Gha :(

Hair algea is a sign of not enough fertz isn't it?

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Yep, believe its phosphorous... But it could be potassium.. I cant remeber which as Its been so long since ive had it. I've actually found all algea problems can be solved by ferts, even BBA.

HolyAngel said:

Yep, believe its phosphorous... But it could be potassium.. I cant remeber which as Its been so long since ive had it. I've actually found all algea problems can be solved by ferts, even BBA.

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BBA? ok I will bite

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dosing phosphorous is the key eh?

NWA-Planted said:

BBA? ok I will bite

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yeah no kidding. if holy angel is correct and ferts are the secret. i think we are all in...

Too much light + not enough ferts (incl CO2) = Hair algae.

Too much light + not enough ferts (esp. CO2) = BBA.

Too much light + not enough ferts (esp. PO4) = GSA.

Etc. It isn't really that simple, but you get the drift. Rescaping and recreating the same conditions will lead to the same situation. Adding all nutrients, plenty CO2, reasonable light, healthy plants -> fairly algae free tank. After a while... hair algae take a while to disappear.

thanks for the info, do you think seachem flourish is going to be enough?

Most likely not. Flourish provides micros, but plants need macros (NPK) too.

i think you have it backwards Holyangel

according to http://www.yamatogreen.com/phosphorus.htm

to much is the cause, and as soon as i started dosing NPK, i got more hair algae.

I'm guessing just dose NK and micros?

Phosphates are not the cause of algae growth. However, adding them will sure feed algae. These are two distinctively different things.

Algae are mostly caused by lack of nutrients in relation to light levels. To grow, plants need nutrients (incl CO2). In low tech (low light) tanks these might be supplied by natural processes, water changes, fish food and excrements, etc.

With higher light the nutrient requirements grow, so you need to dose. If you just dose one thing (say Flourish) your plants will miss essential nutrients, and stop to grow after a while. Algae takes over. If you have a bunch of algae for whatever reason and you add more phosphates, algae will say "thank you" and grow twice as fast. Trick is to ignore algae and provide your plants with all nutrients (did I mention CO2?) so that they will take off. After a while (this can take months) algae will disappear and everyone will be happy. Something like that.

I see, but according to the article i post, it is saying that a high phosphorus amount is not needed. perhaps my tank water was plenty of phosphorus in it already? and i may just be adding excess?

also, HC carpet started to get brown leaves when i started NPK (might mean something?)

I had a new tank going with lots of plants. CO2 and lights, but I did not dose for the first couple weeks. Then I dosed once with Flourish and got a huge outbreak of brown hair algae. Very ugly.

I did large water changes every couple days. I did no more dosing. Cut the lights to very short periods. I ran without lights for 2 days (but that seemed to have little effect). I was planning on just continuing my water change regimen.

Then I added 5 otos. Algae growth seemed to stop. Then it started disappearing at a very rapid rate. And about two weeks after adding the otos, my tank was algae-free.

Could have been many variables... plant growth might have kicked in, water changes may have been helping, who knows what else.... but I really think those otos had something to do with it!

Now I am dosing with the Flourish again, lengthened the light period, and things have been going fine. No signs of algae.