Correlation between CO2 & hair algae?

[njparton]

What are your phosphate levels in your tank?

My PO4 readings are now less than 0.1 mg/l which is preventing a lot of new hair algae appearing - I guess I'll just have to remove the old stuff by hand. That means getting rid of all by bogwood....

 

[njparton]

My nitrate readings are now permanently below 10 mg/l thanks to the RO water. Do they need to be lower than that?

If your nitrate readings are too low and you have phosphates then this seems to encourage algae. I had this situation in my tank once. And silly though it may seem, increasing the nitrates actually got rid of algae.

That does seem strange.

A couple of years ago when I started up, the NO3 reading in my tapwater was quite high so after a week the levels in my tank were over 100 mg/l. That's why I invested in an RO system.

I tested my tap water again yesterday and although PO4 readings are still 3-4 mg/l, the NO3 readings are a lot lower than the 100mg/l 2 years ago. I like the quality of RO water - it just takes a long time to produce!

Why would letting my NO3 levels increase help get rid of hair algae I wonder?

 

[Dubby]

Its probably due to the fact that plants need nitrates for leafy growth. Hence NPK fertilisers for normal plants.

 

[njparton]

Its probably due to the fact that plants need nitrates for leafy growth. Hence NPK fertilisers for normal plants.

I guess it's all just a balancing act

 

[Dubby]

I guess it's all just a balancing act

You said it m8