# Help with batteling Hair Algae needed



## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

I just noticed a Hair Algae on some of my plants. My 10gl tank is 2 months old and has about 6 plants. 4 of them got Hair Algae I think after I increased the light from 8 to 9 hours and started to use fertalizer last week. Those who got Hair Algae are included: Java fern - a little, Amazona sword a little more, LUDWIGIA REPENS a lot and this one does not grow, got some white stuff on leafs but got very good roots (may needs to be removed) and one more, Rotala rotundifolia which got Hair Algae right on the midle of it and a lot of Hair Algae but at the same time growing very vell and started new branches. The plants that are in the tank from the begining got little or no Hair Algae. But the ones that got most of it I've got 1 month ago from private source. Rest of them from BigAl. I was adviced by BigAl guys to remove the plants that got most of the Hair Algae and cut the leafs on the ones who got a little to stop the spread and by Algae eaters as some kind of alamo shrimp or so (I alredy have placo there but he eats plants together with Hair Algae).
But I'm relactant to remove them as they look nice and aloowed my chery shrims to hide and fish to breath. 
Any sugestions will be highly appriciated !!


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

We will need more information to assist you.

What kind of lighting do you have, how much lighting do you have, and how long is your photoperiod?

You say that you are dosing fertilizers. How much, and how often? 

Finally, are you injecting CO2 (either pressurized or DIY CO2)? If you are, do you have a drop checker with a 4 dkH reference solution to check your CO2 levels? If you are not, do you have any carbon supplement (such as Excel)?


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Darkblade48 said:


> We will need more information to assist you.
> 
> What kind of lighting do you have, how much lighting do you have, and how long is your photoperiod?
> 
> ...


Hi

I'm the same guy who asked the question in "Help with plants and specialy java fern needed " http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15223 - post.

My lighting is:
This is special light "Lfe-GLO" bulbs designed by Hagen. And this is what it says on them
- Ideal for planted acuariums
- 6500k natural daylight color temperature
- superior color rendering
- high efficency light output, 64 luments per watt
- stimulates active plant growth
It's a special scu-in florecent light bolbs two by 15W each.
It use to be 8hrs (from 6PM-1AM), I increased it to 9hrs (6PM-2AM) and after i discovered algae i decrised it to 7hrs (5PM-midnight)
I don't know how long is my photoperiod and don't know hot to detemine it.
As per fertilizers I'm using the regular Florish (not excel as I don't have any "red" plants that needs a lot of Iron and I have been told that florish is good enough for my plants). I use half a tea spoon 1 time a week durring the watter change (I only used it twice).
As per CO2 I don't use it at all as my tank is not havily planted tank at all and I'm not planning to have a planted tank I use plants for shrimps to hide and fishes to breath.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Photo period would be the time you have your lights are on to off. Err ... that's 7, 8 or 9 hours, depending on which instance you're talking about.
Anyway, I would stick with the 7 hours. Don't go 9, apparently it's promoting algae growth.
Help out by manually pulling the algae out, that's the best method of removing algae anyway.
Hope you didn't plan to have that pleco in there in the long term. It's not the right size tank for a pleco. If it's a common pleco, that's a big mistake as you're stunting the poor guy. They grown to 12"+, so it's slow form of killing the fish.
As for your plants, you might want to lower your fert dosage sine you have so few plants.

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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Zebrapl3co said:


> Photo period would be the time you have your lights are on to off. Err ... that's 7, 8 or 9 hours, depending on which instance you're talking about.
> Anyway, I would stick with the 7 hours. Don't go 9, apparently it's promoting algae growth.
> Help out by manually pulling the algae out, that's the best method of removing algae anyway.
> Hope you didn't plan to have that pleco in there in the long term. It's not the right size tank for a pleco. If it's a common pleco, that's a big mistake as you're stunting the poor guy. They grown to 12"+, so it's slow form of killing the fish.
> As for your plants, you might want to lower your fert dosage sine you have so few plants.


Thank you very much for your help. Unfortunatly I had to remove LUDWIGIA REPENS and Rotala rotundifolia completaty as they got most of the algae. And trim leafs on rest of them. I'm not happy about removing Rotala rotundifolia as it was growing very nicely and starting new branches. But it's such type of plant where leafs very small and I can not remove algae from it. I'm thinking (as I save it in the watter in plasic back) to cut a relatively good branches and put them in my 1gl baby fish tank. Unfortunatly my amazona sword is still have some hair algae and it also not growing well. I may need to remove it and stick with java fern, java moss and microsodiumwindelove (this one is the best as it's growing very nicely and no algae on it) as those 3 got less issues and looks like they continiue growing. As per placo, this is not a common one (I don't remember it's name) but this is from the small size family brawn color with black dots on it (not dwarf one). But it 2" now and probably will grow to 5" or so. As per your advice I may remove it as it also eats my plants.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

Sheesh, I really have to start re-reading what I type.
Oh, those little fuzzy algae are the worst. You can't get ride of them by hand.
Do you do water change regularly? Try doing 50% water change every week for a while. I am thinking that you might have a fertilizer imbalance. So the %50 water reset the imbalance every week. GTA tap water also have some minor minerals that the plants need anyway. So it's always a good thing to do water change.
I notice that you said you have cherry shrimps, they should help out by eating some of the algae.
Overfeed is also another cause. You might want to scale back on the food. Especially for the cherry shrimp.
Good luck.

