gallon i add 2g of Epson salt every water change. After, you add your excel. Because they algae will not dye by its self with calcium. Excel will eliminate the problem, it will not stop it from coming back.
Patrice
Aquarium Advice FINatic
First you need to neutralise the problem. Most algae eater will not eat this type of algae. If they say "yes they do" well, it did not work for me. You seam to have 2 types of black algae. One of the i discussed below happen to me at 30ppm of calcium "tap water"
They other one is bat filtering. Filth in filter. Brown pipes, low filtering.
P.s. Using excel kill algae, it a good Chance it will kill also your white roots. If so, The second algae will bloom. So you need to clean they aquarium the next day.
They other one is bat filtering. Filth in filter. Brown pipes, low filtering.
P.s. Using excel kill algae, it a good Chance it will kill also your white roots. If so, The second algae will bloom. So you need to clean they aquarium the next day.
Liquid carbons such as Excel do not kill root on a plant. There are a small number of plants such as Anacharis and Val that are sensitive to liquid carbons and will melt. I've used Liquid carbon for years and in very high doses in my high light 220g tank and other than sensitive plants it does not kill plants much less roots.
The OP has BBA, there is no other type of algae. Nor will killing the BBA cause another type of algae to bloom if the tank is balanced.
The OP has BBA, there is no other type of algae. Nor will killing the BBA cause another type of algae to bloom if the tank is balanced.
OP
OP
maestromad
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sorry for the lack of response I've been super tied up with work and family, I've done a major clear out of the tank to remove the ridiculous amount of black hairy horrid stuff.
The above posts have confused me somewhat - ad chemicals don't add chemicals proper confusing!
I was wondering, the majority of the stuff is on my ornaments. Is there a sure fire way of killing it on them because no matter how much I scrub them there is always a little bit left so I'm wondering if it stems off these and takes over my tank?
Cheers guys
The above posts have confused me somewhat - ad chemicals don't add chemicals proper confusing!
I was wondering, the majority of the stuff is on my ornaments. Is there a sure fire way of killing it on them because no matter how much I scrub them there is always a little bit left so I'm wondering if it stems off these and takes over my tank?
Cheers guys
If you can remove your ornaments then you can lay paper towels down in a sink, lay the ornaments on them then liberally pour hydrogen peroxide 3% solution all over them. Next wrap the peroxide drenched paper towels over them especially on the area's where algae is the worst and let them sit like that for 20-30 minutes. Then you can put them back in the tank. BBA will usually start turning white, pink, or red within about 24 hours which means it dying. Then if you correct the problem/s causing the BBA in the first place your tank should remain BBA free.
Slavo
Aquarium Advice Freak
Sorry to bud in, but it seems I have the same problem with my 50g. After reading this thread, I've finally been able to identify the algae growth on my HOB intakes. I've had hair algae issues before, which I was able to remedy by getting a timer, to reduce my lighting to 6.5hrs. But I've never had black hair algae before. It looks like I'm gonna have to change the hours again and start dosing more.
So far the outbreak has been minimal, but I noticed that it's beginning to spread to my Amazon Swords. I better get on this before it worsens...
Thanks for the info!
So far the outbreak has been minimal, but I noticed that it's beginning to spread to my Amazon Swords. I better get on this before it worsens...
Thanks for the info!
OP
OP
maestromad
Aquarium Advice Addict
Thanks rivercats that's great. I'll look for some hydrogen peroxide tomorrow. Jus need to try and find the source of the problem now!
