Is this Green Hair Algae?

[brevilo99]

I am dealing with something I’ve never dealt with before. Green hair like algae is on my plants. I took my water to be tested and my LFS and they said everything looked good. I’m using a Fluval Plant 3 but maybe I’m running my lights too strong? I usually run them for 8 hours as I’m trying to grow an Amazon Sword. I’ll attach my settings. Is there anyway to keep this from spreading more?

 

[JoeQ]

That is a filimentouse algea of some sorts, I like to call that pre-hair algae. Not a horrible problem, but If the problem persists it will turn into a good case of unsightly full blown hair algae. You can read more about it at this link;

https://nilocg.com/blogs/news/algae-common-causes-and-solutions-for-different-types

In my case its caused by poor plant husbantry/stressed plant growth. It's made worse by introducing too many micro nutrients into the water colum at which point it turns into a full blown case of hair algae. Filamentous algae is tough, it's the 1 algae i have not been able to figure out yet. As per light settings im not going to comment on since I do not subscribe to lighting being your first line of attack when dealing with algae.IMO the first line of attack is to grow healthy plants which requires giving them pleanty of light. When do plants grow best? In the summer when there is PLEANTY of light with extremely loooong days!

Edited June 4, 2023 by JoeQ
Reworked answer

[JoeQ]

On 6/4/2023 at 10:24 AM, Pepere said:

Well at lakes, streams and ponds I have been observing since returning to the hobby, it is also when Algae seems to thrive the most….

Correct, its an eco system, Eco system have algae. The severity depends on the eco system itself, water quality and inhabitants. Ego systems do not have algae, it is up to the hobbyist if they want an eco system or an ego system. 

Edited June 4, 2023 by JoeQ

[JoeQ]

On 6/4/2023 at 10:45 AM, Pepere said:

I like the look of the ego system better…. The less Algae the better….

 

 I am not there yet…

I agree with you,  and by 'ego system' im referring to beautiful aqua scapes but IMO they are not sustainable longterm for the average hobbyist. Between all the daily trimming, primping & polishing its almost a full time job just for that constant photo shoot ready look. Even Ammano admitted to using seltzer water in his scapes right before a photoshoot! That (again IMO) is just insanity!!! 

[lefty o]

you will always have algae, no matter what. it can be minimized, but it takes time to dial in the amount of fertilizers, and lighting. lots of algae, especially hair algaes, you generally have too much of one, or both. make an adjustment, let it go for a few weeks, and make another adjustment as needed.

[JoeQ]

On 6/4/2023 at 10:45 AM, Pepere said:

btw I am not advocating for pulling the light lever as a first response either.  I tried that when I didnt have as many levers to pull as I do now.  It didnt work out very well.

 

I never was able to “achieve balance” in a meaningful way before I introduced pressurized CO2.  I have serious respect for people who can pull it off, it just eluded me…

Pressure co2 introduction had correlation to significant algae reduction.  Increased flow and circulation through the tank and weekly deepwater changes also correlated with significant algae reduction as did running 2, 4 1/2 hr photo periods 12 hours apart and leaning out fert dosing to 20 ppm and dosing daily as opposed to dosing higher dosages twice a week.

The turn down your light mantra just drives me crazy, ive heard it for years from well meaning hobbyists but it never helped. If it wasn't for me being sooo stubborn it would have probably driven me from the hobby. Instead I started doing my own research, and found some reputable sources. It was only then that I started to have an understanding that water quality was the whole foundation of a planted tank and a first step in fighting algae.

Fast foward a year or two and I discovered nutrition makes plants grow, which really fights algae!!! And that light causes plants to up take BALANCED nutrients. Behold, if the nutrients weren't balanced, the algae feeds instead of the plants. WHAT A CONCEPT!!!

For me co2 came recently, more so out of something to 'mess around' with. I can take it or leave it. The one good/fun thing Co2 has done is it sent me down a whole nother rabbit hole of playing with fertilizers. So much so a friend of mine thinks im using the chemicals for neferious reasons! 🤣

Edit: like you I also stayed away from co2 because it was just another lever.

Edited June 4, 2023 by JoeQ

[JoeQ]

On 6/4/2023 at 4:43 PM, Pepere said:

 

And yet plant tissue is about 50% carbon and about 12% nitrogen.

 

with floating plants I had no trouble pulling nitrates down….

Shortly after getting CO2 I eliminated the floating plants from those tanks.  I have no problem pulling down nitrates now either….

They definitely grow better with injected co2, im curious as to how much co2 is brought in with surface aggitation in a planted tank. I believe the ocean alone is responsible for uptake of 25% of atmospheric co2

Edited June 4, 2023 by JoeQ