Iron destroying hair algea?

[JoeQ]

I have been struggling with hair algea due to neglect. As I got back to regular maintenance and severly cut ferts (including stopping supplimenting iron all together) the hair algea subsided but never dissappeared. Yesterday I dosed 1ml dtpa iron in 36g, this morning I was astonished to find no hair algea! Can anyone (particularly @Mmiller2001 or @Seattle_Aquarist) explain why the micro dose of iron seems to have melted the remaining hair algea? 

Edited July 28, 2022 by JoeQ

[JoeQ]

Correction; im finding some but not much. 

[Mmiller2001]

Who knows, I battled it for a good while and cutting the plants way back cleared it. I'd imagine tank stability and improved health is the cause and the single dose was a coincidence.

[Seattle_Aquarist]

Hi @JoeQ

Algae are considered 'simple plants' in that they have not evolved like 'higher' plants have to form stems, circulatory systems, roots, etc.  As such, they have limited capability to adapt to rapid changes in their environment.  However, algae can adapt, in some cases quickly.  In other words dosing DTPA iron a second time may not provide the same result as it did the first time.  -Roy

[JoeQ]

Thanks for the insight guys! I definitely don't think the algea dissappearing overnight was coincidence. What I do find coincidental was the fact that my field of S. Repens also sheaded their leaves over night (with the help of some over eager otos and hillstream loaches). It's maddening, necrosis was the reason I added iron in the first place...... Hopefully I can save a few bunches to regrow over the fall/winter/spring. Only ill be adding more Mexican Pottery Clay to my substrate as an iron source, which I credit for giving me success on my first attempt with the plant. 

[Seattle_Aquarist]

On 7/28/2022 at 8:20 AM, JoeQ said:

Thanks for the insight guys! I definitely don't think the algea dissappearing overnight was coincidence. What I do find coincidental was the fact that my field of S. Repens also sheaded their leaves over night (with the help of some over eager otos and hillstream loaches). It's maddening, necrosis was the reason I added iron in the first place...... Hopefully I can save a few bunches to regrow over the fall/winter/spring. Only ill be adding more Mexican Pottery Clay to my substrate as an iron source, which I credit for giving me success on my first attempt with the plant. 

Hi @JoeQ

How strong did you mix that 1 ml of DTPA chelated iron?  Since DTPA iron is a powder you must have mixed it with water to make a solution.  How much iron when into how much water for form your solution?  Losing the leaves on the S. repens at the same time is suspicious. The reason I asked is DTPA iron if overdosed can be toxic to some plant species. -Roy

[JoeQ]

It's actually premixed by a 3rd party, so i will not mention the name name publicly. Give me a few minutes and i will send you a PM. At closer inspection and under better lighting it did not have a drastic impact on the hair algae that I thought.