# Hair Algae



## dirrtybirdy (May 22, 2007)

I have a really bad case of hair algae. I just tested my water right now and this are the results

NO2- <0.3 - 0.3

NK3+NK4 0 MG

PH - 9

I dose all fourish products

Excel, Potassium, Iron and trace by the recommended dosage. I have a 30 gallon tank. Please help! how do i get rid of the algae???


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## edlut67 (Feb 26, 2007)

I would say to avoid direct sunlight and get some SAE's.


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## dirrtybirdy (May 22, 2007)

there is no direct sunlight. is anything off balanced? should i dose any chems to get rid of it?


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## prBrianpr (Nov 18, 2007)

ohh nonono pH 9! i though that plants can't live pH 8 and up. you are making w/c maybe you are feeding a lot


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Well, there isn't one particular "fix" for any type of algae. As such, we'll be much better giving you advice if you supply us with TONS more information.

Please include:

Tank Age
Lighting, reflector types & photoperiod
Substrate
Filtration / Flow
Plant species
Photos of the hair algae. There are many different varieties.
CO2? If so, how much?
I assume you're testing for NH4 and NH3, not NK4 and NK3???????
GH and KH, if you know it.
Fertilizing plan, quantities & schedule
Waterchange plan
Bioload

Tell us that, and just maybe we'll come up with something to help you out.


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## dirrtybirdy (May 22, 2007)

I will start composing the spec list of the tank this week. Ill try to have to have it as accurate as I can.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

It doesn't need to be a 15 page thesis or anything. Just a few extra details will help. Probably the most valuable thing is a photo of the stuff.


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## art_b (Sep 2, 2006)

I too used the Flourish line and I too have a bad case of hair algae. I think it is too much iron (and high phosphate). The recommended dose for Flourish iron will bring your iron to .25 ppm. I stopped dosing iron for now. I now dose Flourish once a week using half the recommended dosage. I also dose Excel and Flourish Trace at recommended amounts. I also used dry ferts for NPK only if required. I installed a diy co2. Seems to help, but it is too early too tell. Maybe in another 2 months, I would know.

I think it also the fish poo that contribute to nutrients in the water.


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## dirrtybirdy (May 22, 2007)

Tank Age Close to a year
Lighting, reflector types & photoperiod 
Substrate Flora Base/Sand
Filtration / Flow Eheim Canister Filter 2213 
Plant species Wisteria, PG, Riccia, Rotala Wachilii (sp?) Fissiden
Photos of the hair algae. There are many different varieties.
CO2? If so, how much? 
I assume you're testing for NH4 and NH3, not NK4 and NK3??????? I will double check
GH and KH, if you know it. Dont know
Fertilizing plan, quantities & schedule ???
Waterchange plan Once a week or once every other week.
Bioload 20 Green neon tetra, 3 cories, 2 apistos, 1 GBR, 5 various other fishes.

I will take pictures today when I get home from work. All answer are to the best of my knowledge. Thanks for the help!


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## Christian_rubilar (Jul 21, 2005)

BryceM said:


> Well, there isn't one particular "fix" for any type of algae. As such, we'll be much better giving you advice if you supply us with TONS more information.


Well, in fact there is a particular "fix" for some type of algae.
In this thread you can find the "reason" and the "fix" of the most common algae. If you go down you will find pictures of the algae with the information i told you about. If you don't speak spanish you can use google translator or i translate the protocol.
http://www.drpez.net/panel/showthread.php?t=154436

The really important test is the Po4. You probably add too much iron. Perhaps you don't have enough Co2, the ph/kh chart doesn't work.


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## melauriga (Mar 20, 2009)

Hi, I'm wondering if you used a Seachem suggested dosing chart (found on this forum, I think) that recommended dosing iron pretty much daily. I was, and now have quite a bit of hair algae. I read somewhere else that hair algae can be caused by too much iron. I don't know for sure if this caused my hair algae infestation or not, but I have stopped dosing the iron and will see if it gets better, too soon to tell. I am also considering adding a couple of livebearers to see if they will eat some of it.


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## bosmahe1 (May 14, 2005)

How long is your photo period? What type of lighting are you using?


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## Christian_rubilar (Jul 21, 2005)

bosmahe1 said:


> How long is your photo period? What type of lighting are you using?


The relashionship between the algae this guy have and the photoperiod and the lighting he is using is the same than the price of the olr barrel.

You know, i don't understand why people still uses charts, tell me, do you tell your wife "you know, next week there will be a party at home, can you cook for 200 hundred square feet, please?". When you read this is in your face that it does not make any sence, why the charts make sense to you. The real important item is to know what your aquarium reallly needs.
Usually 0.1 ppm of iron is enough.


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## dirrtybirdy (May 22, 2007)

This is the algae that is ravaging my tank. im currently running 2 10k 96w light bulbs for 9-10 hours a day


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## zdam20 (Mar 8, 2009)

I had a lot of hair algea and I got 2 black mollies to take care of it. They did a great job in just a few days. Now if they would just eat the bba...