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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Zebrapl3co said:


> Sheesh, I really have to start re-reading what I type.
> Oh, those little fuzzy algae are the worst. You can't get ride of them by hand.
> Do you do water change regularly? Try doing 50% water change every week for a while. I am thinking that you might have a fertilizer imbalance. So the %50 water reset the imbalance every week. GTA tap water also have some minor minerals that the plants need anyway. So it's always a good thing to do water change.
> I notice that you said you have cherry shrimps, they should help out by eating some of the algae.
> ...


Thank you again. Actualy the way I noticed the algae that my chery shrims were sitting on those most infected plants constantly. I actualy don't feed my shrims (separatly) I only feed my fish (with flakes 2 times a day) I guess I should scale back to 1 time. Also i do a regular 25% watter changes every week. And watter is goos so far (no smell or green color or so). I'm wondering should I try to add algae eaters like siamese flying fox / algae eater (I know this one gets quet long up to 6" and I'm not sure it's good one fo 10gl tank) or amano shrimp or I also know about some kind of catfish / placo style fish that eats algae as well and gets as big as 1" ? Or should I try to buy a medication for plants against algae as well (I know one against hair algae is exists ? As I'm reluctant to do 50% watter change as it's not that bad yet and I don't want to loose al my bacteria.


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## Twiggles (Jun 6, 2010)

correct me if i'm wrong but you said you're trying to grow plants using no CO2??


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Twiggles said:


> correct me if i'm wrong but you said you're trying to grow plants using no CO2??


I'm correcting you. I never said I'm trying to use CO2. As my fish tank is not havely planted.


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## Twiggles (Jun 6, 2010)

ummm, ya, i asked if you're trying to grow plants without CO2 and you just answered yes ... if you're plants don't have a carbon source (like CO2 or flourish excel) they can't really grow. And brush algae thrives in environments with low/fluctating CO2 levels. So that would explain why a couple of your plants had algae all over them and had to be taken out ..


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Twiggles said:


> ummm, ya, i asked if you're trying to grow plants without CO2 and you just answered yes ... if you're plants don't have a carbon source (like CO2 or flourish excel) they can't really grow. And brush algae thrives in environments with low/fluctating CO2 levels. So that would explain why a couple of your plants had algae all over them and had to be taken out ..


OK. But i asked a few people around and they told me that if i don't have havily planted tank (which i don't) I don't need to create DIY CO2. And I started to use firtalizer but this is when I descovered the problem. The only think I could think of for a suplement of CO2 is Florish exel.
Any other suggestions how to keep plants alive without algae and not using DIY CO2 ? otherwise (as I'm not groving plants for sale or so) I can always replace them with plastic ones and eliminate all current / future algae problems all together since what I've been told if my filter is strong and good enought (which it is AC 20) plants are realy for decoration and it is does not metter for fish if they are plastic or real.
So let me know what you think ?


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

You don't have to have CO2 to grow plants in your tank. I have 3 tanks that grow plants perfectly fine without CO2. Another 3 tanks that are CO2 injected, which grow much better plants.
The only time you want CO2 in your tank is when you're doing a planted scape or under a high light setting environment. Certain carpet plants will need CO2. But for a majority of the under water plants, it's not a must have. CO2 simply give you a boost allowing maximum growth. Under a low to medium light setting, CO2 is not required.
I don't recommend you to go CO2 unless you get your tank stable and are ready to go to the next level. CO2 won't solve your problem, if anything, it will speed up the algae growth 2 or 3 times faster.
Seachem Excel is bad for cherry shrimps. So not sure if you want to go that route. Amano shrimp or Algae eating shrimp is a good addition.
I would pass on the pleco, but if you must, only bristle nose pleco eat algae.
SAE (Siamese Algae Eater) is only a short term solution. They grow very fast; and once older, their diet changes and won't be that interested in algae. Also, they are fast moving fish and need bigger tanks to grow. Even my 4' tank is barely meeting their need.
Otto (that 1" cat fish) is a good choice, but not very hardy. They die very easily and I never have little success with them. Maybe some one in the forum know a bit more about them.

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## bae (May 11, 2007)

Twiggles said:


> ummm, ya, i asked if you're trying to grow plants without CO2 and you just answered yes ... if you're plants don't have a carbon source (like CO2 or flourish excel) they can't really grow.


You don't need added CO2 to grow plants well. There are many photos of beautiful low tech tanks in the planted tank photo forum here.

I'd stop fertilizing this tank. It isn't heavily planted and the nutrients from fish and shrimp waste may well be adequate for the plants, so fertilizer just encourages algae. If this doesn't help enough, you may want to add more plants, especially fast-growing ones, to compete with the algae for nutrients.


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