Algae Identification Help

[Ajhunt87]

I need help identifying and treating this algae. It’s very annoying and I’m contemplating taking out my aquascape and just saving the plants I can and starting over. Most of the plants are doing fine, but it’s grown all over my Java moss and water sprite and the water sprite has gotten very light yellow in color. I’m sure it’s due to some imbalance in my aquarium but I’m fairly new to freshwater and this tank has given me lots of problems. My daughter’s aquarium is doing quite well. I’ll attach pictures of both. 

Just some additional information. 
 

I was trying to do a blackwater tank, but my filtration seems to filter out all of the tannins. Does anyone know how to keep the water dark. I’m not using any carbon. Just in case anyone was wondering why all of the leaves were in there. They’re olive leaves and I did boil them before I used them. 

[AndreaW]

Looks like hair algae. How many hours do you have your lights on?

[Ajhunt87]

Peak for only like 3 hours. I think it’s 12 total from when they start to come on to when they turn off. I’m using a Bentley Pascoe setting at 50% strength. 

[StockEwe49]

I am unfamiliar with his setting's but I believe it is recommended by most to have around 8 hours of light. I'm sure someone else can chime in here who is more experienced.

[PineSong]

That is indeed some amazing hair algae! Don't panic or feel bad, I think it's a common result for a new tank and there are actually people who try on purpose to grow hair algae and cannot, so some folks would be jealous of your tank!

12 hours per day is a lot of light. My understanding is that plants can only "eat" light for 4-5 hours and then need a break, but algae can "eat" it forever. So having your lights on for that long is making life easier for the algae but not your plants.

I had black hair algae in my first tank until I split my lights into two 5 hour periods and grew a lot more plants. I have it now in a newly established tank and expect that reducing the light and adding more plants will fix it.

Here is a thread that explains the logic of the two separate light periods:

 

[Ajhunt87]

I’m gonna give that a try. Is there a fish that would help control it as well? I know in my reef tank I just throw a couple of tangs in (although not in a 40g) and I’ve never had algae. I thought this would be easier lol. At least it’s cheaper. Thanks for the information, it seems like you’ve spent a lot of time researching lighting. 

[PineSong]

On 3/26/2022 at 2:31 AM, Ajhunt87 said:

I’m gonna give that a try. Is there a fish that would help control it as well? I know in my reef tank I just throw a couple of tangs in (although not in a 40g) and I’ve never had algae. I thought this would be easier lol. At least it’s cheaper. Thanks for the information, it seems like you’ve spent a lot of time researching lighting. 

Officially I think the creatures that eat hair algae are pretty limited: Amano shrimp (not cherry shrimp) and Florida flag fish, maybe? The problem is with compatibility— the betta would likely snack on the Amanos and I don’t know who flag fish are able to live with but I doubt bettas are in that group. I guess you could take the betta out and put in a dozen amanos, let them help with the algae and then move them to a tank without predators or return them to the store or sell them.

[JoeQ]

The main cause of hair algea is high phosphates and nitrates. So your first line of thought should be what are you putting in the tank? Are you over feeding, are you over fertilizing, is there a lot of dead organic matter in the tank (olive leaves)? And are you up on water changes, or have you been slacking? 

 

After that should be manual cleanup, you can do this by twirling a toothbrush or twisted pipe cleaner in and around the hairs, then just rip them out! A water change/vacuum would be advised, as any pieces that break loose will regrow. 

 

Lastly should be the ole cutting of the light matra, But instead of just a blanket statement of 'cut the light', i think a more appropriate statement would be "make sure you have an appropriate level of light". 

 

Healthy plants need a healthy amount of light. And without a healthy level (too much or too little) you encourage algea.. You should be aiming for plants that open and close in sync with the light. If your plants close with hours of daylight left thats a problem, in turn if they don't respond or open at all, thats another problem. I always error on the side of too little light; in most cases less light is actually more! 

 

Also if you are interested, In the 3.0 thread I linked to my daysim reducer spreadsheet, it reduces Bentleys DaySim settings by a users supplied percentage. Good luck! 

[Ajhunt87]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Just changing the light schedule has almost completely knocked the algae out. My best guess is I put too much fertilizer in at first and then my extended light period just fueled some massive algae growth.