# black hair algae



## surpera1 (Feb 18, 2009)

i guess thats what its called - some of it looks like matted up black hair - some kinda looks like staghorn - and some looks like black beard - anyway - how do i discourage this stuff ? any fish that like to eat it ? EI dosing , 55 gallon , 4WPG , eheim 2213 , DIY co2 , powerhead diffuser , airstone on when lights off , airstone off 2 hours before lights on , diffuser on 2 hours before lights on , 2 plecos , 2 pictus cats , 4 mollys , plant growth is great , soil substrate , just enough algae to piss me off - hahahahahahahhaa


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## Shad0w (Nov 13, 2006)

*Re: blabk hair algae*

Spot treatment using Seachem excel will kill it. In my opinion, get better CO2 system instead of DIY CO2.


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## surpera1 (Feb 18, 2009)

*Re: blabk hair algae*

fluctuating co2 levels causes it ? the airstone at night causes a swing i know


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

*Re: blabk hair algae*

I don't think anyone really knows exactly the cause of BBA, but pressurized CO2 would be a good place to start. You'll be glad you did.


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## surpera1 (Feb 18, 2009)

*Re: blabk hair algae*

oh yeah - i want to - just no disposable funds right now - its on my agenda - but i have learned how to really crank out some DIY co2 - i recently had to do a big trim - couldnt see out the back of the tank - fish could barely swim in there - and this duckweed - man - i keep trying to get it all - seems like the next day its covered the whole tank again - i think i finally got all the hornwort - man


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## Shad0w (Nov 13, 2006)

*Re: blabk hair algae*

another possibility is water flow, the flow not strong enough to carry CO2 around the tank.


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## surpera1 (Feb 18, 2009)

*Re: blabk hair algae*

i have decent flow between the eheim and the powerhead


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

*Re: blabk hair algae*

ya have to admit the DIY CO2 is not real consistent.


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## surpera1 (Feb 18, 2009)

yeah 0 i know - thats just what i have right now


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

I've had BBA issues twice and each time was from a different set of circumstances. You need to get it under control first.
First you need to prune infected plants ruthlessly, bleach dip any affected decorations - bogwood should be boiled and then scrape off any remaining BBA. Do not add any iron supplements and check your tap water for Fe. I had free iron in my tap water and added whole house filters (dirt/sediment and carbon) and filter down to 1 miron nominal. Keep PO4 levels to around 0.1ppm. Keep CO2 to around 30ppm and steady/level. Keep NO3 (nitrate) to at least 10ppm. Once the BBA is under control then go back to your regular fert regime.

BBA, IMO, is not caused by just one issue it is at least 2 parameters not being met. CO2 fluctutons and too low, high iron, low NO3, high PO4. Elevated PO4 just allows it to grow faster and better.

Lighting levels doesnt seem to affect it too much althou we do not want to have intensity too high for this and many other reasons. Duration may be an issue.


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## surpera1 (Feb 18, 2009)

gadzooks ! i forgot to mention that i'm kinda lazy - hahahahahahahaahh - i do prune some - but cant seem to get it all - and i likely wont bleach , boil , irradiate , etc etc , hahahahahahahaahah , i heard that tiger barbs eat it ? is that true ?a solution like that would rock !


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