# Algae Explosion (Spirogyra)



## jeremy va (Dec 22, 2012)

Not to be a wise guy and this does;t solve the immediate issue but maybe use a dimmer? Just 'cos the LED puts out a PAR of 120 does't mean you have to use it all.


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## DeadlyMuffin (Nov 25, 2012)

jeremy va said:


> Not to be a wise guy and this does;t solve the immediate issue but maybe use a dimmer? Just 'cos the LED puts out a PAR of 120 does't mean you have to use it all.


I did one better, I went back to the single T5 that I had before. I still have the algae though, and no matter how much I remove it comes right back.


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## MiSo (Oct 26, 2005)

algae fix will take care of spirogyra pretty quickly.


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## DeadlyMuffin (Nov 25, 2012)

MiSo said:


> algae fix will take care of spirogyra pretty quickly.


How does it work? Does it kill the existing algae, and I just pull it out?


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## MiSo (Oct 26, 2005)

when i had spirogyra, it was not to the extent that you had it. i noticed it, did some research and found algae fix would kill it. i started dosing the recommended amount and saw the algae was retreating. i didn't have to pull anything out. 
i would pull out as much as you can and let the algae fix run its course.
if anything though, i would say to under dose. i think it stresses the fish out a little bit.
also, it may kill off some inverts. i've read it has something in it that prevents the uptake of oxygen for them.


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## DeadlyMuffin (Nov 25, 2012)

A lot of the reviews I'm seeing talked about losing fish, which might be a result of the ammonia spike due to a lot of dying algae. I'll give this a shot and be prepared to oxygenate the water and do water changes.

I don't have any inverts, just fish, so that should be ok.


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## Fiftymeatballs (Mar 30, 2011)

I had spirogyra not too long ago, man it's impossible to get rid of. I don't think upping your c02 helps at all, it just grows even faster. I tried peroxide and excel with no luck. It seemed to slow the growth but it would come right back. I put my fish into a qt tank and treated with algae fix. Why expose your fish if you don't have to, too many reviews of fish deaths. I treated for about a week to make sure it was gone, it worked. Riccia tied to rocks melted, but grew back after treatment ceased. All my other plants including mosses faired just fine. Spiro hasn't reared it's ugly head since, it's been about 3 months.


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## Charrr89 (May 15, 2013)

Thank god someone found an answer... I was just about to make a post about the same thing!! ... I just started a farm too, I don't know how since I've used only the same light for a while. I'm assuming it's becuz I changed soil and moved plants...!!







its tripled it's amount when I upp my c02 and definitely lifted my outflow.... Just shot some algae fix in my tank.. Hoping the best.


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## DeadlyMuffin (Nov 25, 2012)

This worked! Thank you so much for the suggestion. I moved most of my fish over to a hospital tank while I did the algaefix dosing and I didn't lose any of them, even the ones that stayed in the tank while it was being dosed.

After a week the spirogyna was gone, and it hasn't come back.

You guys are awesome.


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## mot (Sep 17, 2011)

That's awesome that it worked. That is just the worst algae to deal with.


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