Excel The Best Way To Remove Hair Algae

[atmmachine816]

So if I have hair algae is the best way to remove it with overdose using excel, I need to know asap because my mom will take me to get some really soon.

thanks

 

[Fillet 'O' Fish]

I would say never overdose with fert's as it could cause more problems with algae than you already have .
You need to find the cause of the algae and correct that. Type of Light, Co2 etc. Theres some good pinned topics of types of algae and causes Causes of algae

 

[atmmachine816]

yes I'm reading them now to see what I can find, I'v just read that overdose of excel is the best way to remove hair algae.

should I try putting lots of hornwort in the tank before something else?

 

[danski]

i dont think you wanna overdose excel too much..it could be toxic to your fish.i use it at three capfuls after a major change of water.it will help keep control of algae but i dont think it will kill it off except for bba.it will help fight it from appearing in my experience.excel is a great additive though if you use it regularly.i would still get it and use it.try cleaning all the algae off do a water change then add the excel.

 

[atmmachine816]

Well I believe what the problem is that I don't have enough plants in the tank and it's being exposed to too much sunlight. So maybe I'll try using the excel to try and help get rid of it, bleach my plants if that doesn't work, and cover the tank during the day. Souund ok, any other suggestions?

thanks

 

[tropheus addict]

Hi there ive got the best thing to remove this stuff naturally 'Tropheus' ive got hair algae growing in another small tank and put a rock in the big tank once in a while and they clean it within minutes probbably doesnt help you but just thought it funny how what to you is a problem to me is a treat for my fish.Hope you defeat your prob regards......

 

[atmmachine816]

Ok so it's probably too much sunlight that is causing it, how do I remove what i have now though, anybody?

 

[wei0204]

I would suggest to add in some amano shrimps while waiting for you to find out the cause of it, as they are good in clearing the hair algae.

 

[atmmachine816]

I'm trying to locate some atm, the cause is probably underplanting and excess sunlight, do you know if excel kills it?

thanks

 

[Themuleous]

Excel overdosing (3x the normal rate) is better at removing BBA, it has been know to work on other types, but BBA is the main one. For 'real' thread algaes amano shrimp are normally a better option if you can get them. Be aware that excel overdoing can affect some plants, mainly the fine leaved ones, like combamba, riccia and hornwort. It turned my hornwort to mush.

I would however not overdose the excel for more than a few weeks, it could affect the fish, although I'm not so sure about that.

Sam

 

[atmmachine816]

Thanks, I"m emailing the two main fish chains around me hoping to get some amano shrimp, I'v also covered my tank during the day and will try excel if I can't get any amano shrimp. It's mainly affecting my crypts so the excel shouldn't kill them. Thanks for responding it's just what I needed to know. thanks a lot

 

[Tsi_User]

if you do get amano shrimp, be sure to get plenty. I have 5 in our pretty heavily planted tank and they get to about 60% of the algae removed.

 

[atmmachine816]

Yup I think I might be getting some in a few weeks.

Themuleous would adding a DIYco2 to help with the algae?

thanks

 

[Dave Spencer]

Yup I think I might be getting some in a few weeks.

Themuleous would adding a DIYco2 to help with the algae?

thanks

Adding CO2 is beneficial to plants, as opposed to detrimental to algae. For it to have an effect, you will need a large enough biomass to be able to utilise the CO2, with the net result that your plants start to outgrow the algae. You will need to take in to account other factors such as ferts and lighting, but now I am just leading you down the high tech path.

 

[atmmachine816]

Ya I'm kinda doing that in my small tank. I was just wondering if it would give the plants a boost to use up more nutrients to give the algae less of a chance to grow but since their crypts mostly and a little bit of anarchis I don't know. My lighting sucks, .666wpg and I use tetra flora pride but stopped recently as I saw no effect with the crypts but use it in my smaller tank because I see a large effect.