Removing Hair Algae

[decoy50]

I have a large piece of driftwood that I'm moving from an established 30 gallon planted aquarium to a newly setup 75 gallon, the problem is it is covered with hair/beard algae and I don't want to introduce that to my new tank. How would you go about sterilizing the driftwood to kill this algae before it goes to the new tank? Soak in a bucket of bleach & water?

 

[Nepherael]

I found a link that suggests a couple things. One says to use bleach water (does not say what percent of dilution) and then clean it and use prime or some other form of dechlorinator afterward. Another says to use peroxide and says its good at killing the algae and might be a bit safer. Your call as it seems both work equally well


http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/algae/158011-how-clean-prep-hair-algae-covered.html

 

[decoy50]

Thanks for the info - I had forgotten about using peroxide. Might try that instead of the bleach. It seems safer to me.

 

[RBoydIV]

Is it BBA or Hair algae ? BBA is much harder to get rid of. Rosy barbs worked great getting rid of hair algae for me. More CO2 is the only way I have been able to get rid of BBA.

 

[decoy50]

Its hair algae. Its my fault, not much water flow in the tank. I bought apple snails & a bn pleco to try and knock it back, but they won't touch it. Haha should have done more research first I guess. Good to know about Rosy barbs.

 

[Nepherael]

Thanks for the info - I had forgotten about using peroxide. Might try that instead of the bleach. It seems safer to me.

Very happy to help. I've been begging help on here for like a week so I'm glad I'm able to start giving back a bit XD

 

[RBoydIV]

Yeah i had a bad break out of it. Had 12 amano shrimp and they would not touch it put two rosy barbs and it was all gone within a week and hasnt been back. But now i have two fat rosy barbs I didnt plan on, ohh well

 

[decoy50]

I had a breakout in a 60 gal, bought a flying fox and he cleaned it right up. Now I have a huge flying fox in a fully planted tank = completely uncatchable fish. I'm trying to avaoid a similiar situation haha