jprime84

My tank has had plants for a few weeks now, and many of them have a good amount of fuzz algae on them. It looks like tiny spaced out hairs similar to what you would see on a spider's leg. My SAE eats what he can of it, but its a lot for him to cover on his own.

I am worried about its affect on my plants. My rotala have nice new green growth at the top, but anything more than a few days old has the fuzz on it. I am starting to see the fuzz on the dwarf hairgrass. The watersprite has a lot of it on its older growth as well.

I dont see it as much on the swords but it is there for sure. Some swords have longer darker hairs of algae. I will try to get some pics.

Is this something to worry about? From what I read it could be due to excessive nutrients in the water. I stopped adding the liquid fertilizer I was using. Plants are not dead as I do see plenty of new growth, but I worry about the algae choking them out.

Shawnie

have you tried a search here on fishlore about hair algae? I know ive seen a ton of threads with help heres a few
Hair Algae on Plants
white hair algae

eiginh

Do you add phosphates to your tank? If you do reduce the amount or do not add any! Also watch your nitrate levels as you may have too much for your plants and the algae feeds on it. Do you think you have enough circulation for your tank? Planted tanks should have 5x the regular circulation and 10x if heavily planted than a tank without plants. How long do you leave your lights on? Do you add co2?

I am also having hair algae grow on my rotala, bba and brown algae as well...

jprime84

Right at first I added API Leaf Zone for two weeks, but I have since stopped that. I do not use CO2. Ill have to check nitrate levels, but last time I looked they were below 10. The only circulation I have are the two filters on opposite ends of the tank. I see some plant movement around the tank, especially near the filters. Do you think I need more? Lights stay on only slightly longer than the sun is up.

eiginh

In that case I think you have co2 efficient problems causing the algae grow. How planted is your tank? You can buy flourish excel which is liquid form of co2 or make a DIY co2 system or buy a pressurized co2 system (expensive!). The recommended lighting also depending on your plants should be no more than 8 but you can get away with 8-10 hours with a break in the middle (read from a diff. forum).

jprime84

My nitrates are at 5ppm right now. So you are saying I am CO2 defficient right now? I have probably 4 sword plants, 2 crypts, several rotala, one big watersprite, one anubias nana, one small hygrophila, and some dwarf hairgrass. Is there a test out there to test your CO2 content?

eiginh

You can buy a co2 drop checker or make one. How many WPG do you have? it may not be co2 deficient. Nvm I just calculated your wpg, you have 2.05 wpg. You need co2 in your tank.

Here's a thread from a diff. forum having similar issues.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/f...gae-green.html

Nutter

I would be leaning towards the lights being on for too long. I think I have suggested to you before to try a 4-5hr lights off period in the middle of the day to prevent algae problems. It could also be co2 deficient as has been suggested.

jprime84

So do you think that the seachem flourish stuff can suit my needs as far as that goes? At least long enough to see if theres an effect?

Here is the tank now - the background tends to blend with the actual contents of the tank. The water is not as green as it looks, thats the background. It is a bit yellowish though from the driftwood.

eiginh

Seachem Flourish and Flourish Excel is different. I will post a thread that talks about that once I find it.

I can't view the picture atm but I will when I get home.

Hmm, surprised Nate or Mathas has not responded yet they are the brains for this plant talk stuff or at least have a lot more knowledge than I have.

jprime84

As far as the lighting, I am out of the house around 7am to go to work, and I dont get home until 4:30pm. I dont have the option of turning it off in the middle of the day. I thought about not turning it on in the morning, but I was afraid the 4:30pm-10:30pm stretch would not be a long enough light window. Thoughts on that?

eiginh

Yep, buy a timer for about less than 10 bucks.

