Hair Algae

4668 Views 16 Replies 9 Participants Last post by KenRC51, Aug 1, 2012

KenRC51

Discussion Starter · Jul 27, 2012

2

So I am having hair algae problem for a long time.

Tank - 9g rimless
Filter - Aqueon 10 100gph
Light - FugeRay LED 12" 44 7000k 5 watt total (distance is right above the tank)
Time that Light is on - 8 hours

The previous light I use which I also had hair algae was a regular house fixture with 60watt equivalent 6000k CFL bulb at about 4 inch away. (I no longer use this bulbe). I also had this bulb on for 8 hours

Co2 - Pressurized PB tank with dual regulator I have it on for 24/7, I do this because I want to keep my pH down.

Air - have air bubbles running for about 8 hours only at night

Plants
-a little DHG
-Fissiden
- some micro swords
- pellia

I do not dose the plant with anything

Water Conditions
100%RO
pH 6-6.5
No2 under <0.3mg/l
NH3/NH4 0.0mg/l
TDS - Not sure but probably low because its RO and I change about 1-2gallon every week some times bi-weekly

This is a CRS/CBS tank, I know that I can use H2O2 or excel to kill the algae but I would like if I don't because I don't want the algae coming back.

I would like to know what is causing the algae to prevent the hair algae.

Here are some of the hair algae. I have already move some that was bunched up in my fissiden.

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1 - 17 of 17 Posts

KenRC51

Discussion Starter · #2 · Jul 28, 2012

Any advice?

kalawai2000

· #3 · Jul 28, 2012

It seems like you have to much light to me.. not enough plants. How old is the tank?

KenRC51

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 28, 2012

kalawai2000 said:
It seems like you have to much light to me.. not enough plants. How old is the tank?

Tank is 6 months old. So you think I should lower the amount of time I have light on?

Right now, I'm only having it on for 2 hours a day. Well see how that goes.

How long does it usually take for hair algae to die due to insufficient light?

hedge_fund

· #5 · Jul 28, 2012

Add some floating plants so they take out any excess nutrients. You can do guppy grass, frog bit, salvinia etc.

KenRC51

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 29, 2012

hedge_fund said:
Add some floating plants so they take out any excess nutrients. You can do guppy grass, frog bit, salvinia etc.

I had some frogbits, about 20+ but then they started disappearing. Why could that be?

AquaPipes

· #7 · Jul 29, 2012

How much surface agitation do you have? Most floaters HATE moving around.

KenRC51

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jul 29, 2012

AquaPipes said:
How much surface agitation do you have? Most floaters HATE moving around.

Not too much, the only agitation is from the HOB, aquueon 10 which is the smallest one.

hedge_fund

· #9 · Jul 29, 2012

KenRC51 said:
Not too much, the only agitation is from the HOB, aquueon 10 which is the smallest one.

Maybe too much light killed them as well. Try getting some floaters again...try getting a variety to see which ones like your conditions the best.

HighDesert

· #10 · Jul 29, 2012

Hair algae is such a pain! I'm dealing with it on some plants a friend gave me. I have them "quarantined" in a kiddie pool right now while i dose them with H2O2. Hygroryza (sp?) aristata seems to do really well with mild surface agitation. I also love the long, fern-like roots that hang down.

philemon716

· #11 · Aug 1, 2012

Your shrimp aren't interested in eating them? Try pulsing your lighting (4 on, 2 off, 4 on) and definitely get more plants and floaters.

CRS and Amanos took care of my hair (separate tanks).

justdrew

· #12 · Aug 1, 2012

+1 on the breaking up the photoperiod.
+1 on pretty much everything mentioned above...more plants will curtail the hair algae growth.
H2O2 is a beautiful thing for algae, just be very careful with the ammounts you use. Start sloooowwwww and low.
Search this forum for more info.

KenRC51

Discussion Starter · #13 · Aug 1, 2012

Since I started this thread I change my photo period to about 2 hours a day. So far I have not seen any changes yet.

KenRC51

Discussion Starter · #14 · Aug 1, 2012

philemon716 said:
Your shrimp aren't interested in eating them? Try pulsing your lighting (4 on, 2 off, 4 on) and definitely get more plants and floaters.

CRS and Amanos took care of my hair (separate tanks).

I don't have any armanos but my CRS/CBS are not eating them. I usually feed my shrimp every other day some times I forget and go 3 days without feeding them.

Should I starve them longer to see if they would eat the Hair algae?

Soujirou

· #15 · Aug 1, 2012

KenRC51 said:
Since I started this thread I change my photo period to about 2 hours a day. So far I have not seen any changes yet.

Your light is only on 2 hours a day? That doesn't sound right if true.

acitydweller

· #16 · Aug 1, 2012

Your photo period should be around 6 hours daily, a step down from the original 8. alternatively, consider spliting the photo hours to 3 hour cycles with an hour dark period in between as an experiment.

Another view to take is the tank is too sparcely planted and not able to sufficiently take advantage of the light available.

Most floaters can tolerate a bit of surface agitation unless your water is flipping them upside down and all around which it shouldnt. One that's easily disturbed would be salvinia (spangles) that turns brown when submerged for a few days.
What does disappearing mean? are they being eaten or are they suffering from necrosis, or turning yellowing then dying?

Mind you, cutting back on the light period wont completely eliminate the algae. it only serves to stop its spread. If you are apprehensive in using hydrogen peroxide or excel in the tank, you can use the dip method. Take the plant out and dip in a 75/25 solution h2o2/water for 30 seconds, rinse with clean water, then replant in the tank.

Its one of the safer ways to deal with algae without directly affecting your water column.

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KenRC51

Discussion Starter · #17 · Aug 1, 2012

acitydweller said:
Your photo period should be around 6 hours daily, a step down from the original 8. alternatively, consider spliting the photo hours to 3 hour cycles with an hour dark period in between as an experiment.

Another view to take is the tank is too sparcely planted and not able to sufficiently take advantage of the light available.

Most floaters can tolerate a bit of surface agitation unless your water is flipping them upside down and all around which it shouldnt. One that's easily disturbed would be salvinia (spangles) that turns brown when submerged for a few days.
What does disappearing mean? are they being eaten or are they suffering from necrosis, or turning yellowing then dying?

Mind you, cutting back on the light period wont completely eliminate the algae. it only serves to stop its spread. If you are apprehensive in using hydrogen peroxide or excel in the tank, you can use the dip method. Take the plant out and dip in a 75/25 solution h2o2/water for 30 seconds, rinse with clean water, then replant in the tank.

Its one of the safer ways to deal with algae without directly affecting your water column.

I don't think they are getting eaten. I think they might of just melted but I don't even see the plant melting. It just started disappearing 1 by 1 all of a sudden.

Could this be from my LED? I notice them disappearing when I change my CFL 13watt (60watt reg bulb) 6500k to a 12" 7000k LED fungeray light.

Also with the LED light, the light is only about 1 inch away from water vs my CFL at about 6-8 inch above water.

I'll take all my fissiden out and dip in H2O2 and excel this weekend.

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