Choking out hair algae

[FLNGroovy1]

I set up a 29g planted aquarium about 9 months ago (55W AG lighting system). Everything was going great until I was hit w/ a major hair algae outbreak. Recently when doing a partial water change, removed as much of the stuff as humanly possible. My question is this: Has anyone had any luck choking out algae (hair algae in particular) by planting more plants?

After removing lots of the algae I planted 5 large amazon swords (I had 1 already, plus 2 java ferns, a red ludwigia, a water onion, and some large grass-like plant). Anyhow, one week later, the algae definitely seems to be growing much slower than it was before. I plan on getting a couple more swords and maybe a couple more java ferns (I love the leafy plants). Anybody think this strategy will work for controlling hair algae outbreaks?

 

[Seaman]

What worked for me was to use less and less fertilizer and turn my lights off an hour earlier and dip the plants in a bleach/water mix (cant remember how much though) and i started some of it growing in my sump and it hasnt showed back up in over 3 months....so that worked good for me!!

 

[plantbrain]

If you focus on the plant's needs and health, you will not have algae in the long term.

Good plant growth = poor algae growth.

Add CO2?
Add KNO3?
Etc?

You can remove the algae but until you address the plant's needs, then removing it will grow more algae later. If you grow the plants, then once you remove it an dpick on it, it will not grow and eventually will go away.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[djlen]

I agree totally with Tom's post, with an addendum.
I believe the ratio of plant mass AND type of plants should also be one's focus with regard to nutrient dosage. Back to the old word.......Balance.
Recently, I heavily pruned out a 55 leaving what still appeared to be a heavily planted tank. The problem was that most of what was left in the tank was large stands of Anubia and Cryptocoryne.
These are beautiful plants, but not known as large nutrient eaters.
It only took one week to start seeing the appearance of algae.
I started pruning(lightly) my other tanks of Rotala, Ludwegia, and a type of narrow leaf Amazon Sword that I mistakenly bought as E. Tenellus years ago and started stuffing the affected 55 with them as well as Egeria(which I despise......looks like it should only be put into a goldfish bowl) which I bought at the LFS, to suck up the excess nutrients.
This tank is and has been at 30 - 40ppm CO2 for close to a year without variance. All nutrients were within spec. My error was not scaling down the dosages to match the plant mass and uptake of the plants involved.
The bottom line is that I believe you are doing the right thing by adding the extra plants. Don't know if wide leaf Amazons are the right choice(they can out grow a 55 in a hurry), but they will help with nutrient uptake.
This is the 'fun' and challenge of the planted tank. I'm busy finding the 'new' balance for my 55. I'm sure you will find yours.

Len