I hate my hair algee!!!

[jbueno]

I cleaned the glass last weekend and its back again...I went from 4 wpg to 2... the water is clear no problems with fish but this stuff is killing my plants...probably didn't help them with the wattage decrease...HELP!!!

 

[Billbug68]

Whooa! It gets that bad in a week?!?!

How long do you leave your lights on? Can you provide any more info on the tank? Size, lighting, ferts, co2, water changes, filter, maintenance?

 

[jbueno]

its a 55, do water change every two weeks about 40 percent, I have 2 hang on the back 30 60 filters, its a rainbow tank 6, 5 cory catfish, a bristlenose long finned albino pleco, I use fertilizers every week with eco complete soil, no co2 but I use the liquid, and treated tap water. I had a lot of plants in there but most are gone bc of the lower lighting, I leave the light on for about 10 hours and I'm only doing 2 wpg, I try and keep all dead plants out of the tank but this stuff just kills everything... any thing else you may need let me know

we are talking about getting ottos

 

[Billbug68]

Ottos won't do anything for hair algae. What type of light? T5, T5 HO, T8?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

IMO, that looks to be Spirogyra algae... I could be wrong but a close up pic of the algae might help.

It it's spiro, it's one of the worst and most stubborn algae I have ever dealt with. The problem is once you get its spore in your tank it LOVES everything your plants do... co2, nutrients, and high light. So it just grows with the plants. 10 hours is still a long photoperiod and I'd cut back but the problem is dealing with the algae at this point. I hate to use chemical warfare for anything, but the only thing I found to work is API Algaefix. Try to get a positive ID on the algae and use other methods you research first. As a last resort, you can consider algaefix. But it's harsh stuff so be careful. It's not invert safe. If you can manually remove a lot of the algae, I've read that Florida Flag fish and Rosy Barbs will eat this stuff. I haven't tried it myself, but that's what I've read.

Here's some threads that might be useful:
James' Planted Tank - Algae Guide
API Algae fix and moss - Page 3
My treatment for spirogyra algae - Page 2

 

[Billbug68]

If you do decide to go with the algaefix, I've recently read a long article about it. From the guys tests, it works just as well at half dose, and fish show less signs of stress.

Even if its spiro, and you eradicate it, still make adjustments to your tank to prevent other algae outbreaks. Cut lights to 6-8 hours, establish a good fertilizing schedule, and dose excel, co2 booster, or glut(whatever you may be using) daily, try weekly water changes, rather than every other week, and keep up on filter maintenance as well.

 

[jbueno]

will that treatment hurt what plants I have left

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Try Bill's recommendations first. Do as much manual removal as well. If all else fails, you can try algaefix if it is indeed Spiro algae. Apparently algaefix affects oxygen levels so make sure, if you use it, to run an airstone. Also remove activated carbon if its in your filter. After treatment, do a large water change. Add fresh activated carbon to help remove any residual chemicals from the water. It doesn't harm plants or moss if used as directed or better yet, less than directed. It was a Tom Barr recommended treatment for Spiro.. Again, I'm only guessing what you have is Spiro. Google image Spiro algae and look very closely to compare if that's what you have.

 

[00youknowit00]

IMO it looks like Rhizoclonium. Does it suck up pretty easily when you clean the tank?

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yeah looks like that too. Is it me, or does the first pic look so green that there might be green water? Like an algae bloom? Maybe try a blackout?

 

[00youknowit00]

Yeah looks like that too. Is it me, or does the first pic look so green that there might be green water? Like an algae bloom? Maybe try a blackout?

I think its just the algae, some spots are still clear.. And a blackout could help temporarily, but in the long run we still have to find the cause to make it go away entirely, it started growing for a reason..

 

[00youknowit00]

And the more I look at the second picture, the more convinced I am its Rhizoclonium. Which is normally brought about by neglecting maintenance.

 

[Brian_Nano12g]

Yes more information needed. As Bill asked earlier, type of lighting is important because the OP only mentioned 4 WPG. WPG becomes meaningless when T5HO is concerned. The culprit could very well be poor tank maintenance and/or excessive lighting and photoperiod duration without enough co2.

 

[Gabriel3303]

Holly F'in algae!!!! Thats crazy

 

[dragonfisher33]

Holly F'in algae!!!! Thats crazy

+1 that HOLLY F'IN ALGAE. I hope the treatment goes well.

 

[jbueno]

I stay on top of all 5 of my tanks...they all have live plants all treated the same...the lights are t5, one 7500 k and then an actinic...ive had algee problems before and reduced the lights and fixed it...this stuff I cleaned by hand spooling it up like spaghetti on my tongs crazy and now a week later its back not as bad but back...

 

[jbueno]

im gonna try and make a diy co2 generator tonight I'm going out of town this weekend so ill start a weekly schedule on my 55 with problems...
anyone ever use a large 5 gallon water container to make the generator?

 

[Catfish Lover]

I cleaned the glass last weekend and its back again...I went from 4 wpg to 2... the water is clear no problems with fish but this stuff is killing my plants...probably didn't help them with the wattage decrease...HELP!!!

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The reason you have algae is because you were running too much light. Without co2 and that much light all you're gonna get is algae. 2wpg will also need some co2. People think just because you have a lot of light you'll grow great plants. Everything has to be in balance. ( light, fertilizer,co2)

 

[jbueno]

I think its just the algae, some spots are still clear.. And a blackout could help temporarily, but in the long run we still have to find the cause to make it go away entirely, it started growing for a reason..

yea thats the algee...my water is clear....it started growing on my water spirt I had this grand water spirt and other floating plants that are dead now...

 

[jbueno]

The reason you have algae is because you were running too much light. Without co2 and that much light all you're gonna get is algae. 2wpg will also need some co2. People think just because you have a lot of light you'll grow great plants. Everything has to be in balance. ( light, fertilizer,co2)

even when using recommended amounts of liquid co2...12 ml every day....