hair algae problem

Jayson

I have a customer that has a 90 gallon tank. It has regular gravel mixed with Florite(approx 2 inch bed), 2 hagen 201 powerheads,1 fluval 404 and a small wet dry filter with approx 1.5 gallon of bioballs.the return pump is weak it maybe flows 300 gallons. He has a UV sterilizer that has an old bulb(1.5 years) 2 54 watt high output T5 lights(full spectrum) Co2 injection system tied to a Ph controller.no rock work no driftwood. 3 small amazon sword plant, 1 small Java fern and 1 small wenditti. the tank has been up and running for a couple of years with a major teardown 1 year ago to rid of the hair algae. the fish load consists of 1 pleco, 2 algae eaters a couple of guaramies,1 clown loach couple of mollies, couple of platties and approx 20 tetras. The hair algae is approx 2 feet in length and will grow to that size in 2 weeks. it is removed every 2 weeks and keeps coming back. The tank is feed with R.O water. Can anybody offer any suggestions and solutions for this problem. phosphate.09 nitrate 10 dGH 27 KH 3.5 Thanks

Jay

Hi Jayson..
Hi and Welcome to the Forum!!

If it were my customer, I would advise the following...

He was lucky to go as long as he did without a major algae issue.

Your customer has a low light tank @ 1.2 watts per gallon, 1.5 -2 is the minimum of where you need to be with plants.

Because it is a low light tank with only a few plants CO2 is not necessary or needed and will actually contribute to algae problems. Discontinue the CO2.

The hair algae are loving him with those two conditions.

The Fix:

Clear out the algae once again by hand, and then black out the tank for three days. Use black plastic garbage bags, NO LIGHT, NO PEEKING, for 72 hours. The fish and plants will be fine

When the tank is unveiled do a 50% water change. All algae should be gone!

You might advise your customer to get some Seachem "Excel" and Seachem
"Purigen" for the filter. Start using those two products after the blackout and water change.

If I understand correctly, RO water is the source for water changes, then he should also be re-establishing mineral balance with a product like Seachem Equlibrium.

PM me for more uses for the "Excel"

Hope this will help

Regards,
Jay

RedBaron

Good day to all!!!

I recently found this forum and have done a little searching around, great information. We recently moved and I have had a hard time re-establishing my plants due to hair algae. I am going to try the blackout, do daily feedings need to continue or just put the black plastic over the top, leave the filter running, and call it good? Also, will the plastic cause oxygen levels to drop?

Jay

Hi Red ! Welcome to the forums

Because it makes a slight difference in the procedure, how many plants, types, and do you follow a nutrient dosing routine?

Are you CO2 injected? Do you use Seachem Excel?

Feeding - The fish will be fine for 72 hours without food

Filter - yes leave it running.

O2 - Not really a problem for 72 hours, you are not sealing the top with plastic wrap. Wrap loosely but NO LIGHT, NO PEEKING, for 72 hours.

a 50% water change prior to the blackout and immediately after is important.

Regards,
Jay

RedBaron

I did have a yeast reactor, however, until the algae is settled, I am not currently running it. Again, the dosing is on hold until the algae is under control.

I will give the blackout a shot this weekend, after a 50% water change, and see what happens. If nothing else, it will cause me to pick out some more plants and redecorate to a different design

RedBaron

The blackout seemed to work wonders. Did a 25% change last night and vacuumed up a large amount of schtuff. Will do another 25% change on Sunday and that will be the regular weekly change day. After cleaning up most of my hair algae, I noticed that I have several young plants that have rooted and my take off and provide some more benefit to the tank.

Uncovered the test kit, everything either went dry or spilled out during the move . Well more money into the tank, SWMBO is going to love this one, for another testing kit for parameters.

I will need to take some pictures to post along with parameters in a few days.

Question, would a regular blackout process help, hinder, or do nothing for a tank, say every 6 months?

Just a quick suggestion for all, after a water change, give it to your houseplants.