Getting rid of hair algae...on MOSS!!

[Fishnut]

 I just noticed it starting to grow on some flame moss I've had for months AND I noticed it growing on the new phoenix moss that I paid a small fortune for at the GA.   The Phoenix moss has been in a glass bowl in the window until the tank is ready, so the excess sun might explain it.   The flame moss is in the same tank it's been in for more than 6 months, getting mid-low light...suddenly this appeared.

Any tips on getting rid of it without killing the moss in the process?

[washefuzzy]

Must be the extra daylight we have been getting that is causing flame mosses fight with algae.

[dan2x38]

I've grown moss from the tinyest pieces. I say that b/c I would take a small piece of the Phoenix moss and put it somewhere to grow out as a back-up. Hair algae can be almost impossible to get out of moss especially this type since it will break away if you try pulling it out. Using a toothbrush usually works slowly combing it out. Blackouts do not kill hair algae either. Algae eaters pick at it but when they do that they shred the moss. I had a SAE ruin a bunch of Phoenix moss rooting through it... there were just stubs left like whiskers but it grow back months & months later. It is thought that to high of levels in iron is a cause for GHA. Also I found hair algae in my flame moss that was directly under my light with high intensity so that is a contributing factor - the sunshine could have done it too.

[Fishnut]

Well, I changed the timer in the Flame moss tank to come on at 5pm and go off at 12:30pm.  I'll see if that makes a difference.  Thankfully there's only a little bit in the flame moss.  I sacrificed some of the flame moss stems to take out the bigger clumps of hair algae.  Not to worry, I still have lots.

The phoenix moss was taken out of the window and is now in a little one gallon tank with LOW lighting and my new horned nerites.  Maybe they'll be hungry.

Of all the algae, I hate hair algae the most.

[dan2x38]

phoenix moss does best with a little water movement & CO2 or it will brown...

[zima]

Overdosing excel works like a charm on GHA! I went with this procedure few times to try and figure out the cause (and, in a way, am still figuring it out, but leaning towards excess of iron approach). It could get a bit pricy, especially if the tank is large, but it works as a temporary solution. It isn't detrimental to moss either, but it will harm vals and, in my experience, dwarf sags.

[dan2x38]

To dose the Excel you can use a large 10 mil syringe from the pharmacy without the point on it. Draw up a dose (5mil/10gals) then add it directly onto the GHA. Usually over dosing Excel is double the dose and done for at least a week to 10 days. It does work on GHA & BBA.

[Fishnut]

Well, it seems that Horned Nerites eat Phoenix Moss as well as the algae.  I swear I had more of it than I do now...unless I had more GHA than Moss.

I think I'll read about this excel idea.

[bergenm]

When ever I have hair algae growing on a plant I drop it in with my cherry shrimp - the plant is usually cleaned by the end of the day

[Fishnut]

Hmmm...can I borrow your cherry shrimp?! 

[dan2x38]

Amamos do a great job on GHA... I do not think nerites eat plants. I've had nerites in many tanks including Bumble Bee (horned) nerites and never an issue. In fact the moss was in with 6 large onion nerite snails never trouble it our any other plant.

[grenso]

Remove all the other plants and throw in 5-6 Amano shrimp. They will do the deed for you.  Just dont throw in any excess food.

[Fishnut]

Well, if Nerites (horned or otherwise) don't eat plants...even as fine as Phoenix Moss...then I must have bought quite a bit of GHA with the Phoenix Moss    There's definately less plant on the bit of driftwood than there was when I brought it home.  How can they tell the difference anyways?  GHA is just slightly finer in leaf size than the Moss.

I'll see how the hubby reacts to me buying more amano shrimp and delaying shutting down one of the tanks to serve as an Amano Shrimp GHA removal station.  When they're finished, I can always use some more amanos in my main tank anyways. What's a couple more weeks in the grand scheme?

[dan2x38]

No GHA on the moss maybe some broke off and floated into the filter. I found some yesterday stuck to the filter intake on another tank... I hate seeing that...  sometimes my fish break peices off when digging for food - the little buggers.

[Fishnut]

  broke off what and floated into what filter?  I rinsed it in freshly treated tap water in a bucket when I got ot home and it has been sitting in a glass bowl since the GA in the window.  It just spent 24 hours with the Horned Nerites in a tank with no GHA what so ever.  I'm confused by the comment.

The Horned Nerites have lost their log and moss...poor things look bored so I'll find them some vals with algae on them.  The 7 new amanos now have their turn with the Phoenix Moss in the quest to get rid of the GHA in  bare tank with a sponge filter.

[dan2x38]

I'm confused by the comment.

I was thinking tank with filter with fish... you've heard of it before? LOL     

[Fishnut]

Ah Ok, so then it WAS already on the log when I brought it home from the GA!

[dan2x38]

Ah Ok, so then it WAS already on the log when I brought it home from the GA!

No the sitting it in the sun did that... no hair algae in that tank... I have 6 large Amano shrimps, 6 Nerite onion snails, and a few Tiger shrimp in there... In fact it was a larger piece os driftwood that cut in half with a hacksaw you can see the cut. The other piece is spotless.

[jrs]

If I notice any algae I spot treat with excel using a pipette WITH the filters running.  Also make sure to "fluff" the moss daily to keep it clean and harvest some every month or so to insure it doesn't become too dense.

[Fishnut]

The Amano cleaning station seems to be working!  I checked on them tonight after ignoring it for a couple of days (watched hair algae never goes away ) and I discovered that most of the algae is gone!!  There's only a few teeny tufts of it near the root of the Moss, which the shrimp were happily digging out as I watched tonight.

The Moss that was covered in algae is dark green so I hope now that it's exposed to proper light again, it'll brighten up.  There are a number of Moss stems that have new bright green growth at the top though!  I had another discovery now that most of the algae is gone.  There is also Java Moss rooted to the same chunk of wood.  Since Phoenix Moss grows slowly and Java Moss grows fast, it's quite obvious now what it is.  I'll just scrape it off with a sharp utility knife so it doesn't compete with the Phoenix Moss.