algae problem

[jeff_hopkinson]

Hi,can you tell me what it is in both of my two rio180s, i have live plants, on some of the leaves there is black hair growing what is this is,is it hair alga, if so how can i treat it.I wait for your replies

 

[Slyspy]

Yes it sounds like hair algae. I have never heard of an outright "cure" for it. Heavy planting and the addition of fertilizers may enable the plants to out compete the algae. Try fast growers like hornwort. I had a little hair algae in one tank and as my tank matured I fed the plants and added hornwort and now the tank is clear of any algae (*touches wood*). To the best of my knowledge there is no fish or critter that can be relied on to eat hair algae.

PS
You can physically remove hair algae by twirling a toothbrush through it and gently pulling it from the leaf.