# Does the Chelate in Chelated Iron & CSM+B Cause Hair Algae?



## Tonka (Mar 20, 2004)

What I call hair algae (as distinct fom clado, thread algae, BBA etc) are very long, 6-10 inches, hairs/threads/strings of algae streaming in the current from the distended leaves of my taller plants. 
I saw a reference that the chelate in chelated iron and CSM+B causes this algae. Can anyone confirm this?

I do monthly water changes and add both chelated products to the tune of about 0.2 ppm per day. Over 30 consecutive days, that could be a significant buildup unless the molecule that is responsible for chelation breaks down in some way. Hair algae is currently the worst algae in my tank and I am keen to make changes to fix the problem.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I have found that an over abundance of iron can cause hair algea. I would not however put your hair algae issues entirely on celeated iron. I would also check N03 levels to see if they are up to par for proper plant growth.


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

Well I dose 1 ppm Fe daily from iron gluconate, dtpa iron ( I add 3 days one and the rest of the week the other as an iron source, both in powder form) plus the chelated iron from the TE (microplex) I do up to 40% WC weekly and I see absolutely no thread algae, I should suggest you check your WC (I noticed you say in your signature that you try to do monthly WC maybe that is to little in the sense of letting you organics accumulate) plus as trenac said your NO3 levels, as a possible source of the algae.


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## Tonka (Mar 20, 2004)

NO3 is consistently between 15 and 20 ppm as measured with a calibrated LaMotte kit.

Maybe I ought to switch back to Fluorish Iron and Fluorish from Iron Chelate and CSM+B, respectively. I think the chelating agents are different.

My challenge is to dose the tank in such a manner that I need to change its water only every month.


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