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## Christian_rubilar (Jul 21, 2005)

In the thread I recommended you to read there is a simple method of algae control and fertilizing.
This basic idea is that you should have no less than 4 watts/gallon, Co2 about 35 ppm (the charts kh/ph are useless) and you should fertilize with Kno3. Kno3 works as the best algae preventive. But it works to kill them too.
The idea is that you add 1 gram of Kno3 every 50 gallons per day until you reach the GSA. The water conditions were GSA can begin to live is a desert for the other algae. 
The steps you should follow are this:

1.	50% water change.
2.	Discontinue fertilizing altogether.
3.	Every day for 1 week add 1 gram of Kno3 every 50 gallons until there begin to appear GSA. 
4. CO2 increase the maximum allowable by the aquarium (at least 35 ppm). 
5. Not diminish the lighting. 
6. Do not modify other variables. 
7. Manually remove the algae 
8. When the ussue is solved or after 7 days, 50% water change. 
9. The amount of Kno3 you needed ti achieve the GSA will be the amount you will use as fertilizing per week.
10. About the others fertilizers, use 30% of the doze you were using.

Regards


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## Fishtory (Jan 21, 2009)

Christian, that is an AWESOME summary. It should be a sticky!


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## Christian_rubilar (Jul 21, 2005)

Thanks. The MDC borns about 4 years ago as a debate at the drpez forum. Nowadays the thread has over 52.000 reads and the feedback probed that it works. Unfortunately the complete thread is in Spanish but you can translate the protocols you need. There are pictures of the most common algae and the steps to solve them. Anyway, the MDC is a fertilizing and algae control method, so I always recommend to read it all.
http://www.drpez.net/panel/showthread.php?t=154436
Regards


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

looks like spirogyra- this usually occurs after there has been a sudden boost of NH4 one to two weeks prior, maybe poop, dirt which has been sitting for some time has been suddenly kicked up or you de-rooted a massive amount of plants. (some people say its due to high fe of mg which i do not believe to be true) whatever the cause, flourish excel does not affect this algae much for my experiences and unlike most other algaes it thrives in a tank with balanced ferts, co2 and light and can plague your tank in a matter of days if left on treated. your best bet would be to do a 3-4 day blackout do a water change before you start the blackout and continue doing daily water changes during the blackout you could also double dose excel after each water change if you like. even though this method may be tedious it will knock out almost any type of algae while not doing that much damage on your plants. (also adding a couple SAE's before you start the blackout will help too). I did this daily water change+blackout method when my tank was infested with spirogyra after uprooting a ton of blyxa plants a week and a half prior. and I have not dealt with this algae since.


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## dirrtybirdy (May 22, 2007)

Christian_rubilar said:


> In the thread I recommended you to read there is a simple method of algae control and fertilizing.
> This basic idea is that you should have no less than 4 watts/gallon, Co2 about 35 ppm (the charts kh/ph are useless) and you should fertilize with Kno3. Kno3 works as the best algae preventive. But it works to kill them too.
> The idea is that you add 1 gram of Kno3 every 50 gallons per day until you reach the GSA. The water conditions were GSA can begin to live is a desert for the other algae.
> The steps you should follow are this:
> ...


I just tried the 3 day black out didnt work.

im start using this method monday morning


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

dirrtybirdy said:


> I just tried the 3 day black out didnt work.
> 
> im start using this method monday morning


did you do daily water changes during the blackout? did you dose excel? did you completely black out the tank by covering it or did you just leave the lights off also, you gotta check the tank after the third day and if its still there keep going don't quit half way through. took me 6 days blackout plus daily water changes before i beat spyrogira. don't be so quick to dismiss methods however your free to do what you want, just trying to help. Regards


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## Christian_rubilar (Jul 21, 2005)

jazzlvr123 said:


> did you do daily water changes during the blackout? did you dose excel? did you completely black out the tank by covering it or did you just leave the lights off also, you gotta check the tank after the third day and if its still there keep going don't quit half way through. took me 6 days blackout plus daily water changes before i beat spyrogira. don't be so quick to dismiss methods however your free to do what you want, just trying to help. Regards


Well, back out perhaps works, but if the water condition are the same algae will bloom again. If you change water every day after this algae you will probably have green water or other algae related to ammonia. If you have fish they will suffer a lot or die.
Excel kills many algae, but this is not a long term solution.
Why algae blooms? The explanation is simple, the have proper condition in your aquarium. This is like the flu, not everybody get it, just if your immune system is weak you are in risk.
Adding every day only Kno3 sooner or later you will reach GSA, proper conditions for GSA are a desert for others algaes.
This simple method was successfully use for the last 4 years, and over 50.000 reads means something.
Regars


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## dirrtybirdy (May 22, 2007)

Im going to try this new method next week. I will be moving in a few days, but i am wondering...whats GSA?


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## Christian_rubilar (Jul 21, 2005)

dirrtybirdy said:


> Im going to try this new method next week. I will be moving in a few days, but i am wondering...whats GSA?


Green spot algae, regards


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## dirrtybirdy (May 22, 2007)

There is already GSA growing on the glass.

Do I still follow the said directions?


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## Christian_rubilar (Jul 21, 2005)

dirrtybirdy said:


> There is already GSA growing on the glass.
> 
> Do I still follow the said directions?


Now you change 50% of the water. The amount of kno3 you used for reach the GSA is what you will add per week of Kno3.
Clean the glass, and go on.
How is the algae issue now?
Regards


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