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I have long fuzzy algae...what is it and why?

500 Views 1 Reply 2 Participants Last post by  captain_bu
My tank is about 3 weeks old and my filtration is seeded from an established tank. I trimmed some hairgrass the other day and there is long hairy stuff floatin around it now...looks like some cotton got in there. Ive been pulling it out by hand. What am I doing that is causing it? Is it normal? I am also running lights about 10 hrs a day.Its a 20 breeder with T5HO's. Should I cut down my light time?
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You haven't given much info about your tank, lights etc. Without having all of the specs I would say that because of the T5HO lighting you will need a comprehensive dosing regime that includes macro, micro nutrients and carbon (CO2).

Ten hours is too long for what is probably high light on a brand new tank. Cut light back to 6 hours until algae is under control and the tank starts to mature. Then you can bump up the photoperiod slowly while looking for any additional algae problems. Raising the fixture would help too or putting some window screen between the lights and tank to cut the intensity.

Hard to ID the algae type without a photo, may be rhizoclonium if it is suspended within the hairgrass as opposed to attached to it.
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