Bad Case Of Hair Algae In Cycling Tank

[fishyparents14]

My tank is still cycling so I really haven’t done any water changes yet. But I’ve got a bad case of hair algae! How do I get rid of these? will doing a water change affect my cycling process? I think I'm almost done... 1-2ppm ammonia becomes 0ppm in around 1.5days, and nitrites are always 0ppm, nitrates always <=7ppm.

I turned on the lights this morning and also found some tiny flea-like insects swimming around and sticking to the glass (last picture)! What are these??

I have ISTA premium aquasoil and I’m using API CO2 booster (2ml daily for the 20gall tank), 10ml of API Leaf zone every week. I stopped the Leaf Zone for now.

 

[Momgoose56]

My tank is still cycling so I really haven’t done any water changes yet. But I’ve got a bad case of hair algae! How do I get rid of these? will doing a water change affect my cycling process? I think I'm almost done... 1-2ppm ammonia becomes 0ppm in around 1.5days, and nitrites are always 0ppm, nitrates always <=7ppm.

I turned on the lights this morning and also found some tiny flea-like insects swimming around and sticking to the glass (last picture)! What are these??

I have ISTA premium aquasoil and I’m using API CO2 booster (2ml daily for the 20gall tank), 10ml of API Leaf zone every week. I stopped the Leaf Zone for now.

My hair algae went away once my tank was cycled but I also put a common pleco in there and wasn't using CO2. Do the bugs move around? Kinda jerky movement and sort of swim too? Daphnia or 'water fleas' do that and look kind of like your picture. They're tiny fresh water crustaceans that are an excellent food for fish.

 

[fishyparents14]

My hair algae went away once my tank was cycled but I also put a common pleco in there and wasn't using CO2. Do the bugs move around? Kinda jerky movement and sort of swim too? Daphnia or 'water fleas' do that and look kind of like your picture. They're tiny fresh water crustaceans that are an excellent food for fish.

Sadly, my tank isn’t big enough for a pleco (only 20gallons). Nerites don’t seem to care for the hair algae too. I’ll just lessen the light period and hopefully it’ll go away after I change the water and add the fish. The bugs don’t seem to be jerky but they’re definitely swimming. I find them gathered under the frogbits just after I turn on the lights and they kind of disperse while the light is on. Here’s a more closeup photo.

 

[Momgoose56]

Sadly, my tank isn’t big enough for a pleco (only 20gallons). Nerites don’t seem to care for the hair algae too. I’ll just lessen the light period and hopefully it’ll go away after I change the water and add the fish. The bugs don’t seem to be jerky but they’re definitely swimming. I find them gathered under the frogbits just after I turn on the lights and they kind of disperse while the light is on. Here’s a more closeup photo.

I bet they're Daphnia. Light and high CO2 seem to be the main cause of hair algae, I don't use either, probably why mine was self limiting. I've heard Amano shrimp will eat long hairy algae. You could have a bunch of those in your tank! Might check those out.

 

[angelcraze]

I'm pretty sure amano shrimp do eat filamentous algae I had a bad case of GHA in my 90g at one time, I did change up my lighting, but it went away when I added 10 amano shrimp.

Also what seems to help for me was aging my water. I think the pH and co2 swings in the tank was helping it along. And being regular with water changes helps I think. It hopefully will even out once your tank cycles. Atm, your parameters are all over the place.

I see those bugs in my tanks without fish. I guess they are always around because they show up every time, but the fish must eat them up before they are noticed most of the time.

 

[fishyparents14]

I did a water change today (will be adding fish tomorrow since I think the cycle is done!) and the algae seems to be better. I can't seem to find any pet store in our area that sells amano shrimps... They had otocinclus, but I don't think I'm ready for them thanks for the help everyone!

 

[fishyparents14]

So tank has cycled, corys and some ghost shrimps are there (with nerites too), but the tank is looking even more hideous! I’ve done a massive water change, reduced light period (4pm-9pm), tried harvesting the algae with a toothbrush (which really didn’t make a dent in the tank’s algae problem). Even the stem plants look like they’re dying. Amano shrimps are out of stock everywhere too Is there anything else I can do? Will the plants survive this?

 

[pagoda]

You can get either a Bristlenose, Rubberlip or Clown Pleco, they are very small compared to other Pleco types and can be ideal for a 20 gallon aquarium

 

[fishyparents14]

H

You can get either a Bristlenose, Rubberlip or Clown Pleco, they are very small compared to other Pleco types and can be ideal for a 20 gallon aquarium

Will check this out. How many should I get? I already have 6 rust Corydoras, 5 ghost shrimp, and promised my husband 10 neon tetras

 

[pagoda]

Just 1 will be fine

A small Pleco type will munch happily and not outgrow the aquarium by any means......one of my 20 gallon has a slightly higher fish count than yours and a Pleco and all are doing very well

 

[Blondeath]

My tank is currently cycling and has what I think is hair algae that started growing yesterday... following to see if your fish/inverts start eating it!!

 

[DoraCory]

I have a clown pleco and I can assure you it doesn't eat hair algae.

 

[Blondeath]

H

Will check this out. How many should I get? I already have 6 rust Corydoras, 5 ghost shrimp, and promised my husband 10 neon tetras

So I’ve heard that SAEs eat hair algae pretty well!

 

[Dechi]

Seachem Excel wiI help if you dose it daily. My hair algae has stopped growing a lot and has changed color so I think it’s dying.

You can also try this is Excel alone isn’t working :

 

[fishyparents14]

I couldn’t get hold of any SAE. It will be too big for my tank anyway. But I burned the midnight oil looking for an online seller of amano shrimps and found one! Those little guys are hard at work cleaning up the tank! They surely eat that nasty stuff in my photos I just wish I knew they were jumpers! Had jumping shrimps while I was putting them in the tank

 

[fishyparents14]

Update: Hair algae has considerably lessened at the back of the tank after 3 days of adding the amano shrimps. With a low bioload and looking so cute, I couldn’t be happier

 

[DoraCory]

How many Amano's did you add?

 

[fishyparents14]

How many Amano's did you add?

I put 10 in there but I’ve only seen 7 lately. I don’t know if the other 3 are still alive or just hiding

 

[DoraCory]

I could only get 3 from my LFS yesterday. Took me ages to find them today, but they were happily chilling out by the filter outlet.