# Brown hair algae?



## Clinton Parsons (Apr 11, 2016)

I am getting this gelatinous-looking filamentous brown algae growing in my moss. What could this be? Tank is going on two months old but definately not diatoms, I'm very familiar with them. 

I have been dosing 10 mls EI stock solution for both macros and micros daily on my 90-P (~50 gal.)


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

I believe moss is more susceptible to this as they are a slower growing. In my tank all my plants can be algae free but the moss loves to be a nesting ground for it.


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## Clinton Parsons (Apr 11, 2016)

So, what is it and how to I get rid of it and prevent it from coming back? 
i have a hard time believing it's because of detritus settling on the moss because I don't have any fish other than four or five otos in a 50 gallon tank. My organics should be OK. My ORP is 350-400. 44

I have well water and normally filter it through sediment and carbon filters before using it for water changes. I am in GA. A few days ago I did a 30% change with unfiltered well water. 


Silicates?


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

I have well water as well and can't see any reason why that would cause it. i have Christmas moss in my tank and this happens from time to time when my dosing schedule gets interrupted or if my co2 is not high enough. So basically for me it happens when i'm slacking and the growth rate of the moss slows down.


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## Clinton Parsons (Apr 11, 2016)

I think you just pinpointed it. My autodoser had to be sent in for warranty repair and I have been eyeballing the fertilizers. And I went two days without co2 while trying to acclimate some fish that all jumped ship, anyway. 

Does this algae (synedra maybe?) spread through spores in the water column? I use Ozone; will that help limit it? Should I turn it up? I had green hair algae a year ago and it was so frustrating, despite doing everything by the E.I. book religiously and on schedule. It was like whack-a-mole and I tore the tank down because of it. I don't want this to happen again.

This person thinks excess K might cause it: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/23-algae/143401-whoa-brown-hair-algae-out-control.html

I have been dosing 5 ml Brighty K on top of 10 ml each of DIY macros and micros (Tom Barr's formula) per day (48 gallon tank.) Is this too much? Not enough? 

I could be better at changing 30% water every week, but I use ozone and carbon in the hopes that it will let me slack off a little bit. 

My PAR at substrate level is 160-170. I no not want to reduce lighting: I aesthetically like bright light and ADA lights are pretty dim looking to me so I use two. 4

Honestly, a 90-P is too big for me, should have gone smaller. Lot of work versus a 60-P.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

Clinton Parsons said:


> I think you just pinpointed it. My autodoser had to be sent in for warranty repair and I have been eyeballing the fertilizers. And I went two days without co2 while trying to acclimate some fish that all jumped ship, anyway.
> 
> Does this algae (synedra maybe?) spread through spores in the water column? I use Ozone; will that help limit it? Should I turn it up? I had green hair algae a year ago and it was so frustrating, despite doing everything by the E.I. book religiously and on schedule. It was like whack-a-mole and I tore the tank down because of it. I don't want this to happen again.
> 
> ...


 I can't answer a lot of these questions due to I just stepped into the high tech tank realm about 6 months ago. I can tell you that whenever I have gotten this algae on moss I just trim it out. It never has spread on me to any of my other plants. 

Not sure how much of a big deal it is on only doing 30% water changes but, you should be doing 50% weekly. The biggest thing I have found with this hobby is consistency and whenever I'm not consistent things go south.


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## Clinton Parsons (Apr 11, 2016)

Water changes are sort of a big ordeal. I didn't realize a 90-P would be this much work. In the pictures it doesn't look that much bigger than a 60-P but in real life it seems huge. I was hoping the ozone and carbon would let me slack off with 30%, plus Amano does 30% and not 50%. I am not really doing E.I. At least I don't think I am... I am just using the E.I. recipes. My H. pinnatifida is clearly showing potassium deficiency, though, and now I have some BGA on the substrate in a couple of spots so I am guessing that means nitrate is too low. 

My autodoser should be repaired in a couple of days and I should probably raise the lights.


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## Lousyweather (Mar 25, 2016)

I had the same stuff in my moss....Christmas moss, and some fessidens. I did ok trying to remove the stuff by snagging the algae with an old toothbrush, but, the next day, there it was again, and more! Sometimes the algae was so intertwined that the moss pulled off at the same time. 
I ended up removing the moss, it annoyed me so. Apparently though, I didn't get it all.....starting to grow back.


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