Green Hair Algae

[androo303]

Hello all,

I took off for a 2.5 week vacation and returned to a tank full of what looks to be green hair algae. I ripped the bush of it out, but it looks like some of it is still hanging around on the plant(s).

I have a XP3 filter with activated carbon, the aquarium is about 25gallons. Mollies, algae eater, gouramis, and shrimp.

I think i may have solved the problem as i let it get out of hand as i was away, but i did a 1/2 water change and pulled out all the garbage (floating plants). Will this fix my issue or should i get something to assist (chemical or fish).

[Patrick S]

With the good water change you did and the fish and shrimps you have, I think by starting your usual routine again, algae will slowly disappear. I would not add anything new and give the tank a month to see how it goes.

Patrick

[androo303]

Thanks Pat. Greatly appreciated! Should i lower the feeding to make the fish hungrier to feed off teh algae?

[robt18]

Your best bet fish-wise are mollies, rosy barbs and Siamese Algae eaters. After you get your water conditions down to normal you might want to consider adding a few... but check water quality first. What are the dimensions of your tank? And XP3 on a 25gal is a bit crazy

[Patrick S]

Thanks Pat. Greatly appreciated! Should i lower the feeding to make the fish hungrier to feed off teh algae?

This is exactly what I would do. Good luck.

Patrick

[morrom]

It seems that every one is having problems with this green hair algae(GHA) these days  ... I think my problem start with to much light, which the plants loved as much as the algae  , they were pearling like crazy.
I have a similar problem, the tank is small only 12g. With a random assortment of fish (molly's being among them, but they don't really pick at the GHA) I also have a few snails, RCS, CRS, and a few yamato shrimp to round out the cleaning crew.
I do regular water changes and tank maintenance, I have taken to manually removing the algae. This has help with the situation and is seems to be under control for the time being. Any thing else I sound be doing?
Trevor

[Patrick S]

There are many different types of algae, even for "hair algae". I am definitely not a specialist. However, from what I read, usually when algae appear in an aquarium, they are a mixture of several different kinds. We aquarists simplify things by giving them names like "hair algae", etc that only describe the look of it.

Algae can appear in an aquarium for many different reasons. To get rid of them it would be best to understand why they appeared in the first place. This is not always easy to do.

It is probably easier to get rid of algae (or better said: to maintain algae under control as it is normal to have some algae in a tank) with a planted tank. Indeed, a good quantity of healthy plants will compete with algae to a point where they are not visible any more. To achieve this, plants needs have to be understood and under control.

Here are some links on algae:

http://mralgae.blogspot.com/
http://www.rexgrigg.com/Algae1.html
http://www.aquariumalgae.blogspot.com/

This one is a really good web site, not only about algae but on everything related to aquariums, if you can read French:

http://www.ivanov.ch/algues.htm

Hope this helps,
Patrick

[androo303]

What are the dimensions of your tank? And XP3 on a 25gal is a bit crazy

Haha ya. It is a bit overkill, but when it is free... the price is perfect! Plus, it'll let me upgrade for cheaper when i want a larger tank!

This is exactly what I would do. Good luck.

Done. The strings on the plants are slowly starting to disappear!

It is probably easier to get rid of algae (or better said: to maintain algae under control as it is normal to have some algae in a tank) with a planted tank. Indeed, a good quantity of healthy plants will compete with algae to a point where they are not visible any more. To achieve this, plants needs have to be understood and under control.

Yea. I figured this, when i returned some of my plants started to disappear (they weren't as tall as they were when i left). Hopefully with some close monitoring and adding the necessary nutrients they will come back to life.

[morrom]

Howdy,

Did some reading on the forums and I found the info in this thread very help full. I suggest reading the full thread, then heading over to the other forum and reading there thread.

http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=45537.msg269319#msg269319
http://www.guppies.com/forums/showthread.php?21075-BBA-Thread-Hair-Algae-Kill-with-Hydrogen-Peroxide-H2O2 

I am currently doing this in one of my tanks I have an out break of green hair algea, and thus fare it is working. After one treatment I have noticed a difference. Luckily for me that tank is a new set up and I have not put any animals in there yet, So I am going to do a nuke and a 50% water change tonight, and one on the weekend and see how that goes.
I hope you find this info useful.


Trevor

[HappyGuppy]

Hey Trevor,

That link to the guppies.com H2O2 thread is top notch.  If you didn't post that link yourself I would have been providing that link right now.  IMHO the best solution is to first nuke it, clean it (you were looking for ramshorns snails, now I understand why), and then adjust everything else to prevent another outbreak (add plants and/or keep nutrients (feeding) in check).

[morrom]

So an update
Seems that every thing is going well, the algae has taken a serious hit it and looks to be all dead. I am really surprised at how effective this treatment was.
I don't think I will be doing another nuke of H2O2 this weekend, but I will for sure follow up with allot of water changes and do my best to pick the dead algae strings out of my tank.
I would very much suggest trying it out if you are having trouble with an algae out break.
   
   Trevor

[androo303]

I will update on my progress.

I drastically dropped the feeding, lighting and water (did 2 water changes in a week) and it looks like the green hair algae is slowly leaving. I am currently building a CO2 system using paintball tanks to hopefully feed the remainder of the plants.

Thanks to all!!