Removing Hair Algae

[Morg513]

Is there a good community fish I can add that will eat my hair algae?

 

[GFAJ]

Siamese algae eaters, amano shrimp , bristlenose plecos snails like the clithon corona are all good choices
Other than that I would recommend trying to find the cause of the algae. It is always a better option than adding to the bioload
There are also other options but are far more dangerous like hydrogen peroxide and seachem excel bombing (DO NOT proceed unless you are certain about what you are doing and know exactly what to do)

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

It's more reliable to get a bottle brush, then twirl it in the tank so the algae winds around it, like cotton candy. Remove it manually while figuring out which imbalance is causing it to thrive, like @GFAJ said.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Is there a good community fish I can add that will eat my hair algae?

what lighting do you have? seems to be coming in from the side - or was that just to help in takin the photo?

 

[Morg513]

what lighting do you have? seems to be coming in from the side - or was that just to help in takin the photo?

I think it’s the picture. The algae seems to grow on the on the plants near the lighting. It’s a full spectrum light.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Other than a build up in phosphate (left over food), I have heard that hair algae in particular is caused by having the light too bright - I can't see any plants in the pic that require high light levels. Do you add any liquid fertiliser at all?
If you can't dim the lighting, try reducing the amount of time the lights are switched on for by hour per day and see if this helps. This won't remove the algae, only prevent it from getting out of hand. You will still need to physically remove the hair algae (unless you're going to use a chemical approach such as hydrogen peroxide)

 

[FishGuest5123]

I have hair algae in my shrimp tank and I actually like it! It only attached to some cholla wood and a rock. The shrimp have fun in it.

 

[mbsqw1d]

I have hair algae in my shrimp tank and I actually live it! It only attached to some cholla wood and a rock. The shrimp have fun in it.

i wish i could love it, it does my head in, trailing off my vallis and laughing at me

 

[Morg513]

Other than a build up in phosphate (left over food), I have heard that hair algae in particular is caused by having the light too bright - I can't see any plants in the pic that require high light levels. Do you add any liquid fertiliser at all?
If you can't dim the lighting, try reducing the amount of time the lights are switched on for by hour per day and see if this helps. This won't remove the algae, only prevent it from getting out of hand. You will still need to physically remove the hair algae (unless you're going to use a chemical approach such as hydrogen peroxide)

I don’t add any liquid fertilizers. I do leave my light on for 6 hours a day because I have a couple bulb plants that I believe require the light. It may be too bright though not sure how to dim it.

 

[Morg513]

I have hair algae in my shrimp tank and I actually like it! It only attached to some cholla wood and a rock. The shrimp have fun in it.

I wouldn’t mind it in my shrimp tank. But this is unfortunately in my fish tank and the other floating plants are getting stuck in the hair algae.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Hmm lighting might not be the issue here and I think you could do well to add some liquid ferts. A recommended one is Seachem's Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I say keep it. Get some shrimp or snails. (If your stocking permits it)

Seachem's Flourish

Yes, Seachem FLOURISH is one of the best liquid ferts I know.

 

[StevenF]

In my experience with hair algae (it took me 5 yrears to eradicate it) the cause in my tank was nutrient deficiencyies. When I identified a nutrient deficiency and fixed it, it would melt away very fast. In my experience lightning has little to no effect on it. The only effect light has is to slow nutrient consumption which may delay the development of a nutrient deficiency.

I don’t add any liquid fertilizers.

If you don't add any fertilizers you will have at least one nutrient deficiency. I would recommend you use a micro nutrient fertilizer containing Iron, manganese, boron, zinc, copper and molybdenum. If you have all of these in sufficiency quantities you shouldn't have a nutrient deficiency.