Long time problem with hair algae

[Nivid]

Hello there,

For the past three months, I have had a constant fight with hair algae and I cannot get rid of it no matter how hard I try. I do a 50% water change every week and remove as much as I can manually. I stopped adding fertiliser to try to prevent the algae from growing. I also did an algae treatment with chemicals about a week back, nothing. All my fishes are fine, angelfish keep pumping out eggs and have not had any deaths this year. I do not have specific water parameters, but I can say that the water temp is around 27C, strong filter and water flow, CO2, heavily planted, currently no fertiliser or nitrogen. I have tried the blackout method. It did nothing. It all started when I missed a water change, because I did. not want to disturb my angelfishes eggs. I am sending a picture of how it looked before and after (the one with the algae). I did some heavy trimming recently, so that explains the shorter plants. All help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot,

Oscar

[doktor zhivago]

That might be cyano bacteria not hair algae.

[Laura Q]

Just tell people you're working on your organic Halloween decorations LOL!

Joking aside, the hair algae will die back once the environment stops being hospitable. Algae is a plant just like all your other ones, so the things that are making your plants grow so beautifully is also feeding the algae just the same.  Maybe stop the CO2 for a bit so it is starved for nutrients, and reduce the hours of light in your tank - but your plants will thin out a bit too. If your tank can handle a few more fish, get a couple of otocinclus (sp?? not sure). They eat hair algae nonstop and they stay small so you don't have to worry about overcrowding your tank. Don't try shrimp, the angels will devour them in no time flat. You'll basically be buying expensive snacks for your angels. LOL!

Your tank is beautiful. Good luck!!

[Nivid]

Thanks for the tip and for the laugh. I can surely try reducing the CO2 and the light. Perhaps that will help. The plants will be fine I am sure of it, worst case scenario I will get new ones. I already have five otos in there, but they dont care much for the hair algae or any other algae for that matter. I am very confident it is hair algae because it is long and fibery. I had cyan bacteria before and it was a different color and consistency, managed to get rid of it. I might get some sort of test kit to figure out the exact parameters perhaps one specific thing like phosphorus is off. I will try to do daily water changes to get rid of any possible nitrates/ites in there, but I am confident that isnt the problem.

Thanks a lot and I will keep you posted.

[Laura Q]

Really, your otos aren't eating the algae!?! That surprises me. I had a 30 gal tall tank for 3 years and always battled algae due to the light difference from top to bottom of the tank. Got some otos and I could literally see the tracks on the plant leaves as they mowed over it. 

Another thought - back off feeding the fish for 3-5 days and see if they will start to eat the algae instead? 

Edited July 1 by Laura Q

[MattyM]

I would change one thing, either the CO2 or the light (I'd do the light), and wait a week or 2 to see. How much CO2 are you putting in? Some more specific readings from a test strip would help as well. 

But as others have alluded to, algae is basically your tank trying to balance itself. It's taking up nutrients that the plants cannot. 

[Nivid]

Yeah the light is a good idea and so is the CO2 thing. Perhaps the otos are already getting all the food they need so they do not eat the algae. I will feed them a lot less if at all the next couple of days to see if anything changes. I put a decent amount of CO2 into the tank. The drop checker is normally a lime green. Imma try these changes and hopefully it helps.

[Mmiller2001]

Lower CO2 and stop nutrients? Wait, what?

I would double check CO2 because you’re probably low there and immediately get back to fertilizing the tank. I would lower light intensity a little bit and continue what you are doing. I suspect you have the very difficult algae called Kelb. But it may not be. Get the plants to peak condition, Correct CO2 and nutrients. You will have to play the long game if it’s Kelb.

https://scapecrunch.com/threads/soil-is-not-your-problem.1021/

[Nivid]

Thanks for the help.

[HelplessNewbie]

On 7/1/2024 at 12:47 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

 

https://scapecrunch.com/threads/soil-is-not-your-problem.1021/

Well, that is scary. I hope that's not what you have @Nivid

[Rube_Goldfish]

For what it's worth, I've never seen my otocinclus eat any filamentous algae. Mine mostly seem to like diatoms and green dust/spot algaes.

[Nivid]

@HelplessNewbie

Fingers crossed!

[HelplessNewbie]

On 7/1/2024 at 4:57 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

For what it's worth, I've never seen my otocinclus eat any filamentous algae. Mine mostly seem to like diatoms and green dust/spot algaes.

Same with mine.