# Red Hair Algae!?



## GGerhart (Nov 19, 2010)

I've done research and have come up empty. does anyone know what this is and how to get rid of it, it has really taken over.


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## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

*Your Algae Question*



GGerhart said:


> I've done research and have come up empty. does anyone know what this is and how to get rid of it, it has really taken over.


Hello GG...

I went to the local "Mom & Pop" pet store and got some "Ramshorn" snails. The'll eat all forms of algae. I've had them in my large, planted tanks for several years and I have no visible algae in any of my tanks.

These little guys are awesome. They reproduce very quickly in pure water conditions, even "brackish" water and can create a little pile in the corners of your tank, but they'll clean up all kinds of dead and decaying plant and fish material.

The best part is, they've never damaged my healthy plants.

Just a thought.

B


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## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

GGerhart said:


> I've done research and have come up empty. does anyone know what this is and how to get rid of it, it has really taken over.


I don't think any critter is going to be able to tackle that mess properly. My first thoughts are less light, more Co2 (fixes almost everything), and some water changes. You are going to have to physically remove some of that as well. Need to find the cause of the issue, not add critters to tackle it...unless you want a tank filled with snails and Siamese algae eaters. 

Tank size? Lighting? Light period? Co2? Ferts, if any?


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## GGerhart (Nov 19, 2010)

Thanks for the tips...I have been wanting to get snails, but haven't found the ramshorns yet (horrible selection of lfs where I live now) ... Its a fluval flora witch is 7.9g. 26w of lights and CO2...Not too much in the form of ferts just some nutrifin plant gro


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## rocketdude1234 (Apr 8, 2010)

Where in the tank is it forming? Leaves? Glass? Substrate?

The algae you showed a picture of reminds me of staghorn algae after I have treated with a glut solution.

Is it all red, are some points red, others grey/black?

Can you describe w/c schedule and give details of parameters including any dosing?


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## Daximus (Oct 19, 2011)

GGerhart said:


> Thanks for the tips...I have been wanting to get snails, but haven't found the ramshorns yet (horrible selection of lfs where I live now) ... Its a fluval flora witch is 7.9g. 26w of lights and CO2...Not too much in the form of ferts just some nutrifin plant gro


Co2 at full throttle (30ppm, drop checker good?) DIY or pressurized? 

Though the w/p/g "rule" isn't the best way to judge things, you are running nearly 4 w/p/g. That is a really high light tank. It will need precise Co2 and ferts. If your light timing, Co2 timing, Co2 amount, and fertilization...etc isn't completely stable you will always be plagued with issues. Snails can pick up the slack in a low light tank like BBradbury's, but your running up the down ways escalator in a high light tank. 

I'd start out by cutting down on the light if possible. Either lowering it's intensity, and/or duration. Manually remove as much as you can (use a toothbrush and twist it ala fork in spaghetti style). Remove leaves that are completely gone. Remove rocks if possible and clean them in hydrogen peroxide. Dose the tank with Excell. 

The probable issue in my mind, assuming your Co2 is up to par, is your fertilization regimen. I'm betting your Nutrafin doesn't have everything your plants need, therefore they are stunted. Since you are still dosing, the algae is taking advantage of what excess nutrients there are (from the Nutrafin) and growing. 

It's like a person taking two vitamin "C" pills when they need one multivitamin.


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## moonwasaloon (May 24, 2011)

Normally Red Algae means Dead Algae


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## GGerhart (Nov 19, 2010)

rocketdude1234 said:


> Where in the tank is it forming? Leaves? Glass? Substrate?
> 
> The algae you showed a picture of reminds me of staghorn algae after I have treated with a glut solution.
> 
> ...


It does seem grey or brown at some points. Its in my office so I don't get to do as many W/C as I'd like...right now its monthly.


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## GGerhart (Nov 19, 2010)

Daximus said:


> Co2 at full throttle (30ppm, drop checker good?) DIY or pressurized?
> 
> Though the w/p/g "rule" isn't the best way to judge things, you are running nearly 4 w/p/g. That is a really high light tank. It will need precise Co2 and ferts. If your light timing, Co2 timing, Co2 amount, and fertilization...etc isn't completely stable you will always be plagued with issues. Snails can pick up the slack in a low light tank like BBradbury's, but your running up the down ways escalator in a high light tank.
> 
> ...


The CO2 system is the one that came with the tank, technically its pressurized. At the moment I don't check the amount of CO2 because with the type of system its very hard to have too much CO2 (you have to manually fill a little chamber in the tank with CO2 then it slowly dissolves into the water.

