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Another algae help thread

1K views 15 replies 4 participants last post by  JMex 
#1 ·
So, I've been battling some of what has been identified as hair algae for a while. The week before last I did 50% water changes everyday, dosed heavy on excel, less photoperiod, and then on saturday I did a VERY thorough cleaning, getting most every fiber out of the tank and filter. I then bought amanos to keep the rest off and started EI dosing. One week later and it's all back again. Not sure how this happened...

Specs:
5 gallon cycled tank
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: A little over 40ppm (oops)
Kh:5 (75ppm?)
Gh:6 (100ppm?)

Not sure co2 since I don't have a drop checker yet (in the mail) but its one bubble per second with the fluval bubble counter for their mini co2 system used on a DIY bottle.

And pics:








I don't know if you can see on the thermometer but it's really long strands there. Any help/advice greatly appreciated.
 
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#2 ·
I've been battling the same algae along with staghorn algae in my 29g for several months. I bought a Siamese Algae Eater (SAE) from my lfs two weeks ago and he has started eating it. (It's not his favorite, but I notice large chunks of it missing after work.) I started dosing with Flourish Excel and had to up the dose because it is so heavily planted. I also turned off my CO2 feed. My tank also retains pretty high nitrate levels since there is a high bioload.

The main thing I've learned about algae control is balancing your nutrients and light levels. If the plants consume all of the nutrients and leave none for the algae, the algae growth will be stunted at the least. Still, physical removal is key until it's under control. You can adjust the amount of time you have lights on during the day as well. And making sure the tank's not in direct sunlight.

Also, I feel like I'm leaving some things out. Oh well.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately adding more fish or dosing heavy excel is out of the question because of my current bio load and the fact that I have shrimp. I am thinking of bringing my photoperiod down to 5 hours starting tomorrow. I have also found another new kind of algae that looks like the previous kind but is green and is not easily removed. I had to scrub it pretty good with a toothbrush to get it off yesterday.
 
#5 ·
Toothbrush! I have been battling thread algae in my 75gal. I bought 4 SAE reduced my lighting, upped my Co2 and every couple days I manually remove with the tooth brush and do a water change.

Have you considered that maybe its the water you are using causing the algae? I think the majority of my problem was my RO filters where in need of replacing and leaching phosphates back into the water. I was showing TDS of 88 on water that should of been 0.
 
#6 ·
I still like the SAEs and adjusting lighting. Also adding more plants to take in the extra nutrients would help. Algae growth is caused by an imbalance of light, nutrients and consuming fauna. Really, I would adjust your light schedule first, turn off your filter and toofbrush your algae then a fairly large water change (50%?) then get all the systems going again. I stand by my Flourish Excel. I have never seen any adverse effects on my shrimp or even heard of problems with it. And it's better than a blackout.

Two things:
Small adjustments and
Lots of patience

When the problem quits getting bigger, you've won the battle.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the advice guys! I did the 50% water change yesterday as per EI dosing and did the cleaning up then. I just set up my light timer so it will be on 5 hours instead of 8 tomorrow (I would raise it but it's on a cliplight). I never thought about water. Can that contribute? I just use tap water with Nutrifin Aqua+ dechlor when I do water changes. I will try some small doses of excel as well with spot treatment since the worst of it is in the HC.

It used to be quite minor until I started dosing EI and my CO2 is DIY so I'm thinking that might be the limiting factor here. Hopefully my drop checker will get here soon so I can see what's up with that.
 
#8 ·
This is your fluval Chi?

I might even leave the light on longer than 8 hours a day. *edit: I would start at 12 hours a day. And how powerful is your light? You say it's a clip-on?* Especially since it was under control until you started dosing your tank. Adding nutrients and not the supply of light needed for your plants to process them can also create that imbalance in your tank.

Just like balancing chemistry equations...because it is one!
 
#9 ·
This is your fluval Chi?
I might even leave the light on longer than 8 hours a day. *edit: I would start at 12 hours a day.* Especially since it was under control until you started dosing your tank. Adding nutrients and not the supply of light needed for your plants to process them can also create that imbalance in your tank.
Just like balancing chemistry equations...because it is one!
Yeah, the fluval chi. And you know...I never thought about that, haha. It was at 12 (before co2 and dosing) and I had algae and I turned it down and it helped, then I started dosing and it started up again. Maybe I should go back to 12 before I go down to 5? The only thing that makes me weary is that it's a 26-watt light and I don't want to burn anything.
 
#12 ·
I've had much luck! When I first increased the light time to 10 hours, it had a growth spurt, then I reduced it to 6 and it just stopped growing altogether (or so slow I couldn't notice it). I also changed my DIY formula and it's making a bit more co2 at a steadier pace which I'm sure helped. On top of that my amano shrimp finally stopped hiding and have been cleaning up everything. I just got back from a weekend trip and the tank is spotless! In between all of this I had some cladophora but manual removal and a little spot dosing with excel made sure it never came back.
 
#13 ·
Awesome! I've been fighting a growth of staghorn lately and want to help my SAE a little. Where did you get your Amanos?
Again, I'm really glad everything worked out.
 
#15 ·
Im glad your having success. I thought I was and then it seems like out of the blue its back and just as bad as ever. Seems like overnight I can go from minimal visible to big 5+" strands in thick mats that I can roll up on the toothbrush like nasty green spaghetti. I have tried everything so far... only thing thats not on par is my dosing. I need to get a much better grasp on EI dosing. Right now I just add a capful of flourish every couple days. :(

maybe I am going crazy but it seems like it gets really bad right after I feed out some micro worms. Could it be they are causing a big nutrient spike?
 
#16 ·
I don't think a nutrient spike would cause algae since if you aren't dosing anything and your tank is heavily planted, the plants should try to get to it first. The only reason it would is if your CO2 or lighting is the limiting factor and even then I'm not sure feeding a few worms would be that bad. I just read all kinds of stuff about plant growth and the limits and everything and found the perfect balance for what I have right now. Just got a drop checker today and realized my limiting factor was CO2 which is why lowering my lighting period (thereby making plants uptake nutrients/co2 slower) fixed it for me. From what I've read, and experienced in this case, just mess with water parameters until you find that balance. EI dosing is just nice cause that takes out one piece that you have to try to balance.
 
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