Green Hair Algae on Moss

[rodriguesroyston]

Dear All,
I am having a 2ft x 1ft x 1ft tank with ADA Amazonia II as the substrate / soil with an Internal Sponge Filter and 2 T5 x 24W Tubes diffusing CO2 and lights on for 8 hours a day,.

The various moss / liverwort that I have are:

1. Peacock Moss
2. Weeping Moss
3. Flame Moss
4. Stringy Moss
5. Pelia
6. Subwassertang
7. Riccia and finally a local creeping fern which is yet to be identified.

The problem that I have having is that I see fine green hair algae that has taken foot hold on the Flame, Peacock & Weeping Moss.

Can any experts advice on what I could do to reduce and eradicate this Green Hair Algae.

The various fishes I have are:

1. Celestial Pearl Danios x 6 nos.
2. Endlers Guppies x 10 nos. mix of Male and Female

Also around 8 Red Cherry Shrimps and 2 Amano Shrimps

Regards

Royston

[eviltrain]

do a 3 day blackout method ( no light, no gaps for light )
and some manual pulling off of the hair algae.

[rodriguesroyston]

The Algae is quite stuck to the Moss, if I do pull it out it would affect the Moss tied to the Driftwood and I would need to re-tie it. Would just a black-out work?

[eviltrain]

best to do it both way. don't really have to retie, the hair algae will just break off

[Shadow]

add more ammano/yamato shrimps, 2 for 2ft tank is not enough ..

Black out will work but then you need to find out the cause. You have 2x24W T5HO do you dose fert? you are using sponge filter, is this the one drive by air pump? if so, your surface movement must be a lot and that will drive CO2 away. What is you CO2 level?

[dreamseeker]

I recently added 5 Yamato shrimps and up my CO2 to about 4 bps in my 3ft tank.

The yamatos are doing a good job and i see the hair algae in my tank diminishing.

Last time i use to pull it off but is is quite a lot of work to do.

[rodriguesroyston]

add more ammano/yamato shrimps, 2 for 2ft tank is not enough ..

Black out will work but then you need to find out the cause. You have 2x24W T5HO do you dose fert? you are using sponge filter, is this the one drive by air pump? if so, your surface movement must be a lot and that will drive CO2 away. What is you CO2 level?

Hi Shadow,
I have Amazonia II as the substrate, I have not dosed any fertilizer until now.

Yes I am using a Sponge Filter which is driven by an Air Pump and you are correct the Surface Agitation is quite a bit.

I have not checked for the Co2 as yet in my tanks, never check for pH or Co2 ever things have never gone out of hand until now in this Moss only tank.

Regards

Royston

[rodriguesroyston]

Hi Dreamseeker,
I forgot to add that I do a DIY Co2 dispensing it from an Air-Stone. I tried a Power Head but the output from the Power Head is so high that the entire Tank Water moves around disturbing the fishes as well as fine gravel keeps moving around.

I am planning to either make a good DIY Diffuser or an Agitator or get one from Singapore during my trip.

Regards

Royston

[rodriguesroyston]

I have heard Black Mollies do a good job of clearing Algae would it help I have a Yellow Sailfin Molly in another tank, infact got quite a few of them. Do you think they would help me by clearing the Algae?

[Shadow]

Not sure, I never try Yellow Sailfin Molly. You can try it out, but you probably need to starve them

[rodriguesroyston]

Thanks, actually starving all my Fauna

1. Endlers
2. Amano Shrimps
3. 1 Sailfin Yello Molly
4. RCS
5. Whiptail
6. Bristlenose
7. Otos

Also trying a complete blackout since yesterday, so let's see by tomorrow if things have improved.

regards

Royston