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Cure for hair and thread algae?

4K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  Betowess 
#1 ·
I don't test. I just want to know what methods have worked for people here on destroying hair and thread algae.
 
#2 ·
I had to get rid of my moss, my tiny sword plants, and other plants that were infested, then increase my CO2 dosing, before I got rid of my thread algae. If the "hair" algae is really BBA, I get rid of that by again increasing my CO2. Try visiting Aquarium Algae to see if you can be sure what kind of algae you have.

You might want to try a "drop checker" type in-tank CO2 indicator so you can confidently increase the CO2 ppm too. See DIY Drop Checker - Aquatic Plant Central- aquascaping...a living art
 
#14 ·
Barry, did it ever resurface - Or did you keep dosing Excel? Second query. Do you think it was the Excel, or the accelerated growth because of the Excel which won the day?

I am having a small amount keep coming back in my tank with new AS. I'm not dosing traces as I believe its worse when I do. I've only had the Aqua Soil less than two months, so the tank is quasi cycling.
 
#7 ·
I Had a problem with hair algea once and I just bought like a million cherry shrimp and they cured it. Ate it all. But works best if ur tanks planted.
 
#8 ·
I recentley switched yeasts from bakers to wine and figured out a way to better dislove my CO2. With that and lowering my nitrate to around 10ppm I think I am winning the battle against the hair algae. I dont know what my Co2 ppm is because I added peat to my substrate 7 months ago when broke down my aquarium. I have no idea if the peat is still softening my water.
 
#9 ·
i had hair algae growing on some plants. for some reason it would only grow on that certain one. i think it was ambulia. can't remember it was long ago. got rid of the ambulia and the hair algae was gone. it never grew on anything but that. i guess cuz it was so close to the light source.
 
#12 ·
Two capfuls is 10 mls, I believe. I was dosing 15 mls a day to 29 gallons. It took about a month but worked very well.
 
#15 ·
Some BGA appeared a few months after I stopped dosing Excel but that was because I let my nitrates get too low.

I think it was both the sterilizing properties of Excel plus the enhanced plant growth that won the day.

I found if I got my nutrient regime right I didn't need Excel anymore. Looking back the algae problems I had were just typical of a new tank.
 
#16 ·
Thanks Barry. I am trying this out. I'm a little worried about that high of dose so I'm doing around 30- 35 ml per day. I have around 74 gallons of water in a 90 gallon. My thread is not very bad at all, so I may quit early if it disappears. My fish are a little sluggish if I dose any higher. But I'm also changing about 12% of the water 5-6 days a week with my auto water change setup, so that takes a little out I suppose. So far, I think I see an improvement. My HC certainly likes the Excel.
 
#17 ·
Barry, were you dosing the Excel at night or what time of day?
 
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