Nevermind.... how to get rid of hair algae?

[phoenixkiller]

I found out it's actually hair algae. So I'll be doing water changes, and my DIY CO2 system is gonna be up in a little while. Any ideas? It's a ten gallon tank with 25 watts of light, and this hair algae is taking over. What do I do??

[mindy]

my amano shrimp made very short work of the hair algae in my tank when i got them.

[phoenixkiller]

Originally Posted by mindy

my amano shrimp made very short work of the hair algae in my tank when i got them.

It's a betta tank, and I don't think he'll tolerate shrimp...

[Jadenlea]

+1 to the amano shrimp.

I bet he would tolerate them. Is there hiding places? Amanos get as big as your beta. Nothing including my beta bothers my amanos in my community tank.

[Complexity]

H2O2 kills hair algae.

[phoenixkiller]

Originally Posted by Complexity

H2O2 kills hair algae.

Is there a way to dose it into the tank without killing the plants or the betta? How does that work?

[Complexity]

Here's a thread that discusses a number of ways to do it. Be sure to read all the warnings before going forward so you can be sure you don't have any sensitive plants or shrimp in the tank that could be harmed.

I'd recommend starting off at the lowest recommended amount which is 1ml per 10 gallons of water.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=179452

[HybridHerp]

Amanos supposedly work well, and I bet your betta would let them live

[Markahsf]

I had a hair algae problem for a few weeks. I turned my filter off, filled a syringe with excel and spot treated my tank. I put the syringe on the affected area and pushed small amounts of excel out. A couple days later, it was all gone. If it's all over your tank, I think you should try other methods. I only had it on my plants but it worked. As long as you don't overdose it, it should be ok.

[pejerrey]

How many hrs of light you have a day?
Are u dosing?
What are your parameters?
Is it planted?
Filtration?
Do you have a full tank pic?
Am I asking to many questions?
lol!

[Complexity]

Oh, pejerrey, what are you trying to do? Actually help the guy fix the problem instead of putting a bandaid over it? LOL!

Generally speaking, when hair algae is involved, the root cause is almost always due to too much light.

[phoenixkiller]

Originally Posted by Complexity

Here's a thread that discusses a number of ways to do it. Be sure to read all the warnings before going forward so you can be sure you don't have any sensitive plants or shrimp in the tank that could be harmed.

I'd recommend starting off at the lowest recommended amount which is 1ml per 10 gallons of water.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=179452

Ok. I read the instructions. I only have the Betta in there, and a few ramshorn snails. So should I start doing frequent water changes? As in, like, 50% every 2 days?

I'm making sure that the lights are on for only 8 hours a day. I hope that a bit of CO2 will destroy some algae as well.

The only plants in there right now are Wisteria, a colorful Ludwigia plant, a few stems of Green Cabomba, and some Ambulia. Oh and there is driftwood in the tank.

[phoenixkiller]

Originally Posted by Markahsf

I had a hair algae problem for a few weeks. I turned my filter off, filled a syringe with excel and spot treated my tank. I put the syringe on the affected area and pushed small amounts of excel out. A couple days later, it was all gone. If it's all over your tank, I think you should try other methods. I only had it on my plants but it worked. As long as you don't overdose it, it should be ok.

It's just on the majority of my plants. My Ludwigia and Wisteria are the most affected. And guess where those two plants are located? Right under the light.

I would get Excel, but man, is it EXPEEEEEENSIVE.

[pejerrey]

Originally Posted by Complexity

Oh, pejerrey, what are you trying to do? Actually help the guy fix the problem instead of putting a bandaid over it? LOL!

Generally speaking, when hair algae is involved, the root cause is almost always due to too much light.

LOL!

You know, sooner or later somebody is going to ask all those questions or the OP is going to realize he needs to know the answers to know the cause.
Otherwise we will be playing a guessing game and giving him all kind of advices based on poor info. Frustration will be inevitable.

As you say, I agree that light vs co2 is the main thing. But does the op know why?
Even if one of us or all of us advice(s) him right and solves the problem, other things are going to happen in the future and he may not be able to troubleshoot it.


..."Give a man a fish and he will get a bowl, teach a man how to keep fish and he will get a planted tank"...

LOL!

Dont take me serious I'm a clown!


The truth is that without enough co2 plants are limited to the nutrients they can consume in a tank, given more than enough light in relation to the available co2 then algae will happily process the nutrients that the plants can't process. This is also determined by the plant mass and any other limiting factor.

[josolanes]

Originally Posted by pejerrey

LOL!

You know, sooner or later somebody is going to ask all those questions or the OP is going to realize he needs to know the answers to know the cause.
Otherwise we will be playing a guessing game and giving him all kind of advices based on poor info. Frustration will be inevitable.

As you say, I agree that light vs co2 is the main thing. But does the op know why?
Even if one of us or all of us advice(s) him right and solves the problem, other things are going to happen in the future and he may not be able to troubleshoot it.
..."Give a man a fish and he will get a bowl, teach a man how to keep fish and he will get a planted tank"...

LOL!

Dont take me serious I'm a clown!

LOL using this that in my sig