# To Algaefix or not????



## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Guys I've just started a tank about 3 weeks in now and I'm surprised to what looks like spirogyra or some type of algae growing in my dwarf hairgrass. The tank size is 38 gallons with an original fugeray led, pps pro ferts, and pressurized co2. Now according to the PAR charts provided by finnex i sit around medium lighting so why am i developing algae already? I only suspect it made its way into my tank because of some Blyxa I added without treating and after I put the plant in I saw a green thread float around and before I could pull it out I had lost it. Most of the tips of the dhg have tiny fuzzy green threads and I'm worried it will spread. So should I add some amano shrimps, raise the lights, or go with algaefix? Right now my photo period is 7hrs. 

























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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

The dwarf hairgrass pictured came from my nano tank which was treated for spirogyra with the one two punch method which i thought killed off the algae. Could it be i transfered the algae over to this tank?

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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Also I've had this species of hygrophila in my different tanks wether it's low tech or high tech it grow but also grows black like threads which I always assume is early stages of black beard algae. Why? Always with this certain plant I get BBA. Or am I just being too worried?

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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

To be honest sometimes I don't mind the algae but what I do mind is it starving my plants out for nutrients and killing everything. Please help 

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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Well I guess nobody really had input on this thread. Anyways ... I'm going to go ahead and use algaefix since I've heard mixed reviews about it I'm gonna go ahead and try it myself. I know there's many seasoned aquarists who will preach against the use of this product and tell you to rather than find a quick fix for algae to find a balance between within the aquarium but ... I on the other hand would rather get rid of the algae now and then find the solution later which in my case I can only suspect fluctuations in co2. Today I picked up the algaefix at my lfs.









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Algaes currently present are BBA and green string algae. I dosed 3.8ml in my 38 gallon tank and so far my fish appear unaffected.









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## algae.assasin (Apr 27, 2014)

I tried algae fix once. It killed a fish or two so I don't use it. I actually cut a piece of poster board to shield my tank from natural light from a very nearby window. Rookie mistake, I know, but it helps greatly until I move the tank. I noticed when I dosed algae fix, my fish were gasping for air. I immediately did a wc and terminated the treatment. It was too late. My ballon mollies flipped upside down and I lost them. I found that upping my maintenance simply knocked it out. I got out of the over feeding habit, reduced my photo period, bought a cheap magnet floating tank cleaner and use it every couple days, and algae couldn't keep up. I'll rub the leaves of a new plant daily until I see the algae disappear. I also added a power head and wrap the intake and my filter intake with polyfill. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 


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## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

Since your tank is new your plants haven't established themselves yet, and I assume your still cycling? Your tank is out of balance and it will be out of balance till your cycle is done and your plants start to root and grow. So algae in a new set up is totally normal. Clean what you can and work on growing your plants. Whenever I get new plants I always do a quick bleach dip in about a 20:1 solution followed by a dip in water with a lot of dechlorinator.


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## jrman83 (Nov 22, 2010)

I think you need to work on your CO2. How long are your lights on for?


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## Aquatic Delight (Mar 2, 2012)

instead band-aid fixes you need to look at the whole tank and find out what is causing the growth, and fix that. otherwise you will just in this same boat again.


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## MiSo (Oct 26, 2005)

i had spirogyra in my fissidens. it was really ugly and unsightly. i used algae fix and lowered my lighting to correct it. once its in your tank, its in your tank. best to get rid of it any way you can. i do recommend keeping a close eye on your tank as i think algaefix stresses out the fish some.


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

+1 for greaser84
What is in picture #2 seems to show up once in a while in my med/high light tank
as I have neither fast currant or CO2. I do dose 2x the recommended doses of Excel daily/w no change at WC. This was there a lot when the tank was first started and has gone away by it's self since except for a couple of threads of it appearing once in a while for short periods of time and then they dissapear.


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## Agent69 (Oct 9, 2013)

Guys I understand I shouldn't be trying to find a quick fix but if I don't react chances are by the time I do find the solution I'm a afraid the algae would have spread like wildfire and would be way too developed to destroy. So far the algae that was on the hairgrass is turning pale but the BBA is tough. No casualties at all even with 2 cherries in the tank. I performed a second dose today injected straight at the BBA. Take a look I'll report updates. 

























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## riverrat (Jul 14, 2005)

IMHO your tank is looking fine. Three weeks in is a very short time. If this little bit of algae is bothering you wait until you wake up one day and your water is green pee soup. I hope that doesn't happen to you but with new tanks it sometimes does. 

Try to keep things steady and get your co2 as good as you can. Then with stable ferts and time your tank will balance and algae will abate. Although somewhere in the tank everyone has a tiny bit.


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## algae.assasin (Apr 27, 2014)

Have you tried Chemi clean? 


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