Algae battles

[archan]

Hello guys!
I just finished cycling my tank and as you can see in the image that I have attached I have an algae problem. Right now there are only three amano shrimps inside that I have added to try and combat the problem, but it seems the shrimps are not interested in the thread like hair algae..... I have tried the hydrogen peroxide treatment but it didn't work. since most of that algae is on the substrate I cant really remove it manually because that would take forever.
What should I do?

Tank specs

30cm 30cm 30cm

7.9 gallons

aquaclear 20 filter with activated carbon and ammonia remover

tropica co2

Tank parameters

PH 6.8

ammonia 0

nitrate 0

nitrite 0

 

[RackinRocky]

I hate that hair algae with a vengeance! I have it just COATING my plants in my 10 gallon. It's nowhere else--just on the plants. None of it in any other tanks either. And no, ghost shrimp, among many other so-called algae eaters like hair algae. Does your tank get any direct sun? That will often make it worse.

 

[archan]

unfortunately if its really sunny outside, my tank will sometimes be in direct sunlight as I live in a very high apartment, currently I can move the tank anywhere else so...... But its not often it will be in direct sunlight, maybe once a week

 

[archan]

Today i just got oto catfishes and a bristle nose pleco. I hope they can clean it up a bit. I am planning to partially replace my current substrate, so the algae infested ones can go away. Also im gonna buy more plants. I hope this will get rid of it

 

[RackinRocky]

It does seem to go away eventually for me, but direct sunlight will bring it right back--just so you are warned. BN plecos will generally NOT eat hair algae. They don't care for it at all. I've heard some people say that otos will, but many say they won't. So I guess it's a crap shoot.

 

[Stacey W.]

Sorry to tell you but the pleco is just increase your bioload (they poop a lot). I have heard from a good source that flag fish and rosey barbs love hair algae and they have used them in their tanks. I know otocinclus do not because I have 4 of them. Make sure you are not over feeding and like you said decrease you light cycle. Hair algae is a PITA. I just pulled a bunch of wisteria that was coated in it because the plants weren't doing well. Good luck and I'm happy to help!

Sent from my SM-N920T using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[archan]

Today, I desiced to wash the algae coated substrate (only the very top substrate)with hydrogen peroxide mixed with water, then using some rubbing alcohol to totally disinfect it. Then I rinsed it multiple times to make sure there isn't any left. I put them back in, then put more new powder soil on top of it to completely cover it. I took this time to do a rescape of my tank so it looks better. The only thing I am worried about is that the tank might cycle again. Hopefully it won't, and if it does I hope it won't be faster since I only washed the very top lair of substrate. The bottom is untouched. I didn't clean my filter, I also used half of my tank's original water. Hopefully the tank won't cycle.... I'll be monitering it closely

 

[archan]

i am currently not feeding the fish because i have lots of algae and i dont want to increase the load. I'll be keeping a close eye on them. once my tank is settled ill start feeding

 

[archan]

Here are the before and after pics of my tank. (note that the pic with red plants are the current state of my tank) This is after me adding more substrate.