Hair and thread algaes are booming!!! - Aquarium Advice

gu2high · 03-10-2007, 04:28 PM

How to get rid of them?

One way maybe using tooth brush to do it, but it is very hard to do it on leaves. My best wish is algae eating fish. I heard American/Florida Flag fish will eat the thread algae, but I can't find it at lfs. What other fish can do the cleaning job?

kaz · 03-10-2007, 04:58 PM

I have a problem with algae and the experts say it do to the co2 that comes and goes from every directly from the fawcett water changes every week. so they recommend me to get flourish excel and since I have been dosing that they just stopped not gone away but stopped growing and expanding

Hoovercat · 03-10-2007, 05:58 PM

Kaz that's a treatment for your type of algae, not all types. Gu2high, we need the info on your tank to help determine a treatment.

Mollies and goldfish as well a SAEs will eat some of the algae but won't change the favorable growing conditions you have. Algae eating fish are NEVER the best solution to an algae outbreak. Adding chemicals is not the solution either.

buttercup · 03-10-2007, 06:08 PM

ive had the best luck with Siamese algae eaters for hair algae

shayfish · 03-10-2007, 06:15 PM

Agreed ^. SAE did a good job clearing out my hair algae (although I know that's not the indefinite solution).

gu2high · 03-10-2007, 06:47 PM

My tank has pH6.6-6.8, KH3, DIY CO2 around 12-16ppm. 4wpg lights currently but can turn off one light and lower it to 2wpg. Nitrate is between 5-10ppm. PWC 40% every week. I added few Jungle Labs Plant Care Fizz Food Tablets W/Iron in the gravel weeks ago when planting. I have heard high amount of iron will cause hair/thread algae problem. I will stop using the tablets until the algae problem is gone.

I can't find SAE in lfs either, but mollies and goldfish are abundant of course. The tank has ottos, platies, guppies, dwarf gouramis, panda cories. Will add a pleco after QT. I have also heard that gold barb is a good thread algae eater. Can anyone confirm it?

If mollies and goldfish are good at it, I will try them. Oh, no goldfish, they are plant eaters.

**Purrbox** · 03-10-2007, 07:24 PM

Try getting your CO2 levels above 30ppm, that will big help in getting your plants to grow better and reducing the algae growth.

buttercup · 03-10-2007, 07:29 PM

ask your local store if they can order a SAE for you becuase thats what i had to do

gu2high · 03-12-2007, 12:36 PM

The situation is worse now. How about a black out period and how long should I keep the black out without impacting plants too much?

frostby · 03-12-2007, 12:40 PM

For what it's worth

I had big trouble with similar algae when I was overdosing KNO3, due to a BAD test kit. I quit dosing NO3, and the algae slowly died back, and the plant growth even speeded up.

I've also heard that rosy barbs eat the stuff, and so do a few of my cichlids - oddly enough.

03-10-2007, 04:28 PM	#1
gu2high Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central NJ Posts: 355	Hair and thread algaes are booming!!! How to get rid of them? One way maybe using tooth brush to do it, but it is very hard to do it on leaves. My best wish is algae eating fish. I heard American/Florida Flag fish will eat the thread algae, but I can't find it at lfs. What other fish can do the cleaning job?

03-10-2007, 04:58 PM	#2
kaz Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 1,290	I have a problem with algae and the experts say it do to the co2 that comes and goes from every directly from the fawcett water changes every week. so they recommend me to get flourish excel and since I have been dosing that they just stopped not gone away but stopped growing and expanding __________________ I thank you all for your attention and time! 75g/Rena Xp3/Inline Heater/Rena Air 200/Eco-Complete/Current Dual Daylight System 6 Rummy Nose, 9 Ottos, 2 Yoyo Loach, 1 Golden Nugget Pleco, 2 Julli's Cory, 4 Angelicus Botia, 1 Chocolate Kuhli Loach, 3 Ghost Shrimp, 1 SAE, 1 Black Mollie, 1 Redeye Swordtail Mollie, 1 C-Pleco, MTS, Guppy's Plants Argentine Sword, Amazon Sword, Micro Sword, Xmas Moss, Pennywort, Hornwort, Jave Fern, Baby Tears, Moneywort, Ludwigia, Wisteria, Giant Bacoba, Hygro 'Sunset'

03-10-2007, 07:24 PM	#7
Purrbox Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Iowa USA Posts: 4,842	Try getting your CO2 levels above 30ppm, that will big help in getting your plants to grow better and reducing the algae growth. __________________ ~Joy 10 Gallon Planted Photo Log - 5.5 Gallon Planted Photo Log - 2.5 Gallon Planted Photo Log - Pico Planted Photo Log

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03-10-2007, 05:58 PM	#3
Hoovercat Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Memphis,Tn US Posts: 438	Kaz that's a treatment for your type of algae, not all types. Gu2high, we need the info on your tank to help determine a treatment. Mollies and goldfish as well a SAEs will eat some of the algae but won't change the favorable growing conditions you have. Algae eating fish are NEVER the best solution to an algae outbreak. Adding chemicals is not the solution either.

03-10-2007, 06:08 PM	#4
buttercup Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 54 Images: 1	ive had the best luck with Siamese algae eaters for hair algae

03-10-2007, 06:15 PM	#5
shayfish Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Calgary, AB Posts: 520	Agreed ^. SAE did a good job clearing out my hair algae (although I know that's not the indefinite solution).

03-10-2007, 06:47 PM	#6
gu2high Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central NJ Posts: 355	My tank has pH6.6-6.8, KH3, DIY CO2 around 12-16ppm. 4wpg lights currently but can turn off one light and lower it to 2wpg. Nitrate is between 5-10ppm. PWC 40% every week. I added few Jungle Labs Plant Care Fizz Food Tablets W/Iron in the gravel weeks ago when planting. I have heard high amount of iron will cause hair/thread algae problem. I will stop using the tablets until the algae problem is gone. I can't find SAE in lfs either, but mollies and goldfish are abundant of course. The tank has ottos, platies, guppies, dwarf gouramis, panda cories. Will add a pleco after QT. I have also heard that gold barb is a good thread algae eater. Can anyone confirm it? If mollies and goldfish are good at it, I will try them. Oh, no goldfish, they are plant eaters.

03-10-2007, 07:29 PM	#8
buttercup Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 54 Images: 1	ask your local store if they can order a SAE for you becuase thats what i had to do

03-12-2007, 12:36 PM	#9
gu2high Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central NJ Posts: 355	The situation is worse now. How about a black out period and how long should I keep the black out without impacting plants too much?

03-12-2007, 12:40 PM	#10
frostby Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 94 Images: 4	For what it's worth I had big trouble with similar algae when I was overdosing KNO3, due to a BAD test kit. I quit dosing NO3, and the algae slowly died back, and the plant growth even speeded up. I've also heard that rosy barbs eat the stuff, and so do a few of my cichlids - oddly enough.