# Cladophora



## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

So I have been battling this stuff for awhile now. It took over a 10g and I finally got rid of it with the use of excel and limiting light and ferts. The thing is, I have it in my 3g and 20g and also have shrimp in both. I really don't want to use excel, since I killed my CRS in the 10g by accident. So I need ideas. How have you gotten rid of clado? I just want to hear peoples ways of how they get rid of clado. Thankfully this is the only algae I have a problem with.


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## Indignation (Mar 9, 2008)

Afyounie said:


> Thankfully this is the only algae I have a problem with.


 Bite your tongue! I've had it in my 24 gallon cube for 6 months now, and while it doesn't thrive, it doesn't go away. I would trade it for any other algae, any day. The problem with clado is when your plants are happy, so is the clado. I tried the excel overdose for 2 weeks straight, and while it would shrink, it never completely died off. Same with a 4 day blackout. I have read of people having to tear down their tanks, scrub everything with bleach and start over. Unfortunately, that option is looking better and better every day.

I hope you find something, and if you do, PLEASE post here!


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## zzyzx85 (Dec 5, 2007)

same boat with you guys on clado. I've learned to just deal with it and clean it out whenever it gets too much. It grows in/with my moss. I've got a small powerhead injected with CO2 pointed at the piece of driftwood that has clado on it and it appears to be slowing it down. I've also got a dwarf gourami who rips clumps out of the algae for his bubble nest (but spreads it all over my tank) so he's helping a bit.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Get Amano shrimp. They this stuff. Keep them hungry. I brought some of this home, unknowlingly from the local fish store. It was in my 10g shrimp (RCS & CRS) tank. I bought 16 Amano shrimp and put them in there. In a week I could not find any clado. I left the all in there for 2 months. When I noticed they had begun eating my moss I took 8 out. I left the others in for insurance. I have not seen ANY clado whatsoever in that tank. They found every little piece and made it disappear. AMAZING! ... and so easy on my part!


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## Avalon (Mar 7, 2005)

Increase circulation or do some thinning. The only folks I know that have had Clado (including myself) are those with thick ground covers or mosses that aren't being properly penetrated via circulation. Circulation = good CO2. It is a pain in the backside to clean out and get rid of. Prevention is the key here. Hydrogen peroxide will roast it in the case of thick ground covers where it can trap the H2O2 when you squirt it in.


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## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

The biggest problem I have had with it is in the moss and ground covers. I think I may try the H2O2 since it dissipates more easily than excel. I also may try the amano shrimp as well. I have been taking the moss covered rocks out and dosing them separately so I don't kill my shrimp, but with H2O2 I may not have to worry too much and can dose in the tank. I have seen my angel eat it sometimes, but not much.


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## Manwithnofish (Mar 12, 2008)

This stuff may be the end of me yet. I'm sick of fighting losing battles and always losing. I'm giving serious consideration to either shutting it all down and quiting or getting completely out of the planted tank. I guess if I shut down the high light / CO2 / ferts and go with plastic volcanoes, I could sit back and enjoy my fish and forget about this endless battle.:crazy:


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## Mud Pie Mama (Jul 30, 2006)

Before you get so disgusted and throw in the towel let me suggest:

Be One W/ the Algae!
Be at Peace.
Embrace the Algae!

Decide and define what type of tank you want. If you want show-quality, prize winning tanks, then everything you introduce must be toward this aim. A lot of big aquascapers stuff their tanks w/ shrimp and other algae eaters. Yet they introduce very little in the way of actual fish bio-loads.

If you like the fish as much as the plants, then just strive for a mostly algae free tank. If one plant in particular attracts algae, just send it to the trash can. There's plenty other plants to make a pretty enough tank to enjoy. I've come to decide a 100% algae-free tank is a myth for most of us. "Don't worry; be happy!"

I myself really love the Dwarf Cichlids. This pretty much excludes shrimp from most of my tanks. Even if the Dwarfs don't eat the shrimp, some of the larger Amanos will prey on tiny fry. Ugh! If I have 95% plants and only 5% algae. . . . hey, not too bad. Once I accept true perfection usually doesn't exist in natural - I'm okay with it.

I like my tanks. I'm having fun, it's _my_ *hobby*! It's NOT my profession! I just don't think a hobby needs to set the bar so impossibly HIGH you stress yourself! I probably will not enter them in contests; but _I_ do enjoy them!


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Well said Mud Pie Momma!


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## info scavenger (Jun 25, 2008)

I'll second that Mud Pie Mama!


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