# Bloody hair algae again!



## RudeDogg1 (6 Jul 2012)

Its really starting to annoy me i think its BBA a very very dark greeny blue colour I seems to take hold on my big amazon sword thats in the line of fire from my filter and has started on the back of the tank. It seems to come I zap it with excell it goes for a month or 2 then its back again. this time i think it started to take hold again because atomiser had stopped work but thats now fine.

My water stats are:

PH: 6.8 - 6.4.
Temp: 28.
KH: 3-4
GH: 4-5
Phosphates: 0.25 - 0
FE: o.25.
Nitrate: 10 - 15ppm (I think i find it really hard to read the chart).
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0

I dose PPS PRO 5ml a day on my 248 litre, T8 lighting with reflectors on 8 hours a day and CO2 injection, Drop checker is lime green.

Rudi


----------



## Westyggx (6 Jul 2012)

Is it hAir algae or bba algae?


----------



## RudeDogg1 (7 Jul 2012)

Is t it the same thing just a different colour?


----------



## Westyggx (7 Jul 2012)

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm


----------



## RudeDogg1 (7 Jul 2012)

Well that clears it up it's def hair algae


----------



## RudeDogg1 (7 Jul 2012)

Anyone?


----------



## Iain Sutherland (7 Jul 2012)

hair algae is caused by poor co2 levels or fluctuations.  It is quite common for it to appear in the line of fire so to speak.  Dont know if its the case here but co2 can pass too quickly over plants so they cant use it.  Would suggest lowering light duration and/or intensity, increasing co2 and daily liquid carbon dosing, extra WC's, check flow and manual removal with a toothbrush.  
The fact that you say it comes back after you nuke it shows that the original cause has not been dealt with.
Personally the moment i see algae i knock an hour off the lights and raise them by 5cm until it has been dealt with using the above then slowly bring the lights back.

Are all the usuals in order? filter maintenance, pipes clean,  DC lime at lights on, no dead spots in flow etc...


----------



## RudeDogg1 (7 Jul 2012)

Yeah all seems fine and it's a discus tank so gets a waterchange twice a week. I did wander if removing the reflectors will help. I think the fact the atomiser had stopped working didn't help. Am I dosing enough ferts? I don't add potassium nitrate to the mix cuz my nitrate stays about the same


----------



## Ady34 (7 Jul 2012)

Hi noticed you do 2x water changes a week. When do you do your water changes in relation to c02 injection? This can have a dramatic effect at reducing c02 and therefore acts like fluctuations and the effect will be exaggerated by your 2 x weekly water changes... obviously only an issue if carrying out your water changes during the photoperiod/c02 injection period. Just a thought especially given its a recurring problem.
Cheerio,


----------



## REDSTEVEO (7 Jul 2012)

Ady,

You mentioned that the sword is in the line of fire from your filter. I read something about algae building up on the surface of things wherever there is direct water movement or flow over the surface. Thats why some people get algae growing in one particular spot on the glass if it is in direct line with the flow from the outlet pipe. You might want to see if you can redirect the water flow in another direction away from the sword plant.

Cheers,

Steve


----------



## plantbrain (7 Jul 2012)

Ady34 said:
			
		

> Hi noticed you do 2x water changes a week. When do you do your water changes in relation to c02 injection? This can have a dramatic effect at reducing c02 and therefore acts like fluctuations and the effect will be exaggerated by your 2 x weekly water changes... obviously only an issue if carrying out your water changes during the photoperiod/c02 injection period. Just a thought especially given its a recurring problem.
> Cheerio,



I do 2x a week water changes, this helps, and does not harm the plants FYI.

Exposure to air super saturates the leaves and fills the air spaces in the stems so the plant has plenty after the water change.

Light adjustment, CO2 adjustment and H2O2 seems to be the best cure of the long single strand stuff.
Some reduced their light photoperiod down to about 4-6 hours for a week, then 8-9 later, some did a blackout for 1-2 days and trimmed before and removed as much as they could, hit it with H2O2(10mls per 10 Gal of tank volume).

Good CO2 will help against infection.

Likes similar conditions as plants, but the light seems the best solution.
After no signs of it say 2-4 weeks, then you go back to the normal routine.
Dosing lean vs rich makes no difference with any green algae.


----------



## Ady34 (7 Jul 2012)

Yeah i see your point Tom, hair algae seems more related to poor c02, so reducing lighting and increasing c02 are the logical solutions....as always   
I was only trying to look at the information provided to offer a possible reason for the recurrent issue, and if c02 is the issue, could it not be that water changes during photoperiod can have a negative effect on c02 concentration which triggers the algae (bearing in mind that the op doesnt state when or how large their water changes are or where his plants are in relation to water level so we dont know that the plants are subjected to air exposure to super saturate). 2X T8 lighting even with reflectors wont be classed as high light, and 8 hr photoperiod isnt too long so was looking at other reasons for poor c02 given the recurrent problem. I suppose distribution is another factor we dont know about in this instance, that and the fact that even though the op suggests a lime green drop checker, they are notoriously inaccurate and slow to react so can give false readings for example still remaining lime green after water change.
Also i wasnt suggesting the plants were suffering, just that the algae was thriving, the op hasnt said if his plants are failing/thriving, or is it always the case that if theres algae there is an imbalance somewhere and the plants wont be thriving? I only ask as you say that this type of algae likes the same type of conditions as plants so seems to suggest you can have healthy plants and still suffer hair algae? 
Out of interest, do you carry out your water changes during the photo/c02 injecion period? 
Hope this doesnt sound like im questioning your judgement as i am aware of your experience and successes, i just want to learn more. I suppose in any case the solution is still the same...to manage light and c02 in whatever guise 
Cheerio,
Ady.


----------



## RudeDogg1 (8 Jul 2012)

To answer your question I change about 55l twice a week. The plants seem to be doing well some being huge. I'll try and get a pic of the infection when the lights come on. What's h202 and would that harm the discus?

Rudi


----------