Nate McFin

Eiginh hit the nail on the head. I think this is a co2 problem as well. Light time does a play a roll in that as light, nutrient, and co2 all need to be balanced to avoid algae. When Co2 is out of whack this is one of the algaes that can form. Decreasing light will decrease Co2 consumption but may not be the best answer for your plants.
Flourish excel should help things some but gets a little expensive long term.. DIY Co2 is another option if you dont want to spend the money on a pressurized system.
Once you pick up some flourish excel remove the most affected leaves, remove as much as possible with a brush if on decorations and substrate. You can spot treat areas when dosing the excel. I use a medicine syringe (no needles!) Then turn off your filter. Squirt the dose of excel onto the remaining affected areas and wait a few minutes before turning on the filter. Excel is a disinfectant as well so this allos max contact time)
Do keep in mind....an increase in Carbon may also cause a need for more nutrients. Finding balance between the light,ferts, and co2 is the goal here.

jprime84

I have read a lot of good things about flourish excel, and I plan on getting some today. Ill document its effects here. The algae is pretty much uniform on the plants in the tank, so Ill just treat the tank and not just spot target. I will also look into DIY CO2 for a long run solution.

eiginh

There's a catch with DIY co2 systems and that is consistency. I think you need about 30 PPM of co2 but I've read with diy co2 it can fluctuate from 20-40 ppm. I'm saving up for a Azoo regulator, it doesn't have a check valve but I bought a glass one for less than 10 bucks and came with a bubble counter as well. So far it's the cheapest one I found. Good luck with your algae problems! I'm still slowly battling mine!

jprime84

Have you seen this CO2 kit from Hagen? I wonder how well it works, and how its long term costs compare.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2754083

eiginh

Yes, I read a lot of mixed reviews about the ladder mostly bad. Some state that the bubble get stuck in the ladder and does not go up. I think the batch last only a month? I'm not so sure how consistent it is so you need to do some research on it.

Nate McFin

They say the bubble count is 4 bubbles per minute and that it lasts 260 days...however 4 bubbles per minute is not going to cut it in any tank. Most Co2 bubble counters shoot for 3-10 bubbles per SECOND!
Regarding the Azoo Reg. check these out before you order.
http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-...s-pid-642.html
You would have to replace the nipple where the shut off valve is but its pretty cheap and its a good reg. It is the same model Sumo uses. This is the one I am putting together now for a 55 that hasnt been set up yet.
I look forward to seeing how excel works out for you!

jprime84

I bought a timer. I have it setup to turn on at 7am, off at 10:30am, on again at 3:30pm, and off for the night at 10:00pm.


My best stocked LFS didnt have Seachem Flourish or Seachem Flourish Excel. I left with Brightwell Aquatic's FlorinMulti

http://www.brightwellaquatics.com/br_base.html

Click Products -> FlorinMulti

Its a multi nutrient additive. I cant find much online about it, but they said that they use this brands products in a lot of their personal tanks. It says it has carbon in it, but there was another product FlorinAxis that said it was a bioaccesible carbon source. I dont know, its frustrating. I guess I will order some Flourish Excel online.

The florinmulti is mostly potassium, with traces of boron, carbon, calcium, chlorine (weird huh), cobalt, copper (extremely small amount, claimed to be a component of enzymes used in redox reactions during photosynthesis), iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum,sulfur, and zinc. You can get all the details on the website.


I took out a lot of the watersprite plant that was afflicted the most. The majority of afflicted areas were old growth that wasnt looking great.

Any advice for me at this point?

Nate McFin

You could plant some floating plants to block a little light out. I would try to get excel if possible. Being that it is not only a source of carbon but also an algaecide it is really a good thing for the algae right now. Long term I really think you will be happier with DIY which is cheap and easy to set up or pressurized which is more efficient and much less maintenance. Once you get the carbon going it will be time to up the fertilizer a little bit as well.
Another option to kill the algae is to uproot the plants and use hydrogen peroxide to spot treat. They will need to be rinsed well afterwords but it is a good algae treatment.

jprime84

I am out of town this weekend, but I think I am going to look into DIY CO2 next week, just to see what changes there are.

jprime84

Well, I decided to just go with a method that I know will get it done. I just bought the kit from http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/co...o2-system.html

Obviously was the most expensive option, but I have a place nearby that refills CO2, and this seems like the best way to get consistent and regulated CO2 delivery both from a timing thing (solenoid allows me to have it on only when my lights are on via timer) as well as a CO2 flow thing (precise needle valve plus bubble counter).

