hair algae

[reign]

I posted a topic before but no one really had any continuous help..

It's on my heater, my glass and a lot on my Italian Val. With some small amounts on my water sprite. I have 2 amano shrimp but they eat some and it grows back. I've been dosing excel at 1-2ML a day as I have shrimp in the tank. I've been doing this for about 5 days now with very minimal results.

10 gallon cycled
2 amano shrimp
2 badis badis
1 nerite snail

0 ammonia
0 nitrites
5 nitrates
0 phosphate

Any other ideas would be appreciated.. I can't seem to shake it. I've even done a 40% water change and scraped off all the algae I could

 

[reign]

Forgot to add I do weekly water changes of about 15-20% and light is on about 6-7 hours a day

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[DMunoz84]

How long are your lights on a day?

 

[reign]

6-7 hours a day. Usually from 11:00am - 6:00pm

 

[reign]

I have 2 15w cfls

 

[DMunoz84]

Lol I'm a dummy I see u really said that haha!! I'm no expert but from what I've learned when you have excess nutrients in the water column it will potentially grow algae that and to much light. You could do slightly more frequent water changes. I've been doing mind every other day but I'm also trying to accomplish a high growth rate my plant are babies. I have very highlight and pressurized CO2

 

[reign]

Suppose I could do 2 15% a week. But even when the tank started up I was having problems with algae and I was changing water every day.. I did a 15% water change a day. Didn't do anything with the algae. Eugh

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[DMunoz84]

How many plants do you have? Or did you say that already too lol

 

[DMunoz84]

I believe there is a list of plants that specifically eat mostly nitrate maybe a new plant or two will help for a better balance

 

[reign]

I have 3 stems of Asian ambulia, 2 water sprite 4 stems of ludiwigia repens (not doing the greatest, I think they need some ferts..) and 4 or 5 bunches of Italian Val. As well as some melting crypt parva

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[DMunoz84]

Ludiwigia is a slow grower. I'll see what I can dig up

 

[reign]

The only thing I can think of is it isn't getting enough flow. But any good powerheads are expensive or have way to much flow.. one of those hydro koralia nano 240gph would be nice but it would probably blow my little guys around..

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[DMunoz84]

More flow should help yeah but I had 240gph in my 75. I stopped using it...in fact during lights on my canister filter. Runs 30 minutes on 30 minutes off my kids love to watch the pearling so

 

[DMunoz84]

I've heard of people doing two and three day blackouts as well. But idk?

 

[reign]

Idk.. I fear for my plants they aren't cheap here lol like 5$ for a pot or more

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[DMunoz84]

Right I know same in Mi. They will make it at least one day then maybe do 5 1/2 or 6 hours of light a day for a bit & see.

 

[reign]

If there's algae already in the water will it promote growth more? I took a scraper on all my glass to get it off and cleaned a lot of everything else. I did this at the same time I did a 40% water change but if therea still algae floating around, would it just reattach itself?

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[DMunoz84]

No blackouts help to get rid of algae that's why the first thing people usually say is (how long are the lights on and to cut your lighting hours back)

 

[Brookster123]

Do you dose any ferts? Glut? You could def up your water changes to 40-50% a week, is your tank in direct sunlight?

 

[reign]

Well, should I still dose excel during this time? Maybe I'll turn out the lights for a day or 2... Would I notice less if I left it off for a day or 2? Or would it just kill it and be totally gone?

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