How do I get rid of this now?!

[ilovehorses52]

I have this green hair algae I just can’t seem to get rid of any types of algae

 

[Byron]

Common algae is natural and present in all our tanks (if they are healthy bio-systems), but "problem" algae which is what you have here is not something we want. The cause is always the same for any "problem" algae, an imbalance of light and nutrients. With plants in the tank, the aim is to provide adequate light (this involves intensity, spectrum and the duration) for the plants, and at the same time adequate nutrients. As soon as one of these factors is out of sync, algae is able to take advantage.

We will need to know data on your lighting. What type, the spectrum (Kelvin or CRI number), and how long it is on daily.

Nutrients include natural organics from the fish being fed, water changes, and any fertilizers. Information on the fertilizer(s) if any.

 

[Ellie11]

How about throwing the plants away, changing the water and cleaning everything?

 

[Colin_T]

do some water changes, add some floating plants and some shrimp, see what happens

 

[ilovehorses52]

How about throwing the plants away, changing the water and cleaning everything?

I really don't want to throw perfectly good plants away cause they are still alive and happy

 

[ilovehorses52]

do some water changes, add some floating plants and some shrimp, see what happens

tried shrimp cant seem to keep them alive

Common algae is natural and present in all our tanks (if they are healthy bio-systems), but "problem" algae which is what you have here is not something we want. The cause is always the same for any "problem" algae, an imbalance of light and nutrients. With plants in the tank, the aim is to provide adequate light (this involves intensity, spectrum and the duration) for the plants, and at the same time adequate nutrients. As soon as one of these factors is out of sync, algae is able to take advantage.

We will need to know data on your lighting. What type, the spectrum (Kelvin or CRI number), and how long it is on daily.

Nutrients include natural organics from the fish being fed, water changes, and any fertilizers. Information on the fertilizer(s) if any.

this is the light here

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/aqueon-marine-aquarium-clip-on-led-fixture

its on for 10-12 hours a day

 

[Colin_T]

Floating plants or reduce lighting by 1 hour a day. Monitor the algae over the next few weeks and if it's still a problem, reduce lighting time by another hour. Monitor for a couple more weeks and see how it goes.

 

[Byron]

The link to the light recognized I am in Canada, and sent me off to different Petco sites, so I couldn't find anything on the light. Do you know the spectrum? I agree with Colin that reducing the duration is probably a good thing, 10-12 hours is a lot without floating plants to reduce some of it.

You also didn't respond on the fertilizer question. Substrate tabs like Seachem's Flourish Tabs will benefit the sword plants immensely, without leeching nutrients into the water to feed algae.

 

[ilovehorses52]

The link to the light recognized I am in Canada, and sent me off to different Petco sites, so I couldn't find anything on the light. Do you know the spectrum? I agree with Colin that reducing the duration is probably a good thing, 10-12 hours is a lot without floating plants to reduce some of it.

You also didn't respond on the fertilizer question. Substrate tabs like Seachem's Flourish Tabs will benefit the sword plants immensely, without leeching nutrients into the water to feed algae.

The only thing I put into my water for plants is aqueon plant food or it’s called something similar to that