# Hair Algae Plague - Need Help!



## shuks (Jul 10, 2005)

get your DIY c02 system up and running again, this will really help. Ph swing from c02 dont affect the fish at all, so dont worry about killing them, they could care less. When your c02 setup broak, did you continue to dose the same amount of ferts? if you did, it could be a problem. A tank with c02 can uptake around 10X the amount of ferts as a non co2 injected tank.


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## Navaros (Aug 19, 2005)

The algae has been a problem long before the CO2 problem. And PH swings will hurt the shrimp especiallysince they haven't even settled in yet. There are no fish in the tank.


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## shuks (Jul 10, 2005)

> And PH swings will hurt the shrimp


No it wont....! When injecting c02, the readings you get from testing you ph isn't the "true" ph of the water. The ph swings have no affect on anything in your tank 



> The algae has been a problem long before the CO2 problem.


Well you're obviously dooing something wrong then. Co2 wont eliminate algy, but it will help ALOT. If it doesnt help, then there is something seriously wrong with your tank; like the way you dose or the amount of light you have etc... Do more reasearch about growing aquatic plants...


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

It's not easy having a high light nano. I had hair algae galore in one of my tanks for about 2 years, and not until I fixed the CO2 it went away. However, that wasn't a nano at all, and it is more difficult to keep things balanced in a nano. Have you considered using Seachem Excel as a CO2 replacement?


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

shuks said:


> No it wont....! When injecting c02, the readings you get from testing you ph isn't the "true" ph of the water. The ph swings have no affect on anything in your tank


All I can say about that... Treat everything you read on the web (and anywhere) with a grain of salt and a heavy serving of doubt. Just because someone posts something doesn't mean it is right :icon_bigg

(including me... especially me)


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## Navaros (Aug 19, 2005)

Haha, thanks Wasserpest. I have thought about using Excel, I've been looking for it locally but I think I'm going to have to order a bottle or two soon.


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## Georgiadawgger (Apr 23, 2004)

Man Wasser!! That is crazy...you should post a before AND after shot of the same tank to let some people know that algae growth can be fixed with patience and due dilligence.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Yep I need to update the pic of my 43 gal tank. It's a beautiful biomass producing unit in my garage, now that the hairy mess is gone. I'll post an "After" shot here when I get around to it...


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## Navaros (Aug 19, 2005)

I wish my hair algae was at least green. Mine is nasty and brown. I'm actually pretty sure I had a bad bag of eco-complete. :icon_frow


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## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

*Help i have hair algae too*

Hair algae are growing in my 62G aquarium. The tank is havely planted and i realy dont have an empty spot in it. The problem started about 5 days ago when i saw some small algae on the top of the vallisneria leafes. The algae has invaed all my aquarium in less the 3 days. I tried to clean it but except the bad smell i get on my hand it doesn't help.
My aquarium ussualy has a ph of 7.5( if no co2 is provided) now the ph is 6 because i have 3 DIY CO2 bottles runining ( i at last defeated the BBA). Since the CO2 is enough (my fish are gasping at the surface and some died), the light is enough 4*36W Osram Daylight and 1*Aqua-Glo 40W.
N is provided because i have lots of fish i belive that the microelement are the limmiting factor. So what do I have to do is too add micronutrients(won't this help the hair algae even more???)
I obtained good results with limmiting their growth in my 8G aquarium with a 5 day black out (but they didn't deasepered)

What is the recepy in combating this algae??
Are there any reports that this algae will actualy kill fish chimicaly??


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## 229oz (Oct 3, 2005)

*Hair Algae*

Have you tested for Phosphate? Maybe thats too high. If it is, you need to add Nitrogen. I might be wrong but I believe that Nitrogen counterbalances Phosphates and with no fish, you have no Nitrates/Nitrates. Try adding a double dose of Flourish Nitrogen as recommended on the bottle twice a week and see if the algae slows its explosion. 
By the way, I'm not an expert, but the owner of the Pet Shanty in Scotch Plains NJ told me this and it worked for me.
Good Luck


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

229oz said:


> [...]you need to add Nitrogen. I might be wrong but I believe that Nitrogen counterbalances Phosphates and with no fish, you have no Nitrates/Nitrates. Try adding a double dose of Flourish Nitrogen as recommended on the bottle twice a week and see if the algae slows its explosion.





Navaros said:


> been dosing KNO3, K2SO4, KH2PO4, and flourish weekly.


Seems like this is covered already. :icon_bigg 

It's the CO2 that's missing.

Dukydaf: There is no recipe for killing algae. Just try to get plants growing, once they do, algae will disappear. Algae comes in days, but leaves in weeks. Add CO2 today, they won't be gone tomorrow. Algae doesn't kill fish, it's the owner who does. Okay, enough generic statements for today :fish:


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## Navaros (Aug 19, 2005)

Haha, I am working on a new CO2 Injector now. Although the hair was in the old tank too with CO2 running just fine. What I need to do is build or find some type of small diffuser or reactor. I would inject the CO2 into the HOB but I haven't come up with a good way to plumb it into the intake yet. In the end though, excel will probably be my best bet. My filter is a Red Sea Nano BTW.


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## 229oz (Oct 3, 2005)

*Co2*

I have to admit I did have CO2 running at 1 bps when I tried the dbl. nitrogen dose. I shouldnt have left that out.


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## eeng168 (Apr 22, 2005)

*I don't know what I'm doing wrong.*

I used some some Flourish Excel to try to treat the algae...

instead, all my riccia turned white (it's coming back slowly) and the hair algae would pearl!!!!

go figure...


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