Black Hairy Algae

[CoPz]

I have read a lot of post about his subject and I just wanted some input about what I am doing.

I have cut my lighting from 12 hours to 8 hours now but I am still seeing the algae...I'm not sure if more has grown or if it has stopped completely but is just not dying. I don't add fertilizer anymore either...no chemicals at all...the only thing I do is feed my fish...I also have a Co2 diffuser but I don't really want to take it out because it's too much hastle... What should I do...

Another question...can I open the Co2 Canister or will it explose or something...I am getting a really bad smell in the room from the tank because of the Co2... Is there anything I can do about that as well.

Thanks!!!

 

[njparton]

I have read a lot of post about his subject and I just wanted some input about what I am doing.

I have cut my lighting from 12 hours to 8 hours now but I am still seeing the algae...I'm not sure if more has grown or if it has stopped completely but is just not dying. I don't add fertilizer anymore either...no chemicals at all...the only thing I do is feed my fish...I also have a Co2 diffuser but I don't really want to take it out because it's too much hastle... What should I do...

Another question...can I open the Co2 Canister or will it explose or something...I am getting a really bad smell in the room from the tank because of the Co2... Is there anything I can do about that as well.

Thanks!!!

I'd stop adding CO2 (you must be able to turn it off?) and look for a proprietry additive that targets this type of algea.

Add some activated carbon to your filter for a week to remove the remnants of any fertiliser and some Green-X to remove phosphates and excess nitrates.

I've also heard that certain fish love that type of aglae...

 

[Cian McLiam]

Brown algae doesnt use light as a food source as much as green algae, which is shown by the colour itself, green=chlorophyl=needs light.
It can grow in dimly lit tanks as well as brightly lit and is an absolute pain!!!
I have a Gibbiceps plec who munches on it all day and keeps it in check for me but I think its excess organics in the water that causes it, phosphate and nitrate contribute too.
Check your tap water for the latter, and if its ok, do more regular water changes. If not, get some fish that will eat it or get a de-ioniser or RO unit to eliminate the bio wastes.


Ken

 

[pmoyniha]

I found that in order to get rid of the "Hair" algae I had to bleach my plants. You can find info around the web for the best way to do that for a given plant. I only found it growing on the plants, but I am sure you can bleach other items. I did that a couple weeks ago and so far I have had no ill effects on the fish and only slight effects on the plants that were bleached.

As far as the CO2 and fertilizer goes, I was under the impression that your plants can outcompete the algae for nutrients. If you can work out the tricky balance of the right amount of fertilizer and CO2 and light your plants will grow and outcompete the algae and it will die off (residual levels always remain). From what I understand the key is to add no Phosphorus to your tank. Your plants are better at extracting and holding on to it from the water, so if all other nutrients are in excess, the algae will die. If your fertilizer has Phosphorus in it I would stop adding it and find something without it. Also most fish food will have Phoshorus in it, so if you overfeed it can be used by the algae too.

Again, I am a bit of a beginner at this stuff, but from what I read and my background as a biologist it all seems to make sense. It is just hard to get the balance.
Good Luck!
pat

 

[CoPz]

I appreciate the replies...just to let you know, I have kept the lights at 8 hours a day (I have 60 Watts but I have only been using 40 watts and it hasn't helped, now I have taken it down to 20 Watts), I have completely stopped with the fertilizer (i'm not adding any chemicals), I am feeding my fish once a day so I have done some big changes but the algae is still on my plants. Not as much as before but there are still small amounts here and there. When I groom my plants, I usually cut most of it off and then I have to break the odd leaf off on the plants because it is growing. It's also growing on my driftwood. My tank is pretty healthy other than the algae growth.

 

[njparton]

I appreciate the replies...just to let you know, I have kept the lights at 8 hours a day (I have 60 Watts but I have only been using 40 watts and it hasn't helped, now I have taken it down to 20 Watts), I have completely stopped with the fertilizer (i'm not adding any chemicals), I am feeding my fish once a day so I have done some big changes but the algae is still on my plants. Not as much as before but there are still small amounts here and there. When I groom my plants, I usually cut most of it off and then I have to break the odd leaf off on the plants because it is growing. It's also growing on my driftwood. My tank is pretty healthy other than the algae growth.

Did you try the Green-X as I suggested?

I use it in my external filter as the last stage and don't get much algea at all!

Test your (tap and tank) water for phosphate content.

 

[CoPz]

I have put Green X into my filter and so far the clarity and the smell of my water is much better!! Thanks njparton for the suggestion. I hope that it will not mess up the cycle in my tank though...or kill any of my fish. My NitrAte level is perfect...I don't really want it to change. Will it?

 

[fishgeek]

do you get light from a window ?
he only time i had brown algae was when i had the tank in a well lit room!

 

[dirty332]

well if i was you i dont think it would hurt if you took one of the gold plecos out for a day or two and put it in there the smallest one though and im sure he or she would just go insane eating it all, i wish i had a small amout on algea ive got my light on for 12 13 hours a day but nothin for my pl3co so o well he gets his food but good luck

 

[FishNiX]

i had some hairy algae a while back, but i think it was green...

i got a black molly and away it went!!

 

[njparton]

I have put Green X into my filter and so far the clarity and the smell of my water is much better!! Thanks njparton for the suggestion. I hope that it will not mess up the cycle in my tank though...or kill any of my fish. My NitrAte level is perfect...I don't really want it to change. Will it?

I don't think green-X will upset your cycle so long as it's the last stage of filtration.

If you put it in first or middle, you may deprive some beneficial bacteria of nitrite.

I put it in last, just after some filter floss.

Remember to change it about once a month as it may let nitrates back into the water in large quantities suddenly as the media becomes saturated... in the same way activated carbon can with ammonia.

 

[Alien_spawn]

I have dark green Hairy algae which I have been trimming off the plants, it only grows on the plants, I've been keeping fish for a while and never come across this problem before although I've heard about it, My book I got suggests reducing light hrs so I've tried that 12hrs down to 8hrs, done all common water tests nothing out of ordinary thinking about getting a a good algae eater fish maybe