how to control blackhair/beard algae

[LMOUTHBASS]

not sure which one it is but it's black sort of thick and grows on the end of my brazil sword as well as some fake plants-
nothing seems to eat it not ootos, or common pleco, or even my SAE is there anything that will?
i keep mostly crypts in my tank as i have a low light tank - so i don't get it

 

[djlen]

If it's BBA, prune heavily and get rid of the old stuff and the SAE will take care of any new stuff that grows back. They don't eat the old, crusty stuff.
In addition, the best way to fight BBA is with thorough scrubbing and cleaning. You can take out and dip all your plants in a 19:1 bleach bath and while you have it all out, do a thorough(not necessarily deep) gravel vac./water change. Going deep is not as important as covering the entire substrate surface.
BBA is a spore borne 'algae' and getting rid of as many spores as possible helps a lot. Blackouts are useless with this variety.
Make sure, if you use the bleach bath, that you rinse everything well and then dip in another container of fresh water(your hands too) with a double dose of Tap Water Conditioner before re-introducing anything back into the tank.
Inanimate objects(filter tubes, heaters etc.) can be dipped in a more concentrated solution of bleach bath, but it's unnecessary as 19:1 will kill BBA.

Len

 

[Must4ng s4lly]

This is really wild but you know what I do when I have BBA on my fake plants, shells?? I put it in a solution of Water and bleach until it is gone and the rinse really well and let dry for two days and then put it back in the tank! When the shells, fake plants etc are dry, all the chlorine has evaporated. It seems the more BBA on any surface you can get rid of, the future growth is retarded from coming back!