# Thread algae and dwarf hairgrass



## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

Anyone with a nice dwarfhair grass lawn experiance this very thin algae? It seems to grow in clumps and a couple of strands get very long. I can easily remove it and have made it a habit when I have to do the occasional mowing of the dwarf hairgrass.
At first I thought it was excess of iron but been steady for some time and cant seem to beat it. I dose 4ml of iron along with 18ml of GW CSM+b. Any ideas? My co2 is~49ppm with a pH of 6.9 and KH of 13 degress(drops I think)

Another pain in my rear is the BBA. Not the fuzzy stuff but that incrusting charcoal type BBA. It is most heavy on my petite nana and giant hairgrass I conquered this before with the excell treatment but want to try some else.

My KNO3 are does steady at 1/2tsp and KH2PO4 is 1/8tsp and K2SO4 at 1/4tsp. What other success stories have you all had?


----------



## Cdn_Chica (Sep 3, 2004)

*Thred Algae*

*My tank is pretty new.. about 3 months now, and I have had big problems with algae.. first it was diatom(?) dont know if that is algae, but that got cleared up quickly.. and now it is hair algae or "thread algae" its so annoying, its slowly killing the leaves, and is so thick that it is blocking the light from getting to the shorter plants. I tried cutting the leaves that have the algae on it but it seemed the algea grew back over night, and even worse than before! I've put siamese flying foxes in, chinese algae eaters (hey its worth a try), oto cats and recently I put in a little herd of ghost shrimp. NOTHING is working!!!!!!! I pulled out the plants that seemed to have started it, and who are the ones that are dying because of it. My levels are all fine.. Im thinking the light may be a little strong for the tank? its a coralife Deluxe lenear strip 65 watts with a 10,000K bulb in it.
Does anyone have any other suggestions?*


----------



## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

Since the last post, I cant really say that I have made progress. It doesnt seem too heavy in the dwarf hair grass but still there. It is mostly on the substrate aournd the base of my plants in little balls. Some of it hangs onto certain plants looking like long stands of hair stuck on it.


----------



## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

One more thing I thought of that might be contributing to this pestering algae is water change schedual. I havent been too steady on the weekly changes. Sometimes I go two weeks without water change. Im going to try and keep it at a week and see what happens there.


----------



## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

I think I have found the root to my problem!!!!!

This morning I decided to TEST my levels and see where I sit. I have not done this for a very LONG time, I dont think I can remember. I guess I got full of myself and never felt the need to whip out the test kit. Finaly got back the water params from my local H2O company and made an interesting discovery!!!!
The city waters nitrate content increased dramaticaly. In a disclosure note they said it has been like this for a little over 6months! Seeing I requested this information 4 months ago I never really knew there was a change. 
Broke out my nitrate and phosphate test kits, blew the months of accumilated dust and cob webs and tested. 
NITRATE=40ppm +!!!!!!!!!!!
Phosphate=0ppm-maybe near the 1 mark!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am dosing 1/2tsp of nitrate and 1/8tsp of phosphate as of right now. 
Whoudl decreasing the nitrate to 1/4 of a tsp and increasing my phos dosing a tab sound about right?


----------



## Cdn_Chica (Sep 3, 2004)

I am not the one to be asking about water chemistry! I'm really not able to answer your question! you should PM Rex he's a genious!


----------



## Cdn_Chica (Sep 3, 2004)

ive heard that seachem flourish exel will help rid the problem of hair algae


----------



## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

Ive pretty much wanted to stay away from excel as a treatment for it. 
I am noticing a slight decrease in the hair algae growth after discovering my watere params were out of wack. Put them in check and things are looking better....slowly.


----------



## PeteyPob (Apr 26, 2004)

Oh yea....my nirtrate and phosphate kits were bad when I tested my water :icon_redf . Bought new ones and got new results


----------

