The Puffer Forum

Turning red is destruction of its pigment, an excellent symptom for you if not for the alga.

Me: DIE ALGAE, DIE!!!
Algae: OK...

Pufferpunk 1
Algae 0
Lol

excel acts as an algacide to some extent and will beat hair algae .........good product

I have hair algae as well... is the Excel stuff ok in the tank with a puffer? just want to treble check!

I'm using it with 2, $300 show goldfish. Almost no hair algae now.

Excel is puffer-safe IME, but that is only FW puffers in planted FW tanks and I did not use high dosage.

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.

Did you read this thread???

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

Sechem's Excel worked wonders for me. Didn't bother my snails. Not sure why you'd think a fertilizer would hurt your inverts?

Pufferpunk 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?

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 prime

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.

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.

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.
Thanks RTR

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.