Phosphate Media Pad in Planted Tank?

[Sharlotte Adams]

Would adding a Phosphate Pad to our filter on our planted tank help with Hair Algae? Or would it cause more harm than good? Sorry for all the questions still pretty new to planted tanks.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @Sharlotte Adams

Have you actually measured the phosphate level in your tank with a test kit and verified you have high phosphates?  If not, I would not add a phosphate pad.  It will remove phosphates that your plants need to stay healthy, grow, and out compete the algae.

If I have hair algae show up in one of my tanks it is usually during the ammonia and nitrite portions of the nitrogen cycle of a new tank setup or if I have disturbed the substrate a lot (i.e. vacuuming or moving plants) and started a 'mini-cycle' with elevated ammonia and nitrites.  Of course sometimes hair algae will hitchhike on a new plant or in water from the LFS.

Do you have a lot of hair algae or just a little? -Roy

[Sharlotte Adams]

@Seattle_Aquaristwe have a lot. I’m pretty sure it hitchhiked in on a new plant and I didn’t catch it. Had to leave town for a about a week and come home to it everywhere. Have not test Phosphate levels as of yet. All other tests were perfect though, still waiting on the other test kit to get here. Spent about 3 hours pulling it out, got the worst of it, but still a lot there. We use a 24 hour timer on planted tank light, where it mimics Sunrise > Sunset and then goes off. Not sure if that will cause an issue still pretty new to planted tanks.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @Sharlotte Adams

If you have checked your water parameters I assume that you have zero (0) ppm of ammonia. 

Good, you have done the first step - physically remove as much as possible.  When I have an outbreak of hair algae I use bright light, an oral syringe, and hydrogen peroxide.  First manually put you light on maximum output for about 2 hours, then turn off all filters, airstones, etc. that cause water circulation.  Wait about 10 minutes until the water becomes completely calm.  Fill your syringe and 'paint' the areas with the heaviest infestation of the hair algae.  The algae should start to fizz in a minute or two and after 20 minutes the fizzing will have died down and you can turn on filters and airstones.  I only dose a maximum of 1.5 ml per gallon (15 ml per 10 gallons) every 24 hours.  I also use one (1) Siamese (not Chinese) Algae Eater (SAE / Crossocheilus oblongus) per tank as a biological control.  It's fun to watch them eat hair algae, it's sort of like watching a kid eat a spaghetti noodle one at a time - lol.  Hope this helps!  -Roy