# Very fine structure brown hairlike algae - ID and what to do



## Marya (Jan 18, 2007)

Hi

I hope you can help me!

My tank was set up a month ago so it's quite new.
3x20 w bulbs (equals 3x100w), Daylight, tube is type 860, should be 6000 k
light is on for 9 hours
pressu. CO2, pH-controller set to 6.75
water temp. 22,5 degrees celcius (no heating)
drop checker always bright green
AquaClear hanging filter
1 ml TMG per day + 2ml macro per day (solution: 200 ml water+ 5,25 tsp KNO3 + 1,33 tsp KH2PO4 + 1,33 tsp K2SO4)
Substrate is Elos Terra with gravel underneath
(Animals are 15 Caridina japonica, 10 CRS shrimplets and just yesterday I added 12 Nanostomus marginatus)

Here's a picture just to get an impression (from September 10). You can't see the algae on this since it took over the tank later on.









(please don't mind the rock with old Fissidens on it, it's not meant to be there. The area with no plants is supposed to be a green "willow" of Utricularia graminifolia but unfortunately this plant died away together with all cryptocorynes when this tank was started up)

As stated in this thread's title, the algae are very very fine/thin hairs, all brown. I alao have some Cladophora growing on the Riccia stones but it's not much and I think it's about to go away. But the brown stuff is all over, between all stems, esp. very much in my H. micranthemoides. It gives the entire tank a "wooly" look.

Can someone please help me find out what I'm doing wrong since this algae is taking over?
I would like to know what kind of algae this is and how to fight it best. (Sorry I don't have a picture of it.)

Thanks for any help!!

Kind regards
Maria


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## FacePlanted (Aug 13, 2007)

My tank had this almost right away. It was all caught up in my HC. However it siphoned off easily using an airline tube siphon. I tend to think that the high level of ammonia and organics caused by the aquasoil that I used caused this. It almost looked like all the organics and melting leaves, etc. were sticking together to form whispy, wooly clumps & strings. I did waterchanges every 2 days for the first month and siphoned it off every time. I dosed regularly and made sure co2 was ok. Then waited for my tank to stabilize. After about 5 weeks of every other day waterchanges, this stuff finally stopped coming back. I think that regular and frequent waterchanges will hold it at bay until your tank gets stable, and once it does, and the plants start growing well, it will stop reoccuring.

At least, this has been my experience. Maybe others will have some first hand experience with this kind of stuff. To me, it looked kind of like algae, but seemed more like waste collecting together. I dunno. I have seen many threads recently about people having problems with this exact kind of algae/stuff/fluff. All the tanks it occured in were new tanks, and for me at least, it went away when my tank cycled and stabilized. However, it WOULD take over if I just left it alone, and I have seen some pics of tanks where people only did waterchanges like once a week, and this stuff was everywhere. Mine never got TOO out of control, due to very frequent WC's, but it was a big PITA for a while.

Keep the tank and water clean and I think it will go away after a while. (Just relating my own experience)

Good luck & let us know how it progresses, and what works.

-Mike B-


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## Marya (Jan 18, 2007)

Thanks Mike! Sorry I didn't reply until now; I must have overlooked the mail from APC. I'm sure it must be some kind of algae, just don't know what kind. For the time being, I only do water change once a week but I'll try to do it more often like you say. And try to remove as much algae as possible every time (sigh...)

But isn't there a problem with so frequent water changes as regards stable nutritional values for the plants?

No one has been able to tell me what kind of algae this is, so if anyone knows the answer, please tell me


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Frequent water changes are good for both fish and plants. Just fertilize after each major water change - 50% or more. And, of course use a dechlorinator, such as Prime, each time.


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## Marya (Jan 18, 2007)

Why don't I get an email notification when somebody answers me in this thread? Pretty frustrating... 

Well, thank you for answering!  I never dechlorinate since there's no chlor-? in Danish tap water! (or at least, there's very very little) No one dechlorinates in Denmark 

But I think I found out what kind of algae I have! A friend who's into algae types says that it's probably Mougeotia or perhaps Oedogonium! Does any of you guys have experience with and/or pictures of these algae??


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## Marya (Jan 18, 2007)

So now I found out about the email notification... oops. I didn't think you'd have to choose instant email notification every single time you drop an answer or start a thread.


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## Marya (Jan 18, 2007)

This picture shows the algae to some extent.


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## Yoshi (Apr 7, 2007)

I had a similiar problem, manual removal, spot treatments of 2x Excel overdose and frequent water changes helped me rid my tank of it. It took nearly 2 weeks for me to get rid of most of it, so you must have patience. Definitely try to remove as much as you can, then turn off your filters and spot-treat with Seachem Excel. After you let the Excel sit for a few minutes (I had my filter off for about 30 minutes), you can turn the filter back on.


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## Marya (Jan 18, 2007)

Thanks! 

Now it has disappeared! There's almost nothing left of it! It seems that sucking it away with the tube meant for water change did a big difference. And then changing the water.

Thank you for your replies, everyone


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