# Green string algae????



## jerrybforl

i have stringy green algae in my 55gal. is it from the lack of CO2 destribution?? how do i get rid of it??

thanks


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## Zapins

Sounds like hair algae. The cure is manual removal and more nitrates.


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## orbitup

I just set up my tank a couple of weeks ago (no CO2) and had the same problem. Maybe 2 inches long in some places. I bought 2 Rosey Barbs and they ate it all in about 2 hours. I have since bought a few more and started dosing with Excel and it looks 100% better now.


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## jerrybforl

Zapins how do you add nitrates to the tank?? please let me know.

thanks,
JJ


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## Zapins

You add potassium nitrate, or calcium nitrate, or one of the nitrogen products made by sea chem, flourish, etc...

Potassium nitrate can be bought online, at ebay, or here http://www.aquariumfertilizer.com/index.asp?Option1=cats&Edit=2&EditU=1&Regit=2

I think you should also get some monopotasium phosphate and probably some CSM+B while you are there. You'll probably end up needing them with time.


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## jerrybforl

i already fert with it. does co2 have anything to do with it? im in the process of changing my diffuser as the one now isnt very good. plants growing nicely but so is algae.


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## Zapins

CO2 doesn't trigger this algae. Check your nitrate levels. They might have slipped. It takes a week or two of good nitrate levels to kill it.


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## Shad0w

well... unless the CO2 level is low. What is your CO2 level? Get drop checker to approximate the ppm


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## tiffc

I have a bit of hair algae in my tank as well. Trying to find that determining factor in it. Needless to say, I'll be following this thread!!

I hope mine isn't due to low CO2 levels, because I'm low light/low tech...don't want CO2 equipment, but I am dosing Flourish and NPKs once a week.

Good luck and keep us posted on the results!


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## art_b

I notice when I used Seachem Flourish, I get hair algae. I stopped fertilizing for now. My nitrates is around 5 ppm. I'll add more and see what happens.

I'm also experimenting with H202 (hydrogen peroxide). I spot treat with a syringe direct on the algae. But it is too early to tell if this works.


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## tiffc

hum. Interesting with the Flourish, I'll keep that in mind. I'm not fertilizing at all this week, I want to try to not dose one week out of the month. (I have only 1.8 WPG T8 lighting, no CO2...I only dose once a week anyway)

On the hydrogen peroxide, I have read here and other places about it working well. Good luck with it, if it works, let us all know!


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## almightydolla

I've been experimenting with algae's reaction to h2o2 lately, and have been dosing 2ml/gal into my tanks. It has devastated any clado and hair algae if I keep it up for 3-4 days. The only plants I saw affected by it was riccia, and only in one tank where I dosed closer to 3ml/gal


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## rhodophyta

art_b said:


> I notice when I used Seachem Flourish, I get hair algae. I stopped fertilizing for now. My nitrates is around 5 ppm. I'll add more and see what happens.
> 
> I'm also experimenting with H202 (hydrogen peroxide). I spot treat with a syringe direct on the algae. But it is too early to tell if this works.


I think the catalytic dosers are safer and more effective than adding H2O2 directly with a cap or syringe, unless you are just adding enough to sterilise everything.


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## boink

You could add flagfish or rosey barbs to eat the algae.


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## rhodophyta

boink said:


> You could add flagfish or rosey barbs to eat the algae.


I have seen hordes of flagfish in string algae choked canals in Florida. If they were eating any of it, sure didn't make a dent! What about some small goldfish? Would they eat the string algae first, or the plants we want first?


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## art_b

When spot treating algae using H202 with syringe for 2 consecutive days, the algae dies after day 4 or so. However, it does not seem to be as effective when spot treating the fine leaves of ambulia. I am going to try 2 ml/gallon and see what happens. Anybody knows if 2 ml/gallon will affect fine leaf plants like ambulia ?


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## Zapins

I doubt 2mL will. Fish don't really make a dent in algae problems. Just increase the nitrates (to 15-20 ppm), and manually remove it for a week.


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