What causes hair algae and how to get rid of them?

**Justikanz** · 12th Mar 2006, 01:17

Eh... After I switch to T5, I begin to see hair algae... They will appear and then disappear mysteriously after a couple of days...

In my 4footer (48" x 24" x 24"), I have some yamatop shrimps and 2 Florida Flag Fish. It is a CO2 enriched tank but my dosing (Seachem nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, flourish, flourish trace and iron) had been irregular. The algae started appearing after I switched from 220W PL to 216W T5HO. Recently, I reduced the lighting to 108W, alternating between 10,000K and 6700K daily. The hair algae will still appear and for these 2 days, the strands look longer... I had stopped the nitrate dosage as I noticed some fish had died inside the tank and my fish were feeding on them as I only find bones at the end of the day...

In my 2footer (24" x 16" x 18"), I will dose Seachem excel, phosphorus and sometimes flourish and flourish trace... Lighting is 48W T5HO. Hair lalgae is appearing since I started planting.

Both tanks are heavily planted.

So, I want to know, what causes hair algae? What encourages their growth? Is hair algae growth normal and expected in a planted tank? How to stop their growth or reduce their growth (if their growth is expected)?...

Thanks!

**StanChung** · 12th Mar 2006, 04:43

if somebody answers true he/she has my eternal thanks...

now i just throw clumps of moss[the used to be expensive kind!] whenever it appears. lower light seems to slow it down.

**PeterGwee** · 12th Mar 2006, 10:21

Poor plant growth is the main issue. You fertilization is inconsistent and that probably slow or stunt your plants pretty good thus allowing the algae to get a foothold of the tank. Once induced, they are pretty tough to get rid of and you need to attack them consistently and correct the conditions of the tank and allow the plants to grow. Unless you do that (dose well..not stopping the dosing) and pick on them very well, you are not going to get rid of it. Lowering of the light intensity will help as it slows both the plants and algae down.

Regards
Peter Gwee

**Justikanz** · 12th Mar 2006, 12:45

Hmm... The thing is, my plants' growth is pretty good leh... Slow, but good... Ok... Seems like I have to be more consistent in the dosing... I am a little scared that if I dose, I will induce more growth!...

**AquaObsession** · 12th Mar 2006, 21:45

I have hard time fighting hair algae too....Now it starts to appear on my Java moss in my 1.5 Feet tank.. I tried to manually take them out... hard hard time, as you would imagine..

I think it appears when u first planted the moss, then because it needs some acclimatization period before growth, it gives time for the hair algae to settle in....

I think some are starting to appear on my Xmas moss.. Growth is decent though, but just tie to wood since last week...I think i will just remove the small portion manually by tearing the infected parts.

I've heard florida fish eat it.. Is that true..? where to get in Singapore? what's the compatility of that fish with neons, and shrimps?

Thanks

**solonavi** · 13th Mar 2006, 11:19

For some strange reason, I'm suspecting the lights spectrum. Do u know what is the kelvin of your PL?

JC

**Justikanz** · 13th Mar 2006, 11:41

JC, you referring to my PL? It was either 6700 or 10,000... From Maqnum... Never asked then...

AquaObsession, the FFF is not that common but can still be seen... The last time I saw it, C328 has a tankful... My FFF thinks it is a cory... until I find a mate for it...

They take all food... Not sure if they will actually find other food more appetizing than hair algae...

**|squee|** · 13th Mar 2006, 11:44

Maqnum is 8000K if I'm not wrong.

**Justikanz** · 13th Mar 2006, 11:47

Likely you are right...

I only remember it being more blue than the FLs I was using previously... And the replacement tube I bought but never used (and now on sale

)was 6700K...

**solonavi** · 13th Mar 2006, 12:00

Reason for asking is because algae is believed to grow when the bulb is on certain spectrum. There's the reason why many change their light bulbs regularly to prevent specturm shift overtime.

I'm still trying to find out what is the specturm that cost algae growth. Anyone know?

JC

**PeterGwee** · 13th Mar 2006, 12:32

Originally Posted by solonavi

Reason for asking is because algae is believed to grow when the bulb is on certain spectrum. There's the reason why many change their light bulbs regularly to prevent specturm shift overtime.

I'm still trying to find out what is the specturm that cost algae growth. Anyone know?

JC

A myth...plants are capable of adapting to the changing light spectrum. Focus on the plants...thats what you ultimately want to grow.

What he needs is actually to remove as much of the algae as possible and correct conditions and make them optimal for growing plants. If you look at how bad the infestation of the algae was on his blyxa japonica, you know he didn't do a good job.

