# Algae on Cyperus



## Dan Crawford (31 Jul 2009)

Hi folks, i have algae on my Cyperus helferi, it's hair algae. The plant is in direct flow, constantly, all the usuals are ok and i'm dosing the full ADA range. I've just cut the plant off at the substrate and presumed it was lack of maintenance on my part. After a quick chat with Tonser on the phone, it appears that he's having the same issue and we all know that he isn't one for lack of maintenance!
I just wondered if anyone else's Cyperus has suffered from this in the past?


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## Tony Swinney (31 Jul 2009)

Dan Crawford said:
			
		

> we all know that he isn't one for lack of maintenance!



Haha - funny you should say that - I've spent the last hour since our chat uprooting all the cyperus, and removing all the old leaves, which were the ones that were getting the algae   All clean and replanted now   

The problem was / is exactly the same. Hair algae, plus some small green tufts of algae on the top 7 or 8 cms of the cyperus helferi, just under the water level, and right in the flow from the lily pipe.  Dosing ADA step1 and Brighty K, plus excel daily.

Could it be that the flow is too good there ?

Tony


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## amy4342 (31 Jul 2009)

Funnily enough, I've been considering chucking my Helferi and replacing it because of the amount of hair algae on it! Mine is in enough flow to make it sway gently - it's in front of the intake and also in front of the end of the spray bar. I dose EI and all other plants are ok.


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## Mark Evans (31 Jul 2009)

my helferi in "miracle mire" was faultless. but them i was dosing EI and the  ADA range is lean. I had to take it out of my big MA tank, due to lower light co2 and fert levels...it just didn't like it.

only the old growth gets algae, anything new should be clean IME. i may be completely wrong though


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## Mark Evans (31 Jul 2009)

amy4342 said:
			
		

> I dose EI and all other plants are ok.



 there you go...i'm wrong. i'll just sit in the corner again  :silent:


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## TDI-line (31 Jul 2009)

saintly said:
			
		

> amy4342 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is there a UKAPS naughty corner.


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## Steve Smith (31 Jul 2009)

My Cyperus tends to get coated in a brown diatom like algae.  Not got hair algae on it, though I have it in other places.  I need to trim off a lot of the old leaves.  I'm dosing EI and excessive CO2! (No livestock yet).


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## Mark Evans (31 Jul 2009)

TDI-line said:
			
		

> Is there a UKAPS naughty corner.



    ...i'm off top the naughty step


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## John Starkey (31 Jul 2009)

Hi All,
i have aways had an issue with c,helfri in my tank with the top of the leaves going brown (not hair algae) so as a trial for  the last two weeks i have have upped my co2 to 6bps,and have my extra tubes on for an extra 30 mins,and i am just starting to see that the leaves are looking better,but its early days so i will get back to you,i will also add this plant grew best when i used to run all four tubes for eight hrs a day,

regards john.


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## Dave Spencer (31 Jul 2009)

I have been growing some C. helferi for the first time in my 60cm for the last two months, without any problems. The tank still has sky high CO2 for growing in all the plants, so this may be a factor.

Dave.


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## amy4342 (31 Jul 2009)

> i will also add this plant grew best when i used to run all four tubes for eight hrs a day



Hmmmm. My Co2 is always yellow/pale green, so I personally wouldn't put it down to Co2 in my tank. But, alfter reading John's post, I realised that my lighting isn't that strong - 1.9wpg, and it's 18" tall also. My photoperiod is 12hours, but I wonder if the lack of intensity could be a factor?


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## ceg4048 (1 Aug 2009)

Hair algae is ALWAYS due to poor CO2. It doesn't matter what plant is affected. CO2 is poor for THAt plant under THOSE conditions. If you think your CO2 is good and if you have Hair algae then you need to stop thinking that your CO2 is good for that lighting level....

Cheers,


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## aaronnorth (1 Aug 2009)

mine is fine, except a few plants which are next to the powerhead where the tips have gone brown, although they may be damaged


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## mattyc (6 Aug 2009)

I had this and spot doased excell on the effected area and is all gone now!! it says that excell will remove hair algae on the bottle!!

Matt


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