# Hairy bush -- Please help



## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

I am starting to get this long brown slimy thread on some of my plants. It sort of looks like brown mold but I think it is algae. Would anybody happen to know the source of this bushy monster ? 

My parameters:

Ph 6.5
KH 5
Phosphate 1.5
No3 ~60
3.66 wpg for 10 hours
2 ottos

EI method of fertilizing. Macros (nitrate+phosphate) Micros (flourish and equilibrium)

any suggestions ?

thanks


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## zig (Jul 3, 2005)

Your nitrates are high for a planted tank, is that from dosing or your water? Recommended levels are usually below <30ppm, i dont know if this is causing your algae though, ive never ran my nitrates that high, i usually have mine about 15-20ppm.

Have you looked at the algaefinder on this site.


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

zig said:


> Your nitrates are high for a planted tank, is that from dosing or your water? Recommended levels are usually below <30ppm, i dont know if this is causing your algae though, ive never ran my nitrates that high, i usually have mine about 15-20ppm.
> 
> Have you looked at the algaefinder on this site.


I do dose the dry ferts.....I guess I am over doing it.
I didn't mention that my tank is about two weeks old.


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## bigstick120 (Mar 8, 2005)

The title of this post is just too funny, anyone else thinking Revenge of the Nerds, Booger is a funny guy!!! Sorry but I am just LMAO


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## zig (Jul 3, 2005)

^^lol i hadnt noticed that i thought it read hairy brush 

If the nitrates from your tap are not that high to begin with you need to cut right back on the KNO3 dosing, try and bring it somewhere around 15-20ppm and maintain it there, you could do a 50%+ water change to bring the nitrate levels down, brown algae or more correctly diatoms are very common in new setups and usually disappear after a period of time usually 2-3 weeks sometimes quicker, just try and remove as much as you can daily, an old toothbrush can be good for this, your ottos will also help clear the plants of the ditoms.


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## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

LOL, pervs. I thought the same thing when I read "Hairy bush."

My guess is you've got some diatom algae. Ottos should take care of it.


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

Gumby said:


> LOL, pervs. I thought the same thing when I read "Hairy bush."
> 
> My guess is you've got some diatom algae. Ottos should take care of it.


I have two in there already....Should I get a few more ?  
It's a 15 gallon plant tank.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Your tank has only been going for 2 weeks? All I can tell you is that it has taken me about 2 months to get mine to settle down (maybe, knock on wood). In that short span, I've modified my fert regimen 4 or 5 times, changed my light intensity and duration, converted to pressurized from DIY CO2, had 1/2 of my plants wither away from NO3 starvation and 1/2 of them become hopelessly covered in hell algae. A few threads (just can't bring myself to say hairy bush) would have seemed like nothing at all. I agree with everyone else about the NO3. How much CO2 you running? Everybody says 30-35 ppm helps keep algae at bay.

All in all, I've had better luck with ferts a touch on the high side than on the low side. I really ran into algae problems and pathetic looking plants when my NO3 bottomed out. Once the plants have had some time to grow in, they'll do a better job at 'outrunning' the algae too.


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## JerseyScape (Nov 18, 2005)

Co2 level is in the 40s.


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## donkey (Feb 11, 2005)

the planted tank is not an easy task at all . i have had lots of problems with algae and still do i have a bush that is covered in algae as well .no one ever told me it would be this hard . and to top it all i keep discus as well .and they just love beef heart . so most nights i will trimming my bush and Grinding my meat


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