Regards
Peter Gwee

**solonavi** · 13th Mar 2006, 12:46

I tend to agree the plants do adapt to changing spectrum. But isn't it a specific range only like 5500K - 8000K? Thus if a light bulb is old and spectrum shift is high, the dgree kelvin may have went out of this range thus inducing algae growth?

Since Light from the blue end of the spectrum encourages short bushy growth, while light from the red end encourages long lanky growth and light from the green portion of the spectrum are least used. It make logical sense that certain spectrum will have make algae grow better?

JC

**Justikanz** · 13th Mar 2006, 13:25

Peter, the japonica is cleared of hair now... they got hair when floating in another tank for weeks... Now the new hair is very sparse, a couple of strands only, but very long strands... Anyway, time to remove the hair algae and stick to regular dosing...

**sage08** · 13th Mar 2006, 15:04

i've read somewhere tht algae thrive on light and ammonia..

how abt tackling ammonia by increasing the population of beneficial bacteria or their effeciency like introducing air bubble at night..

**StanChung** · 13th Mar 2006, 16:04

hi peter,
adaptable, meaning the research those fellas come up at dennerle is nought?

anyway focussing on plant growth is top priority.

the other thing is that i notice wood i use is usually the fist to get the BBA.

Hair algae only happen on my moss... maybe because my hg is well covered by the tall aponogetons. this hair algae is not easily removed. you pull the fronds apart and there it is. like when you break a piece of lotus root...
this fella sometimes left unchecked becomes a lot and whole clumps are easier thrown away.

i notice this fine green pelt on the large echinodorus leaves...what is this type of algae?

**PeterGwee** · 13th Mar 2006, 21:08

Originally Posted by standoyo

hi peter,
adaptable, meaning the research those fellas come up at dennerle is nought?

Dennerle believes that NO3/PO4 causes algae and that break in photoperiods is good for attacking algae issues....how's that for research?

Originally Posted by standoyo

the other thing is that i notice wood i use is usually the fist to get the BBA.

Hair algae only happen on my moss... maybe because my hg is well covered by the tall aponogetons. this hair algae is not easily removed. you pull the fronds apart and there it is. like when you break a piece of lotus root...
this fella sometimes left unchecked becomes a lot and whole clumps are easier thrown away.

i notice this fine green pelt on the large echinodorus leaves...what is this type of algae?

The presence and growth of algae tells you something is off. Algae makes great bio-indicators and much better than test kits. If your CO2, nutrients and light are good, your plants should grow well. All you need to do is to remove the current infestations and they should not come back.

For the BBA, is the rate of CO2 addition stable? Do you have good circulation patterns? Consider try the CO2 misting method as it helps to determine where the CO2 is getting and not getting to since its visual observation of bubble movement.

Regards
Peter Gwee

**StanChung** · 14th Mar 2006, 04:50

hmmm,

no wonder the whole website became german again.

i think looking my setup, the circulation is poor because there's a lot of hardscape. too much mulm. and hi bioload.
nothing a nice WC can't fix.

i'm already using a TB diy venturi diffuser. thing likes to clog with plants. esp since the input in horizontal. the bubbles are really fine and dissolve before it gets to the other side.

ideally right now i want to run an airstone during photoperiod off hours...to improve DO levels.

**PeterGwee** · 14th Mar 2006, 12:22

Originally Posted by standoyo

i think looking my setup, the circulation is poor because there's a lot of hardscape. too much mulm. and hi bioload.
nothing a nice WC can't fix.

i'm already using a TB diy venturi diffuser. thing likes to clog with plants. esp since the input in horizontal. the bubbles are really fine and dissolve before it gets to the other side.

ideally right now i want to run an airstone during photoperiod off hours...to improve DO levels.

Think long term stability....do you want to keep facing the same issue throughout the week? Add more current to the tank, improve the circulation pattern by adding small powerheads.

Use a powerhead or two and feed the CO2 directly into the suction. Direct the current such that the mist gets to all parts of the tank....a spraybar attachment might help. The point of the mist method is to get the bubbles to come into contact with the plant stomata rather than dissolving it.

Regards
Peter Gwee

**FLIM1** · 14th Mar 2006, 18:45

[QUOTE=PeterGwee]
For the BBA, is the rate of CO2 addition stable? Do you have good circulation patterns? Consider try the CO2 misting method as it helps to determine where the CO2 is getting and not getting to since its visual observation of bubble movement.[QUOTE]

Hi Peter,
In the case of CO2 is 30ppm or more based on PH and KH measurement and with good water current and BBA is still propagating, what is/are the remaining issue(s) here ? Here the assumption is that all No3,Po4 and trace are dosed with sufficient amount in low light with photoperiod about 10hrs and good filterization.

cheers..lim

**StanChung** · 14th Mar 2006, 22:35

no big issue... but it's just there...the BBA. takes like a month to develop. scrape and appear another month later.

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