How to get rid of bba and hair algae

[litebrite8765]

In having a major algae problem and cannot figure out the cause. I dose co2. Do I need to start dosing ferts as well? It's about 48 w t5ho at 19 inches of depth on a 37 gallon. One day the algae just came and it has been getting way worse. Have gotten bba within the last two weeks. I do 50% water change every week. How can I get rid of the algae? Here are some pictures of it on my plants. and I believe I have diatoms, the brown stuff, but my tank has been established for over a year. I also have three nerite snails that are Trying their best. I will get nitrate reading asap. Thanks for any help!


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[Rodeo one]

What are you dosing for Co2 & how long are your lights on? Also, any direct or indirect sunlight?


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[litebrite8765]

My nitrates are 5 ppm, lighting has been a little irregular but now around 8 hours, dosing api co2 about 1.5 times the recommended amount because someone recommended I do that in my last post. My algae is getting exponentially worse.


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[litebrite8765]

No indirect or direct sunlight . Diatoms, green spot, and I think Cyanobacteria or something along with the black clumps growing on my swords.


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[ScotJudd]

In the long run a large planting scheme will assist against BBA as the plants take up nutrients, depriving the algae.
In the short term remove badly infected leaves. Using a pipette you can direct Excel/Glut onto the algae ( turning the filters off for a few minutes makes this more effective) and the BA will turn red in about 24 hours and then dissolve. You won't get it in one go, you need to persevere.
Once eradicated I dose my tank at x2 dose (I have a lot of plant). The plants like the Excel/Glut and the algae hate it. Although some fleshy leaved plants don't like Excel/glut and melt away, valis is a good example. Crypts, java fern and Java Moss love it.
Some people suggest restricting lighting period but my own experience is 13 hrs of lighting has made no difference to BBA and hair algae.
Good luck because BBA is annoying and spoils the look and enjoyment of your tank.


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[bambam1]

Is the hair algae bad for the tank or is it people don't like the look of it?

 

[litebrite8765]

I feel like my plants are dying because of the algae on their leaves.


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[bambam1]

Yes I under stand why you need to get rid of it off your plants, but I mean in the tank on the walls and on wood is it a bad thing?

 

[Sk3lly]

With this light fixture your high medium / high light. Liquid co2 simply won't be enough to keep up with the plants growth.

High light - more energy - fast plant growth

Low light - less energy - slow growth

The faster a plant grows the faster it will uptake ferts and use co2.


Your problem is that your dosing as people would do in a low tech tank but your lighting is nearer the high tech end

Sort your lighting and it will help no end


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[litebrite8765]

Should I just invest in glut instead of he little co2 bottles?


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[litebrite8765]

Will a dip in a bleach mixture get rid of the algae for the time being while I get all my factors straightened out? Will it harm the plants? (Swords, Anubias, Java fern) strangely my wisteria only has Brown algae on it


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[Sk3lly]

Glut is just an ingredient in the liquid co2's. Metricide, excel and api booster are the same thing just different percentages of glut

In my opinion still won't help you much


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[NinjaTetra]

If its possible, algae eaters do help. I heard Flying Foxes (may be large for 37 g) eat any algae, even bba. And my clown pleco has taken care of all the diatoms and green spot algae in my 37 gallon, but i haven't gotten any bba, thank goodness. Also, plants like hornwort and anacharis are nutrient suckers, and help keep nitrates away from algae. Hope his helps


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[litebrite8765]

Would a pleco be to aggressive for the plants- would he break the leaves?


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[NinjaTetra]

He hurt the valisneria a bit, apart from that nah


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[litebrite8765]

Do you think a bleach dip would be okay just to temporarily control the bba?


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[Rodeo one]

Spot treating with hydrogen peroxide works. Turn off filters & air, spot treat with 15 cc s, wait 20 min. Can do this daily.


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[Sk3lly]

Algae eaters, bleach dips, peroxide dips are all temporary fixes. Unless the cause is rectified the algae will come back again


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[litebrite8765]

Because I didn't have algae for so long, and one day it started getting bad, I think it may had something to do with my gravel fertilizers. I put a few root tabs under my swords and wisterias, carefully following the instructions and replenishing every two months. But I started to vacuum the top layer of my Eco complete because it got pretty dirty from plant matter ( I had an aggressive chinese algae eater that would kill the plants) could that have released lots of fertilizers into the water that triggered the algae blooms? And if so, how do I go about fixing that? I haven't added any more for 6 weeks


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[Sk3lly]

Because I didn't have algae for so long, and one day it started getting bad, I think it may had something to do with my gravel fertilizers. I put a few root tabs under my swords and wisterias, carefully following the instructions and replenishing every two months. But I started to vacuum the top layer of my Eco complete because it got pretty dirty from plant matter ( I had an aggressive chinese algae eater that would kill the plants) could that have released lots of fertilizers into the water that triggered the algae blooms? And if so, how do I go about fixing that? I haven't added any more for 6 weeks


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Your close to high light as mentioned before. Your plants will have used those fertilisers in no time.

Your algae issue is nothing to do with your root tabs!

Lack of co2 and most likely also lack of fertilisers


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