Green hair algae should I keep or remove from my established tank.

[Stan510]

You said that since going to keeping plants you started to use Flourish and also added more fish. That's what made the algae become visible. IF your changing water regularly,then the biofilter part isn't up to the load. It's not all how much water goes through the filter..its how much media is in the filter. If you have a sump,double the media.If its a canister,a second canister with mostly bio media would do.
I don't see that much algae in the photos..maybe an Ancistrus or two added and a good scrubbing of rocks and wood would do,clean the mechanical( sponge or floss or called "prefilter") part of the filter more often.

 

[Tony blazer]

You are thinking too much. This tank has been set up for 14 years since 2006. Back in 2014 the tank was converted into a African cichlid tank at that time over the cost of 6 years I lost 90% of my plants due to the nature of African cichlids and the fact I was keeping the water at a higher pH and adding salt for the cichlids. The one large Rock that has highest elevation always had some algae growth towards the end of the African cichlid tank cycle after lost the majority of the cichlids and pants I did notice a little bit of the hair algae developing. About 8 weeks ago I lost my last cichlid which was a monster and I was unable to introduce any new fish with him. About 7 weeks ago I converted the tank into the community tank which I have now and added the majority of the plants including seven different species the only one I had left was my java fern from the original cichlid tank. In the cost of 7 weeks when I was adding the new fish and plants I started using flourish once a week with a weekly water change of 18-20%.

The point I was making is that I noticed the hair algae growing a little more in length which probably has to do with now having 24 fish in the tank supposed to 4 and now I am adding flourish for the new plants. I am fine with the way it looks now I think it looks kind of cool but do not want it to expand to other areas and take over the tank. That was my whole point. I was asking if hair algae has a tendency to expand on its own naturally not. The the long hair algae took almost 14 years to really grow.

As you can see I do not have algae throughout the tank only on that one rock that's elevated and closer to my light source. I just wanted people's input on how I can maintain the hair algae the way it is now. Perhaps I can cut down and half dose the flourish but like I said the new plants are only about 7 weeks old in the tank and I still think I need to continue given them supplements other than processing of fish waste to feed my plants.

 

[Tony blazer]

I was looking at old pictures before I re-established the tank to a community tank for my old cichlid tank. The hair algae on the elevated Rock was not that much the only thing I can contribute it to is since I added the new plants I have been put in flourish 5 ml every week with my 20% water change. My plants look great but I think I'm going to cut the dose down to see if the hair algae maintains where it is and not continues to grow more.

 

[Retired Viking]

I still think the algae looks nice My African Cichlids took over my 55 gallon tank and rooted up all my plastic plants. I would find plants pushed around almost everyday. They were nice looking fish but I don't think I will get any again.