How to get rid of hair algae?

[Annabanana728]

How do I get rid of hair algae? My tank is fully cycled, not nitrates or nitrate, 0.25ppm ammonia (working on getting that down), ph of 7.6.
Also, how do I get rid of diatoms?? So annoying.

Thanks, sincerely, an Aquariust who has never dealt with algae before.

 

[BenjiBear]

Watching bc my oldest tank has started getting hair algae and i havent changed anything for months so im stumped :/

As for your diatoms there is no cure. It happens in every new set up, sometimes overnight and sometimes a few weeks down the line. They will eventually go away on their own. This can take a few weeks or a month you really cant guess. Best you can do is just clean off any you can see during water changes if it bothers you but it isnt harmful, just looks dirty

 

[RedOnion]

H

How do I get rid of hair algae? My tank is fully cycled, not nitrates or nitrate, 0.25ppm ammonia (working on getting that down), ph of 7.6.
Also, how do I get rid of diatoms?? So annoying.

Thanks, sincerely, an Aquariust who has never dealt with algae before.

How long is the light on for?

 

[Annabanana728]

H

How long is the light on for?

8 hours

 

[RedOnion]

8 hours

Try having blackout days and see if that reduces the algae. I always used to get hair algae during my cycling stage but it would always go away after some time. Sometimes you need to find the right light balance as well. What light are you using and how big is the tank?

 

[Annabanana728]

Try having blackout days and see if that reduces the algae. I always used to get hair algae during my cycling stage but it would always go away after some time. Sometimes you need to find the right light balance as well. What light are you using and how big is the tank?

10 gallon, it’s an Aqueon aquarium hood light.

 

[RedOnion]

10 gallon, it’s an Aqueon aquarium hood light.

I would say keep removing by hand any hair algae you see and have some black out days. It should eventually die off this way.

 

[Theulli]

Otos are diatom eating machines, if you want to go that route. But as noted above, diatoms suck because they are ugly, but they will go away on their own eventually. Plants will also help keep the nutrients for them and other algae down.

Hair algae in my experience is directly related to lighting levels. Is your tank near a window and getting a bunch of natural light on top of the tank light?

 

[Kathylee]

How do I get rid of hair algae? My tank is fully cycled, not nitrates or nitrate, 0.25ppm ammonia (working on getting that down), ph of 7.6.
Also, how do I get rid of diatoms?? So annoying.

Thanks, sincerely, an Aquariust who has never dealt with algae before.

I can't help with the hair algae, sorry! But the Diatoms, gosh, I had some experience with! They covered my entire 10g Aqueon tank too! Ottocinculus loved it & I had a ton of ramhorn snails, even with their help to battle it, I had to put some serious elbow grease in, every week wiping it away. It's a battle, they seem to pop up when cycling or newer tanks. Just keep at it the best you can & then after a few months it usually will have run it's course!

 

[Cherryshrimp420]

If there is ammonia then there is probably too much waste in the tank. Just reduce feeding or reduce light...the source of food for the algae is the same as plants and too much nutrients/imbalance of nutrients will cause them to grow and out compete plants.

 

[Mudminnow]

If your ammonia is more than 0 and you have no nitrites or nitrates, I'd say your tank is not fully cycled yet. And, diatoms tend to show up in tanks that aren't fully cycled. They'll show up for other reasons too, but, in your case, I suspect an incomplete cycle is to blame.

 

[Annabanana728]

Huh...it’s very weird, the tank has been up for about 6 months and the ammonia is because my tap waters ammonia is through the roof and prime can only detoxify it so much. Sometimes I just really want to give up on this hobby!

 

[RedOnion]

Huh...it’s very weird, the tank has been up for about 6 months and the ammonia is because my tap waters ammonia is through the roof and prime can only detoxify it so much. Sometimes I just really want to give up on this hobby!

I was thinking it could be your tap as well. Is your tank heavily planted for there to not be any nitrates?

 

[Mudminnow]

Huh...it’s very weird, the tank has been up for about 6 months and the ammonia is because my tap waters ammonia is through the roof and prime can only detoxify it so much. Sometimes I just really want to give up on this hobby!

Ah. Ammonia grows algae big time. Even little spikes grow algae. So, if your tap has lots of ammonia (and you have enough light for the algae to grow), you'll have algae. You may need to do smaller less frequent water changes (meaning you'll have to maintain a low bioload), or find a better source of water.

If this is not a planted tank, reducing your light should help with the hair algae. Diatom algae is a bit more tolerant of low light in my experience though. But, clearing up your ammonia issues should help with the diatoms.

 

[Cherryshrimp420]

Hmm tap water with ammonia is basically free nitrogen fertilizer Great for heavily planted tanks but not good for anything else

 

[BettaCyrus]

Good info, I'm dealing with diatoms too, but in a cycling tank.

 

[Mudminnow]

Hmm tap water with ammonia is basically free nitrogen fertilizer Great for heavily planted tanks but not good for anything else

Yeah, great so long as you don't do the big water changes typically prescribed for planted tanks. Ammonia spikes cause algae even in heavily planted tanks. I guess one would just have to run the tank in an atypical way. Maybe lots of tiny, little water changes?

 

[Theulli]

Yeah, great so long as you don't do the big water changes typically prescribed for planted tanks. Ammonia spikes cause algae even in heavily planted tanks. I guess one would just have to run the tank in an atypical way. Maybe lots of tiny, little water changes?

The water changes are to replace nutrients that the plants are sucking up, if the plants are keeping your nitrates low enough. I imagine if you wanted to do fewer water changes, you could make do with a fertilizer. Two in one - Flourish will both serve as plant food and also inhibits algae to a degree.