Struggling to get Algae Control

[Samuel]

I'm struggling to get what I assume is hair algae under control. It grows in tufts stuck on the decor (see photos).

I'm running a fluval 2.0 light on 8 hours a day, the tank only gets ambient light as our porch blocks direct sunlight. I'm dosing liquid fertilizer on a regular bases to feed the plants hoping to find a balance.

I've heard high phosphate in the water could potentially be aiding the hair algae growth?

I'm in Australia so don't have access to Amano shrimp that I've heard eat hair algae.

Thoughts? 

[Tony s]

I have one tank that insists on growing hair algae. I just keep an eye on it and physically remove it when I see it. I pull it by hand, but you can wind it up in a toothbrush. It doesn’t really grow very quickly, so that works for me. Just a bit more maintenance. Not that much though. Have had it get really entangled in a couple of plants before. beyond what I could remove. Ended up pulling the plant and chucking it.

[Pepere]

I tried keeping algae under control with daily “liquid carbon” solutions, tweaking light settings, fertilizer schedules, frequent spot dosing of peroxide and algae eating American Flag Fish, manual removal…. I was never satisfied with the results and I was constantly struggling.

Life is easier with co2 injection, better flow and flow distribution via canister filter, and weekly 50% water changes.  My plants are thriving and are free of visible algae, and I enjoy the tanks much more. My lights are high intensity 8 hours a day. I front load Easy Green to raise nitrates in tank to 30 ppm after doing a water change.

I am again trying to “balance” a low tech tank…  Lets just say it is still an “attempt”.  I am trying to get it free from visually noticeable algae on plants via weekly 50% water changes, dense planting and good growth.  The deficit of co2 is noticeable. It is not over run with algae infestation on the plants, but neither is it free from it.

 

 

 

 

This is one of my high tech tanks.

 

[JoeQ]

How long has this been going on? I'm assuming for a while judging from the color & size of it. It's similar to an algae I deal with which is cause by high Phosphates and starts as a single transparent silk like thread. Left alone it turns green and becomes strong enough to pull up plants with if tugged on. You might want to invest in a Phosphate test kit, and read up on water silk which i believe it to be. 

[Robert K]

The easy way out would be getting a silver flying fox imo.

[Samuel]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I purchased a phosphate testing kit and the readings where through the roof. My guess is that because of the drift wood centrepiece the organic matter is breaking down and elevating the levels to the moon. I guess its time to include something like PhosGuard into my arsenal!

[Samuel]

Does high phosphate mean high nitrate?

One guy on YouTube thinks they are linked and that if your phosphate is high that means you have nitrate problems also so testing and managing phosphate on its own in a freshwater system is not fixing the issue.

I tested the phosphate with my Phosphate Fluval Test Kit which tested very high and then the nitrates on the API Liquid Test which was very high also. I then tested the nitrates on the Co-op Test Strips as seen in the photo but the levels seem normal?

Edited February 5 by Samuel

[Tony s]

On 2/5/2024 at 1:15 AM, Samuel said:

Does high phosphate mean high nitrate?

One guy on YouTube thinks they are linked and that if your phosphate is high that means you have nitrate problems also so testing and managing phosphate on its own in a freshwater system is not fixing the issue.

I tested the phosphate with my Phosphate Fluval Test Kit which tested very high and then the nitrates on the API Liquid Test which was very high also. I then tested the nitrates on the Co-op Test Strips as seen in the photo but the levels seem normal?

Yeah, that’s kind of the conclusion I’m coming to. The strips do a decent job, but you can’t beat the api kit 

[JoeQ]

On 2/5/2024 at 1:15 AM, Samuel said:

Does high phosphate mean high nitrate?

One guy on YouTube thinks they are linked and that if your phosphate is high that means you have nitrate problems also so testing and managing phosphate on its own in a freshwater system is not fixing the issue.

Nitrates and phosphates are linked in that plants like to up take them in a 10:1 ratio.

It could be (i guess) that this ratio gets so "out of wack" plants stop consuming nutrients? (just thinking out loud here, this may or may not be 100% accurate) 

On 2/5/2024 at 12:27 AM, Samuel said:

Thanks for the replies everyone. I purchased a phosphate testing kit and the readings where through the roof. My guess is that because of the drift wood centrepiece the organic matter is breaking down and elevating the levels to the moon. I guess its time to include something like PhosGuard into my arsenal!

Theres an option I never even thought of! This will probably work too! 

[MattyM]

I think of algae as the tank trying to balance itself - perhaps you have more nutrients than the current plant load can handle? (Also, Easy Green has phosphates in it.)

Then again, wow those phosphates are super high - are they that high straight out of the tap? 

[Pepere]

On 2/5/2024 at 11:45 AM, MattyM said:

Also, Easy Green has phosphates in it.)

Yes but it is fairly light in phospates.  If you were to dose 10 gallons of distilled water to 30 ppm nitrates, you would only be adding 1.62 ppm of phosphates.