need advice: brown hair algae on java moss

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tankerman

Registered Member
Nov 1, 2007
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Hi everyone,

This is my first post... I have a new 29-gallon planted tank that's been up and running for 3 weeks now. It's not my first fish tank but it is my first planted and I need some advice...

A week and a half ago I got some java moss and tied it down to driftwood. Since then, the moss has been dying and decomposing. This past weekend I got some Seachem Flourish and started dosing the tank (I also have a CO2 system and ample lighting (95 W)). Some of the moss is attaching to the wood and starting to come back, but a lot of it is rotting and I'm concerned about the brown hair algae growth next to the moss.

I'm wondering whether I should remove the moss (and algae) altogether and try again when my tank is more established or keep going to see if the moss will come back?... or something in between? I don't have any algae eaters currently. Perhaps that would help? The current tank roster is 6 panda corys, 4 julie corys, 1 german ram with various plants and driftwood.

Thanks!
paul

:help:

 

zzyzx85

the casual hobbyist
Dec 3, 2007
1,008
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36
OC, CA
I'd like some help on this too. I too have java moss on a piece of driftwood. I have been dosing Seachem Flourish and Flourish Nitrogen and i recently started up the CO2 generator. The java moss is starting to grow again but I also have algae growing throughout the moss. The filaments grow out to about an inch long and in clumps. It almost looks nice but I'm sure it's taking away nutrients from my plants.

Light is on for 12 hours.

btw, what's that hornwort-looking plant? It's in the first photo, behind the flash glare.

DSC_0599.JPG DSC_0600.JPG DSC_0601.JPG
 

j_chicago

Usually Drunk
May 12, 2007
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Chicago, Il
Real Name
Jason
algae usually means that you have to many nutrients in the tank, the plants will usually beat the algae to it though.
But I think some algae have too many varaibles....some say feeding too much, phosphates, lights, etc...others say not enough lights, CO2...etc..
I tried, cutting down photoperiods, upping them, i've tried Phosphlock, excel, CO2, etc...

none of them worked...
Hydrogen Peroxide did, but that was an extreme measure, but effective, the moss might be a little to frail for it though....
 

daayda3

AC Members
Sep 21, 2006
1,751
1
36
when that happened to my java moss, i took it (the algae) out and put it under 5wpg... now its really green and bushy (the algae)
i think i have a pic somewhere...
 

zzyzx85

the casual hobbyist
Dec 3, 2007
1,008
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36
OC, CA
when that happened to my java moss, i took it (the algae) out and put it under 5wpg... now its really green and bushy (the algae)
i think i have a pic somewhere...
hahaha...It does look rather nice in a way but it's not what I want. I want my plants to be nice and green, not the algae.

So I guess I should cut shorten the lighting period or interupt/reschedule them? Should I also cut back on the fertilizers?
 

jmhart

Revolutionary
Sep 8, 2007
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Atlanta,GA
I feel pretty confident in saying it is due to either too much light or not enough CO2. Java Moss is pretty hardy, and algae would definitely take hold under these conditions.

Java Moss will grow in low light with no CO2, but if you starting upping the light, you need to up the CO2 in order to prevent algae growth.
 

jmhart

Revolutionary
Sep 8, 2007
2,746
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36
Atlanta,GA
So I should cut back on the lighting. How much would be sufficient? It is currently set at 12 hours. I also have java ferns, which is also a low-light plant.

I would definitely cut back the photoperiod. Cut back drastically, go down to 8 hours a day. If the algae disappears, then do 9 hours, then 10. I wouldn't do more than 10. If it doesn't disappear, go down further, 6 hours a day.

The other option is to add more CO2
 
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