Hairy Algae Problem

[Tifta]

I ended up taking a picture of my 10g tank that has had an on going Algae problem. If you look on top of the barrel you should see it hanging on. I want it gone. Not sure what ways to get rid of it. I have been turning my lights out at a good time to make sure not too much light is hitting the tank. I am not near any windows at all. My other tanks don't have any Algae problems. I have a Japanese Algae Shrimp and a Chinese golden algae eater and they seem to ignore it. I got so much stuff going on in my tanks you all are probably tired of my ask questions by now.

 

[Zagz]

First we will need water parameters. Also gh and kh and ph if possible. Also what kind of lights and what wattage and how long are they on a day? How long has the tank been set up? Are you dosing ferts or using CO2?

Moved to the planted tank forum.

 

[Tifta]

I'll have to get my parameters. I am at work right now. I don't know what type of light I have though because it came with the 10 g tank. I just want the stuff gone! I am tired of taking my snoopy toothbrush and scrubbing all my stuff.

 

[Purrbox]

If it's standard light fixture, then you either have a single 15 watt fluorescent bulb or two screw in incadescent bulbs. It appears that you have fake plants, rather than live plants? If so then the goal is to keep the nitrates and phosphates as low as possible and ensure that you only have the aquarium light on when you are actually viewing the aquarium.

 

[Tifta]

It was one light, so I am assuming it is the 15 watt florescent light. I have fake plants, one of the people on here switch my post to the plant section thinking it was a planted tank. My nitrates are 20, and I do keep the light on for about 8 hours a day. I don't know what my phosphates is though.

So I should only keep the light when I am viewing? Should I do more water changes?

 

[Purrbox]

I would try to get your nitrates lower if possible. Increasing the size or frequency of water changes will help as long as you don't have overly high levels of Nitrates in your tap water. Definately no need to have your light on that long if there are no live plants.

 

[meegosh]

I had the same problem when I started my 10g, I actually had the same barrel decor (walmart). What I found to work was I scrubbed all the decor with a new (never used) toothbrush and removed as much from the gravel, plants, etc.. Then I kept the lights off, only turning them on during feedings for two days. I cut the lights back to 7 hrs a day and it eventually went away.

Don't use an algae-be-gone drops or anything like that, they only mess up your tank. I know it sounds tempting... "pour 5 drops of this in and its gone!" If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Good luck and keep up on the PWCs to keep those nitrates down.

 

[Tifta]

I stay away from anything that kills something in the tank. I will try cutting back on the light and keeping nitrates down. I'll be getting the snoopy tooth brush out again to get the algae off.

 

[meegosh]

Since you have a fish only tank I would consider doing a blackout for at least a day. You will be AMAZED at how much dies off/doesn't come back. After that keep up on your PWCs and you're out of the woods!

 

[crazycatfishlady]

Hairy Algae...I am also trying to rid my tanks of this...please let me know if you find a solution...feel like I've tried everything and it keeps coming back..

Crazycatfishlady

 

[haykay]

i've heard a few things on this as I am going through it too (but in a planted) Manually remove as much as possible, cut back lighting and I've heard squirint florish excel right on the algae kills it almost immediatly! I haven't tried the excel yet though as I am still working on getting it off my plants with out major destruction

 

[black hills tj]

[hijack]

Ditch the chinese algae eater, it'll only outgrow your tank and cause problems.

 

[kimo]

If it's standard light fixture, then you either have a single 15 watt fluorescent bulb or two screw in incadescent bulbs. It appears that you have fake plants, rather than live plants? If so then the goal is to keep the nitrates and phosphates as low as possible and ensure that you only have the aquarium light on when you are actually viewing the aquarium.

Very low levels of nitrates and phosphates in an unplanted tank will garentee
an algae outbreak at some point.

A spotlessly clean cycled tank without plants or the very minimum amount of algae is a
sick tank just waiting to happen. It is not a balanced system and the first time something goes wrong it will spread like wildfire.

Hair algae: Don't waste your time trying to treat this in the tank. Remove all objects, plants, gravel that the algae is attached to and treat with an extra strong dose of chlorine and water.
Usual treatment dose is 20:1
For Hair algae the dose is 10:1 for at least 24 hours.
The plants can't stand this dose so use a dip of potassium permangenate (can be purchased in pool supply at nearest hardware store).
Dose: 5 mg tablet mixed to 1 gallon of water.
Dip plants for no more than 1 or 2 minutes depending on species. Rinse well. Can be repeated one time
Make sure that ALL strands are removed. Use a magnifying glass if necessary. 1/8" piece left will grow into a nasty mass within 6 months.

 

[crazycatfishlady]

Thanks for the advice...I've never heard of Flourish Excel?
I have been trying to manually control for a while now (without chemicals) but just recently caused another problem by removing my powerhead stacks from the UW gravel system and created a serious amonia problem that I have been trying to correct by 25-50% water changes every night for 5 nights!

The problem has also migrated to my 29 gallon Cichlid tank. I need to move the Cichlids (had babies : ) to a new tank and don't want to migrate the algae again...What a pain

 

[kimo]

Hair algae is almost impossible to control using manual methods.

You have already discovered how easy it can spread too.

For the ammonia problem: use AmQuel+ to control the ammonia. It won't hurt your cycle at all.

 

[Tifta]

I have been keeping my light off a lot, and that seems to be helping. It looks like it is thinning. It is a nasty algae and I will be scrubbing my plastic plants again with a tooth brush, and some chlorine. If you do use the flourish Excel let me know if it works

 

[meegosh]

Sounds like you're on the right track. I must tell you.. I had exactly the same algae on the exact same decor! Buy a cheap dollar store toothbrush and scrub the heck out of your decor and fake plants, cut back on the lights a lot (like you have been) and cutting back on feedings helped me get mine cleared up quicker.

I can also add that whenever I added a large amount of java moss and some amazon swords I've never had an algae problem since. I only have to trim the java moss every once in a while and separate the swords. Low maintenance and seems to keep things balanced.. HTH.

 

[Tifta]

well I think it's working so far. I'll cut down on the feedings also. At least it is the only tank that I have problem with Algae!

 

[Tifta]

I just tried the whole chlorine thing and OMG, does it work! I stuck my plastic plants and all in the water and that stuff came right off! I didn't have to scrub the algae off. It just disappeared! Now the only concern i have is putting them back in the tank. I washed them and they still smell i chlorine, so i am soaking them in regular water right now. Is there anything else i can do to make sure i don't have any chlorine residue on my items?

 

[meegosh]

Add your dechlorinator that you use to do PWCs to the water and soak.