# hair grass algae



## bristles (Mar 7, 2006)

Not long ago I got some hair grass as I always thought it looked cool in Amanos tanks. It's growing well but is starting to get fuzzy algae in the older growth. A friend at the local aquarium gardeners club said hair grass always gets it. Does anyone else have this same experience?


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

I have had similar problems with hairgrass in the past. Proper CO2 levels will go a long way to avoiding hair, and other types of algae. Hairgrass also seems to collect a lot of mulm and other detritus when not vacuumed thouroughly.

After a month or so of using a Rex Grigg (try a google search for Rex) styled water changing device I began to get hair algae in my hair grass. This device sits on the rim of the tank and doesn't allow you to get the mulm off of the substrate like a gravel vac does. A lot of mulm bagan to accumulate in the hair grass and algae appeared. I fetilized well at the time and did weekly water changes so CO2 and mulm were probably the only factor involved in the algae growth. Once hair algae is in hair grass it can be very difficult to remove but can be done.


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## John P. (Nov 24, 2004)

I wouldn't be surprised if your algae is cladophora.


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## BrianK (Feb 11, 2006)

One thing I noticed is that the dwarf hairgrass I bought was grown emersed. Those 'leaves' collect algae, turn brown and die off before submersed 'leaves' form. I trimmed my hairgrass to speed up the process and now with the new submersed 'leaves' I see no algae.


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## bristles (Mar 7, 2006)

Thanks for the help, mulm build up does not seem to be a problem,how short can you trim hair grass without harming it? I know turff grass in the yard dosent like to be reduced more than 50% at once.


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## BrianK (Feb 11, 2006)

I cut mine to about an inch short. I heard others saying they cut 3/4 of the height off though. It's basically speeding up the process of killing the leaves so they can re-grow.

This is what I've read on this forum and what I've been told. There is a chance I could be wrong but so far it is working for me. I'm learning as I go and just voicing advice others have given me.


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## bristles (Mar 7, 2006)

Hey Brian, I'll try triming it to about an inch, I really want to make the hair grass work in that tank. sounds like there is more on this subject on this site (I'm new here) so I will keep reading....thanks again


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## Faruk Gençöz (Nov 4, 2005)

In Aqua Journal number 36 de Souza talks about the algae that can appear if the emersed leaves are not pruned to the hight of 25mm.


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## BrianK (Feb 11, 2006)

I didn't mean I cut an inch off, I meant I cut the grass down to an inch long. Sorry I wasn't clear enough. That's just about 25mm so I guess I did good


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