Hair Algea Outbreak

[Ryan45]

I am I need of serious help. Hair Algea is just killing me, and my plants. It has over grown my Anubias and a lot of other plants. I dosing with flourish Excel and Flourish. Once a day with flourish excel and twice a week with flourish. Lights are on for 9 hours a day at 2 WPG. Now I have well water and I have heard that well water is always high in phospates. If that is so what do I do? Please help!!! Ammonia is 0 Nitrites 0 and nitrates 0. I think the 0 Nitrates might be the problem also, but I am not sure.

[Mooch28]

I am I need of serious help. Hair Algea is just killing me, and my plants. It has over grown my Anubias and a lot of other plants. I dosing with flourish Excel and Flourish. Once a day with flourish excel and twice a week with flourish. Lights are on for 9 hours a day at 2 WPG. Now I have well water and I have heard that well water is always high in phospates. If that is so what do I do? Please help!!! Ammonia is 0 Nitrites 0 and nitrates 0. I think the 0 Nitrates might be the problem also, but I am not sure.


Well, theirs your problem right there my friend. Phosphates are the number one feeder of hair algae. Have you considered an R/O system?

By the way, any idea what your phosphate readings are?

As for the 0 nitrates, yes that may also be a problem. You should try and keep them at around 5-10 ppm.

[steveywinet]

I have well water and it has no measurable phosphates according to my test kit.

Take this with a grain of salt... Maybe the algae is outcompeting the plants due to a lack of nitrates. The plants run out of a specific nutrient and slow or stop growing leaving the algae to feed on any unconsumed nutrients.

[djlen]

Your hair algae problem is not caused by Phosphates. It's caused by an imbalance of nutrients and light. Without knowing the size of your plant mass and the type of hair algae you are experiencing it's difficult to tell which is the problem for you.
More info. is required for better advice from this end. How long has the tank been set up and why no fish? Have you ID'd the type of algae you are dealing with?
Most important, how heavy is your plant mass? Are we talking 5 plants, 45 plants(a picture would help here if possible), and what types of plants.
With only 2 wpg in a 55, depending on how heavy your fish load will be, you may not even need to fertilize much at all.

Len

[Mooch28]

I have well water and it has no measurable phosphates according to my test kit.

Take this with a grain of salt... Maybe the algae is outcompeting the plants due to a lack of nitrates. The plants run out of a specific nutrient and slow or stop growing leaving the algae to feed on any unconsumed nutrients.

Len is right, if you have no excess phosphates, then you obviously have an imbalance.

[wojo93]

Finding the root cause of the algae outbreak is obviously the best solution. Being a relative newbie, I tried a ton of different combinations of nutrient modifications before I successfully pulled off an algae free tank. In another tank, I opted to initially take care of the symptoms (hair algae) rather than tackle the root cause. One pair of rosy barbs eliminated every noticable trace of algae in the tank (with the exception of stuff on the glass) within 48 hours. And that's a conservative estimate on the time.

The only downside? They have a nasty tendency to uproot my glosso.

Good luck.

[Ryan45]

Your hair algae problem is not caused by Phosphates. It's caused by an imbalance of nutrients and light. Without knowing the size of your plant mass and the type of hair algae you are experiencing it's difficult to tell which is the problem for you.
More info. is required for better advice from this end. How long has the tank been set up and why no fish? Have you ID'd the type of algae you are dealing with?
Most important, how heavy is your plant mass? Are we talking 5 plants, 45 plants(a picture would help here if possible), and what types of plants.
With only 2 wpg in a 55, depending on how heavy your fish load will be, you may not even need to fertilize much at all.

Len
I do have fish, just not listed. I have a decent amount of plants, lets call it 25-30 plants. I have no way of messuring phosphates, but maybe I should I need a couple test kit thats I don't have. Let me know what I should be testing for. Also there is a lot of spot Algea on my anubias and Amazon Sword, but there is more hair Algea than spot Algea. Here are a couple pics, hopefuly you guys can help me out.
:(
http://img229.echo.cx/img229/5184/outbreak35wy.jpg
http://img229.echo.cx/img229/5623/outbreak23yg.jpg
http://img229.echo.cx/img229/4709/outbreak18sg.jpg

[ergo sum]

I would guess the plants are not growing. They need more light (12 hours)and they need more nutrients. If you don't do CO2 you could start adding Florish Excel. The plants need the carbon in some form. When ever algae grows on the plants that is a clue that the plants are not healthy.

[djlen]

OK, that's green water alright:).
The rest looks like a bit of hair algae and some soft glass algae.
Let me know if I'm wrong, but have you ever used root tabs or any in-substrate tab/stick or anything like that?
Based on the information you've supplied so far I don't understand the green water. The Excel wouldn't cause this problem. How much and for how long have you been dosing Flourish?
Sounds like the kind of thing that occurs when someone has uprooted plant tabs and the ingredients get into the water table.
If it's not that, there's something that you haven't thought of that's going on in the tank.
List the fish living in the tank at this time, please.

Len

[Ryan45]

OK, that's green water alright:).
The rest looks like a bit of hair algae and some soft glass algae.
Let me know if I'm wrong, but have you ever used root tabs or any in-substrate tab/stick or anything like that?
Based on the information you've supplied so far I don't understand the green water. The Excel wouldn't cause this problem. How much and for how long have you been dosing Flourish?
Sounds like the kind of thing that occurs when someone has uprooted plant tabs and the ingredients get into the water table.
If it's not that, there's something that you haven't thought of that's going on in the tank.
List the fish living in the tank at this time, please.

Len

Actually the water is clear. The green you are seeing is on the glass on all sides. Like I said lots of Algea and no plant growth anymore. Here is a not so close pic.... Clear water just Algea on the glass, plants, decor. No root tabs, just flourish and flourish excel. I am starting to wondering if I should start testing for Algea growing nutrients like phosphates, ect.
http://img134.echo.cx/img134/1525/outbreak41df.jpg

[djlen]

Very, very light plant mass and I can't imagine any need for extra nutrients under those conditions.
Here's what I'd do: Clean up the algae everywhere you find it, and do a large water change. Keep after it and it will clear up over time. IMO, you really don't need to add any nutrients due to the small amount of plants, and the relatively low light situation. The tank will develop slowly over time and may eventually have a need for more nutrients than the fish will supply, but not at this time as I see it.
Watch the plants and they will tell you if they are hungry by leaf color. The Swords will be good indicators of nutritional need.
It would be a good idea to invest in a PO4 test kit so you can keep an eye on your nitrate/phosphate relationship. That's really all you need since you don't inject CO2.
I would continue the use of the Excel if you can handle the cost of making it effective in a tank of that size. It can only help with your plants growth.

Len