My checking account feels the hit right now, but if this solves my CO2 issue without argument, then it is probably the most cost effective and reliable setup in the long run.

EDIT: updated link

eiginh

The links not working, can you relink it again please? I also have a feeling of going pressurized co2.

jprime84

I also called the company and talked for a good 20 minutes with one of the employees. They were able to give a lot of intelligent advice specific to my setup. This was after the sale had already been made, so I would say they have great support.

eiginh

Daym! Thats a bang for your buck! I was thought you were just buying a regulator w/ a solenoid timer and buying a co2 tank from a local store that also fills it up. Well have fun and I hope to see pics soon! Btw what kind of diffuser do you plan on using?

jprime84

Glass diffuser. I added up the costs, and I couldnt really find a deal. I could spend about $80 less buying a regulator from a local store, but it doesnt have a solenoid for automatic on/off, and it only has a lever to open/close the clow of CO2. GLA's regulator has all of that and a built in bubble counter. As for the tank, its cheaper locally, but then I am paying tax on it so it works out to be about the same.

I am using a glass and ceramic diffuser for starters as those are cheap. If it doesnt work well I will explore other options.

I didnt actually buy a kit, I got components because I didnt need some of the kit. I got the regulator with integrated bubble counter, the tubing, a 5lb tank, seals, diffuser, drop checker, and check valves for a little under $300 shipped.

My main draw was the support and reliability with this product over a DIY, as well as the long term minimal maintenance once I have everything dialed in.

eiginh

Oh I see! Don't forget a drop checker while you're at it! one flaw with diffuser bells are that you need to clean the ceramic disc every once in awhile. Some have two so they just replace one and clean the other in bleach solution mixed with water and let it dry. There are tons you can buy on ebay for cheap prices but if you're looking for something expensive and worth it. Go with ADA.

Nate McFin

Congrats! GLA is great to deal with. I got my drop checker from them as well.
Their Soenoids are great. You will have a system you can trust for years to come.
One option if you end up disliking the diffuser is using a Hagen Mini M in tank filter. Its very small and basically you just have to run the tubing into it and turn it on. It shoots the bubbles through the filter impeller and chops them up into very small bubbles then shoots them all over the tank. It runs $10.00 at petco.com I ended up using this method because I will also gain a little more water movement.
Are you starting a fert schedule as well then?

eiginh

Nate I wanna see your tank/s!

Nate McFin

Its not much at this point. It is only a 20G low tech (no co2 beyond excel)
I just did a huge tearout to eliminate the little algae problem we have been talking about lol. The tank really has been just a long list of mistakes I could have avoided with more planning. (better substrate, better knowledge of ferts, plant types, lighting, fish disease etc. When I am finally able to get the 55 set up I will be much better prepared. I have all the equipment sitting inside the new tank and I get jazzed every time I walk by it. I am actually prepared for this one so if it fails...MY bad. lol I only need a few more things to get it running now but I am still undecided on scape design. I keep bouncing back and forth between an Iwagami style and Dutch style. I like them both and I cant decide!
Anyway here is a current pic of the 20G (cube) it isnt much but it has taught me sooo much. The new stems on the left are rotala Rotundifola. They were just planted about a week before this pic. There is also a bunch of Crypt. Bronze Wendetti behind the rock. The sword in back Used to fill up much of the tank but the algae forced me to trim it back. The plant in the front is Crypt. Walkeri Lutea its my pride and joy luckily the algae didnt affect it at all.