[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][Index by Month]

Re: [AGA Member] Hair algae



I agree with Roger that hair algae may just be part of the "algae cycle" that new tanks go through, but we also weren't given a whole lot of information about this new tank other than it had alot of light.

In my own experience, hair algae was a result of a nutrient imbalance. Algae eating fish, such as the Ameca splendens and Flagfish that have been suggested, may indeed be able to keep it under control, but chances are if the nutrients in the tank aren't right then plant growth will not be as good as it could be and disappointemnt, as well as other types of algae, will set in.

Hair algae is one of the algaes that is completely wipe-outable by a blackout. Do a major water change/ manual algae removal thing. Turn off CO2 (if present), cover the tank with a thick blanket, and leave it alone for four days. When you take the blanket off, the fish will be fine, the plants will be fine, although a little leggy in some cases, and the hair algae will be gone.

Once it is gone, you need to keep your nutrients in shape. For me, adding KNO3 to keep nitrates around 10 ppm put an end to hair algae once and for all. If only I could say the same for BBA and green dust algae...

-Rachel

_________________________________________________________________
Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee when you click here. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963


------------------
To unsubscribe from this list, please send mail to majordomo@thekrib.com
with "Unsubscribe aga-member" in the body of the message.  Archives of
this list can be found at http://lists.thekrib.com/aga-member/