Hair Algae
-
RTR
- Mentor
- Posts: 6155
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): East Coast, USA
Re: Hair Algae
Turning red is destruction of its pigment, an excellent symptom for you if not for the alga.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32975
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Hair Algae
Me: DIE ALGAE, DIE!!! 
Algae: OK...
Algae: OK...
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
bertie 83
- Moderator
- Posts: 5298
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: Hair Algae
Pufferpunk 1
Algae 0
Lol
Algae 0
Lol
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
-
Puffer King
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 378
- Joined: Sat Jul 23, 2011 5:38 am
- My Puffers: Colomesus asellus
Lilly the Fahaka
Dwarf Puffers
Figure 8
Have kept in past,
Spotted congos
Red eye red tailed puffer - Location (country): Bristol , UK
Re: Hair Algae
excel acts as an algacide to some extent and will beat hair algae .........good product
'Rare do Tom agree in the rated room with the retard moo ! '
Free Elf Girl Pun 2012
Free Elf Girl Pun 2012
-
diverchic
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 294
- Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2009 3:50 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Parent to:
No puffers since moving to work on a boat but looking to get some again now I am back on land. - Location (country): London, UK
Re: Hair Algae
I have hair algae as well... is the Excel stuff ok in the tank with a puffer? just want to treble check!
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32975
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Hair Algae
I'm using it with 2, $300 show goldfish. Almost no hair algae now.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
RTR
- Mentor
- Posts: 6155
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): East Coast, USA
Re: Hair Algae
Excel is puffer-safe IME, but that is only FW puffers in planted FW tanks and I did not use high dosage.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
-
Donna_G
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:00 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 Dwarf puffers
- Location (country): Bridgend,South Wales,UK
Re: Hair Algae
Arrrrgh!!!! My dp tank has got hair algae, and it's spread really quick( been away since Tuesday). How do I get rid of it? Why did my tank get it? 
its a heavily planted tank so don't really want to remove the plants, plus I don't think my puffers would be happy without them lol. Are any treatments safe for puffers, otos and amano shrimp?
Just in case it helps my water readings are PH-7.6, Ammonia-0, Nitrite-0 and Nitrate-between 0 and 5ppm, my tap water readings are about the same.
its a heavily planted tank so don't really want to remove the plants, plus I don't think my puffers would be happy without them lol. Are any treatments safe for puffers, otos and amano shrimp?Just in case it helps my water readings are PH-7.6, Ammonia-0, Nitrite-0 and Nitrate-between 0 and 5ppm, my tap water readings are about the same.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32975
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Hair Algae
Did you read this thread???
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
Donna_G
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:00 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 Dwarf puffers
- Location (country): Bridgend,South Wales,UK
Re: Hair Algae
Yes I did, which is why I posted. My tank isn't a new set up, my oldest puffers have been in there for over 18 mths. The filter has been running in there for over 2 yrs. I have tried to remove some by hand but the water wisteria is getting damaged. I can't really take the plants out for treatment, as there would be no cover left for my puffers. Excel is safe for puffers but will my otos and shrimp be safe while I'm using it. And I was also asking why my tank would get hair algae now, my water readings are nearly 0 on all. So what nutrients would set it off and be feeding it? My lights are rubbish which is why I stick to easy grow plants. It is something I would like to be rid of and be able to keep away.
I thought as this topic was already open, I would ask those with experience to help me understand what has changed for the algae to appear and the best and hopefully a easy-ish way to get rid of it.
I have kept fish for a few years now but still class myself as a beginner. I am sorry if my post seemed pointless, to me it wasn't. I just wanted some help and advise.
Sorry
I thought as this topic was already open, I would ask those with experience to help me understand what has changed for the algae to appear and the best and hopefully a easy-ish way to get rid of it.
I have kept fish for a few years now but still class myself as a beginner. I am sorry if my post seemed pointless, to me it wasn't. I just wanted some help and advise.
Sorry
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32975
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: Hair Algae
Sechem's Excel worked wonders for me. Didn't bother my snails. Not sure why you'd think a fertilizer would hurt your inverts?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
Donna_G
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:00 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 Dwarf puffers
- Location (country): Bridgend,South Wales,UK
Re: Hair Algae
Because I googled excel and it bought up about Microsoft, so I didn't know what you were all talking about. Now I've googled seachem's excel, it bought it up straight away. Same company that makes primePufferpunk wrote:Sechem's Excel worked wonders for me. Didn't bother my snails. Not sure why you'd think a fertilizer would hurt your inverts?
-
RTR
- Mentor
- Posts: 6155
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): East Coast, USA
Re: Hair Algae
Your nitrate is insufficient, your plants are nitrogen-starved. Unplanted tanks can have very low nitrate with no ill effects, and it is the best water conditions for the fish. Plant tank need to never go nitrate-free (really undetectable). Are you supplementing any other nutrients? Under strong lighting, if the vascualr plants run out of nutrients, algae will tanke advantage. I keep all my planted tanks at 5-15ppm nitrate at all times, and do supplement Seachem's Excel routinely.
Google "Seachem's Flourish Excel" for more info. I do use several of their nutrient supplements as well. Their need or not will depend on your own water supply.
Google "Seachem's Flourish Excel" for more info. I do use several of their nutrient supplements as well. Their need or not will depend on your own water supply.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
-
Donna_G
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 139
- Joined: Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:00 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: 2 Dwarf puffers
- Location (country): Bridgend,South Wales,UK
Re: Hair Algae
Oh dear, I naively thought that because I had kept to low tech plants, I could just pop them in and away I go lol. I have ordered the excel from Amazon so hopefully things will get back to a good balance.RTR wrote:Your nitrate is insufficient, your plants are nitrogen-starved. Unplanted tanks can have very low nitrate with no ill effects, and it is the best water conditions for the fish. Plant tank need to never go nitrate-free (really undetectable). Are you supplementing any other nutrients? Under strong lighting, if the vascualr plants run out of nutrients, algae will tanke advantage. I keep all my planted tanks at 5-15ppm nitrate at all times, and do supplement Seachem's Excel routinely.
Google "Seachem's Flourish Excel" for more info. I do use several of their nutrient supplements as well. Their need or not will depend on your own water supply.
Thanks RTR
-
RTR
- Mentor
- Posts: 6155
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): East Coast, USA
Re: Hair Algae
Vascular plants are more demanding than algae, unfortunately. But it is possible to run low tech with minimal effort, it just takes more care than an unplanted tank, and the right selection of plants for your water and tank conditions. Once you know what grows well for you, it gets a lot easier. But low nitrate (normally desirable) is an invitation to algae at and below about 5ppm for me.
Where's the fish? - Neptune