Hair algae HELP!!!!

[dundadundun]

hair/thread algae causes:

• in general

A range of causes including low CO2, low nutrient levels and ammonia spikes. Nothing to do with excess iron as commonly thought.

• oedegonium

Low CO2. Low nutrients.

• rhizoclonium

Low CO2 and poor water flow. Low nutrient levels. General lack of maintenance.

• spirogyra

Often appears a couple of weeks after a disturbance that causes a spike in ammonia. This can be anything from a disturbance of the substrate to a dead fish gone unnoticed. Likes high light levels and high nutrient levels.

• staghorn

Low CO2 and/or poor water circulation. A tank with overfed fish and accumulated mulm. Dirty filter. Also disturbing dirty substrates without doing water change afterwards.

everything above quoted from... theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm


with more light you need;

• more co2
• more ferts
• fater growing plants to use for shading slower growers
• possibly a better maintenance schedule

to survive and thrive plants need;

• light (check)
• co2
• nitrates
• phosphates
• potassium
• micros
• iron

looking at this analysis... http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Flourish.html ... flourish has very little in the way of nitrates and phosphates. it COULD be the only thing a person needs in a low light tank... but not sufficient for a med-high light tank. the volumes on the macros are lower (with the exception of potash) are lower than the volumes in most of the micros.

the reason they're called micro and macro is because you need very little micros and a good handful of macros. macro = lots... micro = teeny bit... but the bottle has things backwards which is perfect for an overfed, over stocked, under lit tank... since you'll get nitrates and phosphates from food... but not enough for "high light".

THE BOTTOM LINE: plants need food. ferts are food. all the ferts create a well rounded diet and healthy plants. to never have algae what you need is healthy plants. plants thrive - algae dies. take away their food... plants die faster... algae gets worse.

hopefully my cliffs notes help clear things up for you.

 

[MacMyers]

A little :OT:


I have Hair Algae growing in my Fluval Edge tank. It's got some Java Moss and a couple of junky plants, mostly free floating. 4 Neon Tetras and a bunch of Cherry Shrimp. I love the stuff. It makes an excellent hiding place for shrimplets! :screwy: