# Black hair algae help please!



## jscudder (Jan 2, 2005)

My planted tank is about 3 months new. Low light plants such as anubias and the like. Using 2 15W plant bulbs. Lights are on 10 hours a day. This is a 20 gal tank and I change out about 4 gals a week. The problem, or more of an annoyance is the black hair algae that grows on the top part of the plants and on the driftwood piece in the tank. I have three of those red shrimp in the tank but either they don't eat the algae of they cannot keep up.
Are there different shrimp or a couple of fish I can get to eat this stuff. Have guppies (lots), cory cats (2) and neon tetras (4) in the community now.
Thanks for any feedback.


----------



## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

You add CO2?
Add it or else reduce the light and add more fast growers and place the slower growers in lower light places in the tank.

Remove the BBA, Excel and or CO2 can help that.
SAe's also do a better job, but will need removed later.

BBA is CO2 related.


Regards, 
Tom Barr


----------



## Andrew-amano-wannabe (Jun 29, 2005)

hi, well ihave two tanks, one has the same problem as you have, the difference between my two tanks is that one has clown loaches in it, so no snails, this is the one without algae, now i think i must be the only one in this forum who likes snails, in all seriousness i have seen snails eating black algae, you could try it, if theres algae in your tank they wont really bother your plants, you could try apple snails these are the size of garden snails. this advice might sound crazy, but keep it in mind if you reach the stage of last resorts, best of luck to you, if you find a good alternative rememdy let me know for my clown tank.


----------