I probably have too much light. It is 2 13w bulbs I can easily only use one of them. I realize there are a lots of ferts options but what would be a basic regimen for a tank this size?


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## rocketdude1234 (Apr 8, 2010)

Hmm Staghorn can be caused by low or inconsistent co2. Do you have any plants that are sensitive to glutaraldahyde (flourish excel, API co2 Booster, and others) like crypts or tapegrasses?

When I did have an infestation, I simply pulled the plants during a water change and soaked them in a glut. solution (5x OD) and let them sit for 10-15 mins. Within a few days the staghorn was eliminated and all the amanos had a nice red/orange snack.

I would at least check nitrates to find out where they stand. We can find out if the monthly w/cs have caused a build up of DOCs. 

I would recommend at least picking up some micro nutrients. There are plenty of blends on the market, many are available at LFS too.

As far as regimen, this is hard to say "here is the rule." Part of it is finding what works in your tank simply because our ecosystems are so different from one another. I might start by simply performing weekly w/c, dosing Flourish Comprehensive (micros) and supplementing co2 with a liquid co2 source like Flourish Excel or API co2 booster.


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

is it growing?
IMO it looks like very long, dead bba. bba turns that color when killed chemically with spot-dosed excel, peroxide, or bleach


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## EdwardN (Nov 7, 2008)

rocketdude1234 said:


> Hmm Staghorn can be caused by low or inconsistent co2. Do you have any plants that are sensitive to glutaraldahyde (flourish excel, API co2 Booster, and others) like crypts or tapegrasses?
> 
> When I did have an infestation, I simply pulled the plants during a water change and soaked them in a glut. solution (5x OD) and let them sit for 10-15 mins. Within a few days the staghorn was eliminated and all the amanos had a nice red/orange snack.
> 
> ...


 
Please explain '(5 x OD)'


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## @[email protected] (Oct 24, 2007)

i think he means '5 times overdose'
glutaraldehyde is a toxic organic compound. its proper IUPAC name is pentane 1,5 dial.

as a toxin, it can be used as a disinfectant, and is much more harmful to algae than it is to most plants (partially due to algae having much greater surface area : volume ratio). dipping in it or spot dosing it has the same affect as using peroxide or bleach.

as a source of carbon, it is an organic compound which the plants will metabolize to keep from building up in their tissues (the same way our body would break down toxins). the catabolysis of organic compounds yeilds CO2, so dosing it results in CO2 being released in the plants own tissues, where it is the most useful.
some will also break down at exposure to light however, and somewhat increase ambient CO2 (negligible). so make sure to not let light into the container or it will lose potency.


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## rocketdude1234 (Apr 8, 2010)

EdwardN said:


> Please explain '(5 x OD)'


Marko got it. 

The recommend dosage is, after a 40% or bigger w/c, 5ml (1 cap) per 10g. I regularly dosed this rate without ill effects on the tank. I have had crypts and tapegrasses melt though, this is partly why I don't use it anymore except to spot treat.

When it comes to staghorn, I was apparently dosing 10x recommended dosage. I would pull ~2.5g of water out of the tank, place the plants in that water and dose a full cap. LOL it worked nonetheless and I didn't lose plants as a result (I dipped anubias nana, hygrophila compakta, red ludwigia, and limnophila aromatica). 


@marko - Great information. Thanks for sharing that : )


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## EdwardN (Nov 7, 2008)

rocketdude1234 said:


> Marko got it.
> 
> The recommend dosage is, after a 40% or bigger w/c, 5ml (1 cap) per 10g. I regularly dosed this rate without ill effects on the tank. I have had crypts and tapegrasses melt though, this is partly why I don't use it anymore except to spot treat.
> 
> ...


O.K. so it is 5xOD. But what was your Glutaraldehyde concentration to begin with. And another Q.: what do you mean by 'dip' - is is a dip for seconds or is it for minutes? Please be more specific if you can. Thanks.


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## rocketdude1234 (Apr 8, 2010)

I used Flourish Excel which is 1.5%.

As far as how, it really isn't too specific. During a water change, I put tank water in a bucket so that all plants were submerged. I then added a capful of Excel and mixed. Left it while I completed a water change (10-15mins) and then replanted.


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## GGerhart (Nov 19, 2010)

Thanks for the tips, I physically removed most of it and I bought some flourish, and I will try to cut back on the light.


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