# Natural Green Hair Algae Solution



## Kylesaltandpepper (Aug 30, 2014)

This green hair algae has been spreading through out my tank and even trapped a few of my fish. I have a 55g low tech tank and use EI dosing. My tank was doing well until I started becoming lazy, not dosing or doing water changes for several weeks, and the algae started. My plants are perfectly healthy and growing nicely, but so is the algae. Right now I'm looking for a solution for the green hair algae but I don't want to buy anything, just use what I have. I don't have excel but I do have H202 if that works. Any solutions?


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

Maybe do a three-day blackout, clean out as much algae as you can by hand, and cut off the worst-affected plant leaves. Then make sure the plants get well-fed and the water clean. That's where I'd start. I'm still trying to get rid of some thread algae and hair algae myself...


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## dukydaf (Dec 27, 2004)

Agree with the above. Manual removal is the best quick fix I recommend. Change water, reduce dirt in filter and substrate, go lean on fish food.

Ensure all ferts are present in the water after the wc, ensure CO2 is suitable and that plants are not overcrowded. 

Reduce light duration and or intensity. Maybe 5-6h per day. The hair algae should stop growing and in a week or two be gone. Then increase the light slowly until you notice any problems.

Black out may work as well but I do not like it since it prevents me from enjoying my tank and also affects the plants. Just a matter of taste I guess.


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## Axelrodi202 (Jul 29, 2008)

API Algaefix. You'll know it's working when the algae turns white.


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## Quadlog (Jun 10, 2016)

I tried the hydrogen peroxide treatment and it works great. I filled a syringe with pure 3% and spot treated. It started oxidizing the the hair died off fast with no effects to the fish. You can use around 1-2 milliliter per 4l and to start I went way under that to be safe and it still worked well. All my fish and shrimp including the the cardinal neons, sailfin Mollie and platy's are fine and didn't get affected at all. 

I used probably 30 mills total so way under what they said. I'm going to do another treatment in a few days and use it regularly to keep things fine. The snails aren't affected either. 

So keep your filter out and remove the biofilter so you don't kill off healthy bacteria. You want no water circulation and then watch the bubbles go.


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## Kylesaltandpepper (Aug 30, 2014)

Thanks for the advice. I'll start off taking out as much as I can. Then I'll do the "one two punch" H202 treatment. Then a water change with the substrate cleaned then I'll start dosing my ferts and shortening my light intensity every day. 
P.S. I've noticed quite a lot of GSA on my substrate which is gravel. Can H202 get rid of it too?


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