Hairy Plants

[ilonak11]

Hi there,

I have a really stupid question. I am new to the whole fish thing. I have a 55 gallon tank. I have 5 packground plants and three foreground plants. I noticed yesterday that the plants had some hairy stuff on the leaves. I have read the pinned articles but I still dont get it. How do I get rid of this hairy stuff on my plants? My water stats are good, and i know i have the right light, I bought the light to help plants grow as well as to bring out the colour in the fish. Do I have to add fertilizer or plant food or something?

Any help would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks,
Ilona

 

[Themuleous]

If you provide your tank stats, NO3, PO4, Co2, lighting level, etc we might be able to help more. For starters though it sounds like hair or thread algae, do you have any shrimp in the tank?

 

[geezer]

If you provide your tank stats, NO3, PO4, Co2, lighting level, etc we might be able to help more. For starters though it sounds like hair or thread algae, do you have any shrimp in the tank?

Ok. So it's a 55 gallon tank
PH 7.7
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 10 (or there abouts, kit is kinda hard to tell)
GH 16
Temp 80 (treating for ich)

I dont know the rest because I dont have a testing kit for that yet.

Light is a Colour intensifier 15 watt lightening rod T6 superlux high lumen fluorescent lamp x2 (LFS said it was good for both fish and growing plants)

No I dont have shrimp but I have 3 clown loaches and 6 cory cats.

 

[geezer]

Didnt notice before, but am using my bf's login sorry to confuse!

I went to the LFS today, told them of my algea problem and they recommended that i buy some shrimp. So they asked me what kinda fish i had and all that, I told them. Bought the shrimp. Got home, did the whole prep thing, released my new lovelys and 30 seconds later my paradise gourami ate had a lovely buffett dinner. So much for that idea!!!!! So I come to the experts in here! Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Ilona

 

[phlawed]

Didnt notice before, but am using my bf's login sorry to confuse!

I went to the LFS today, told them of my algea problem and they recommended that i buy some shrimp. So they asked me what kinda fish i had and all that, I told them. Bought the shrimp. Got home, did the whole prep thing, released my new lovelys and 30 seconds later my paradise gourami ate had a lovely buffett dinner. So much for that idea!!!!! So I come to the experts in here! Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Ilona

i got the same only more dense waiting for a good response hehe

 

[jpedersen024]

Same here.... more of it, more dense, AND lost the (rather expensive) shrimp to dinner too!!!

Sorry no advice, but there are a bunch of us lurking for your magical response!!

 

[Themuleous]

Well Id never confess to being an expert, but this sort of algae is normally controlled I'm my tanks by the shrimp. Those without gourami's would be wise to invest in a few.

Other than that its a tricky one, I don't really know what else to suggest. Upping NO3 can help against some forms of algae but not sure specifically about this one.

Anyone else got any ideas?

 

[fishwatcher]

Would ghost shrimp work on this, or would it need to be the more expensive ones?

 

[geezer]

i got some stuff i will try it out and let you know what happens by next week

 

[jpedersen024]

Would ghost shrimp work on this, or would it need to be the more expensive ones?

I don't think so. Mine sure don't! I think amanos are best, but they're significantly more expensive and harder to find in my lfss.... to ship them in and have them end up dinner for my killi... well.. grrrrrrr.

My amanos in the other tank (small tetras) have done a FABULOUS job keeping that one neat and tidy and algae free. I am suitably impressed with them!

 

[phlawed]

going to buy some singapore shrimp this weekend and see how they do. Only shrimp available ATM

 

[phlawed]

going to buy some singapore shrimp this weekend and see how they do. Only shrimp available ATM

Singapore shrimps are filter feeders. They won't help much with the fine hair algae thing. They're fun to watch though! (the shrimp, not the algae )

then i am lost, what on earch cleans this alge? fish or shrimp? wanting types of fish or shrimmp, amano shrimp r hard to come by