# Hair Algae Issue



## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

Hi Guys,

I recently switched my dosing regime from liquid seachem to the dry dosing EI regiment and I've noticed a dramatic increase in hair algae. I add the following:

40-60 Gallon Aquariums
+/- 1/2 tsp KN03 3x a week
+/- 1/8 tsp KH2P04 3x a week
+/- 1/8 (10ml) Trace Elements 3x a week
50% weekly water change

Lighting is 2 x 54 W T5HO's that are on a timer for 8 hrs a day.
PH 6.4-7.0
Temp: 79 F
Hardness: 5 dkh

Inhabitants: 6 Amano Shrimp, 10 tiger barbs, 1 Bristle nose pleco, 2 Ottos and 3 Gold Twin Bar Platties

Just wondering if there is something that is glaring that stands out that would cause the hair algae explosion

Thanks!


----------



## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

rstewart8 said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> I recently switched my dosing regime from liquid seachem to the dry dosing EI regiment and I've noticed a dramatic increase in hair algae. I add the following:
> 
> ...


not sure how lush your plants are, but the 50% water change is pretty big. You're changing the water settings by a lot every week, the plants are trying to get comfortable to the settings while the algae is adapting to the quick changes. I would say if your water is good, let it be. change it once every two weeks or change 20%?

i do my water changes 25% every month.


----------



## York1 (Dec 18, 2014)

EI dosing requires a 50% water change every week.
Can you post a picture of the tank?


----------



## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

Sure Can,

First picture is the full tank and second is the algae on one of the swords. I forgot to add that I use pressurized CO2 and my drop checker with 4dkh solution is a nice lime green.


----------



## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Is it on everything or just a few leaves of the sword. If the tank is new and you were running 2x54 8 hrs from the getgo that could've been part of your problem. Is that a 40B? The algae develops over time form spores that you don't see initially. The EI/Water Changes has nothing to do with it, if anything it would have been worse with smaller water changes.


----------



## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

it is a 55, its on a few sword leaves some of the wisteria and on the java fern on the drift wood. It started just on the fern and I would pull it off and in the last week it has exploded. I'm trying to determine if I am over doing something. Tank is just under 4 months old


----------



## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

What's the substrate. Did you run the lights for 8 hrs from the getgo?


----------



## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

houseofcards said:


> What's the substrate. Did you run the lights for 8 hrs from the getgo?


substrate is seachem flourite black and I had the lights on for 10 hrs for about 2 weeks and it ws recemmended to me to drop the photo period to 8.


----------



## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

rstewart8 said:


> substrate is seachem flourite black and I had the lights on for 10 hrs for about 2 weeks and it ws recemmended to me to drop the photo period to 8.


The initial lighting period to me was probably the trigger, but no one will know for sure. I always start tanks with around 5-6 hrs and then move up from there. I would keep up with water changes, reduce the lighting to like 6 hrs. Keep cutting off any algae infected or unhealthy leaves and give it some time. Adding things like carbon/purigen will only help that much more.


----------



## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

houseofcards said:


> The initial lighting period to me was probably the trigger, but no one will know for sure. I always start tanks with around 5-6 hrs and then move up from there. I would keep up with water changes, reduce the lighting to like 6 hrs. Keep cutting off any algae infected or unhealthy leaves and give it some time. Adding things like carbon/purigen will only help that much more.


I have contemplated Purigen heard a lot of good things about it. I don't run carbon as I was advised not to with the fertilizer addition.


----------



## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

rstewart8 said:


> I have contemplated Purigen heard a lot of good things about it. I don't run carbon as I was advised not to with the fertilizer addition.


When you start up a tank. There really is no bio-filter and the plants don't really kick in for a little while so you it's much more important to keep the water clean, very clean of organics that will break down into ammonia and cause algae. Keeping light cycyle short, seeding filter if possible, running carbon/purigen anything that will remove organics and act as a bridge until the plants and bio-filter really kick in. The carbon/fertilizer issue really is extremely insignificant if anything. ADA, Eheim all recommend carbon at startup. Believe me they know what they're talking about and they both cater to planted tanks.


----------



## Rusticdr (Apr 5, 2016)

Hi.. Nice looking tank. Looks a lot like bba to me. Had the same issue last week when my co2 online reactor got messed up and I didn't notice the same. However that was because my drop checker was green. The same kinda algae appeared on my swords. Almost exclusively on them with a few anubias nana affected. Fixed the co2 issue and cranked it up a bit for the next few days with water changes and also removed affected leaves. Now it seems to be under control. Don't know if this helps in ur case.. but try it out. 

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk


----------



## Rusticdr (Apr 5, 2016)

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk


----------



## Rusticdr (Apr 5, 2016)

That's my sword rite now. Hope it helps. 

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk


----------



## Rusticdr (Apr 5, 2016)

And that's my tank..  

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk


----------



## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

i would turn down the lights to 3-4 hours. you gotta keep the co2 levels and all the other levels stable. the plants need about 1 - 1.5 week to get fully comfortable. if you do big water changes, you will be resetting a lot of the water parameters, the co2 also. the plants wont be able to adjust, while the algae gets to thrive the unstable environment.


----------



## rstewart8 (Apr 19, 2013)

Rusticdr said:


> And that's my tank..
> 
> Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk


Damn that puts my tank to shame! I think it might be not enough C)2. My line got kinked and cut off the supply.

Bump: Ok I spent some time checking water parameters and this is what I'm seeing:

Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 40+ PPM
Phosphate: 2.5 ppm
CO2: Drop checker was blue so much less then the recommended 30 ppm.

I'm not sure why my Nitrates have spiked they were 10 ppm before my last water change.

Any suggestions moving forward? I'm still dosing the EI method with dry ferts and will do the 50% water change. I unkinked my CO2 line and will see if I can get my levels back to optimal tomorrow.

Ohh and I should add I added a 100 ml bag of Purigen to my fluval 204 canister as well. Hoping it can make my water sparkling

Should I dose some prime to get the Nitrate under control


----------



## Rusticdr (Apr 5, 2016)

Unexplained high nitrate cud be bcos of under utilisation by plants with lack of suffici3nt co2. Can't think of anything else. Check ur filters if it needs cleaning. Puri gen will help. If it doesn't improve I don't know how much prime will be necessary for this kind of issue. 

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk


----------



## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

Rusticdr said:


> Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk


That is not BBA.


----------



## Rusticdr (Apr 5, 2016)

Hmm.. Maybe it's the pic.. but the algae was black in color. I have had fuzzy hair algae and Clado in my tank. This was different. And it was very adherent to the leaf. Can u pls suggest what it is then. 

Sent from my SM-G920I using Tapatalk


----------

