Hair Algae!!!

[SeaWitch]

AARRGGHH!  Okay, so the green water is being kept at bay for the most part, but the hair algae in the 150g is taking over now!  The Barley Extract doesn't seem to help that.  Do you think a UV would help?  If so, what type should I get that can fit on the side (or wherever) of my 150g stock tank and how many watts?

[BruceP]

NO..... a UV wont work.... AND I TOLD YOU SO!!!!!! (the barley crap) wouldnt work... ROFLMLBO!!!!!!!!!  ;)

[SeaWitch]

The "barley crap" has kept my water from turning green, so I guess it has worked.

[Lolafish]

The single most contributing factor to green water for my pond, and I have been through many trial and errors by now, is limiting the amount of natural sunlight that hits the pond.  The more the pond is covered, the less likely to get ANY greenwater (which, mind you, I don't mind at all). 

Now that I have to keep my darned horse from drinking the water in the pond (which I am failing at becuz he's a smart horse!), I have to keep the pond 95% covered.  It is not under a tree, so it gets full afternoon sunlight, which is direct and hot.  When I only had 50% of the pond covered, the greenwater was perfect (not too thick, not too thin, just riiiiiiight)....but now, I can't get my greenwater to come back at all. 

I'm trying to find a happy medium.  I don't want to deprive the fish of sunlight, but I have to make sure my horse doesn't accidentally bite somebody's tail off.  I'm still working on it.....

But as far as hair algae goes, I don't get that in my pond.  Is that something that really annoys you in the pond?  I can see trying to keep it out of the home aquarium, but wondering just how bad it gets in your pond to want you to get rid of it altogether?  What does it do that you have to get it out?

[Lolafish]

I was just looking up previous discussions on hair algae and how to reduce it, and Marlin08 said she has "Chinese Algae Eaters" in her planted tanks.  Can they be outside too?   

[SeaWitch]

IDK, but I don't mind some hair alge, but OMG it is taking over!  It is really long and reaches from the bottom of the pond all the way up to the top.  My fish seem to be having trouble swimming through it.

[BruceP]

IDK, but I don't mind some hair alge, but OMG it is taking over!  It is really long and reaches from the bottom of the pond all the way up to the top.  My fish seem to be having trouble swimming through it.

If it is that serious you probably need to remove the fish and rip it out. Then use sodiium percarbonate on it. You can use the sp with the fish in the pond but it becomes lethal if you overdose. You can order it from chemistrystore.com.
Now, about uv lights. They work because water passes by in close proximity to the uv bulb. They wont work on something that is on the tank wall. It HAS to go thru the light.... that's why they work on 'green algae'.  It's actually single cell algae that the light is working on.

[SeaWitch]

Yeah, Bruce, I told hubby yesterday that I am going to have to take the fish out the next cleaning and scrub the algae from the pond.   Dang!  I thought that once I had it out of so much sun, I wouldn't have as big a problem with algae.  Like I said, I don't mind algae growing on the floor and walls, but not to the point that it endangers my fish.  I got rid of the green water prob, but now I have a new algae prob!

[marlin08]

I was just looking up previous discussions on hair algae and how to reduce it, and Marlin08 said she has "Chinese Algae Eaters" in her planted tanks.  Can they be outside too?   

Mine are Siamese Algae eaters, very, very different from the Chinese Algae eaters that get aggressive and quit eating algae.
I did a lot of research to see what might work and be compatible with goldies and finally found these only on Aquabid.  They are completely compatible with the goldies.
I will also say, I put 2 of my bigger bristlenose plecos in the 150g stock tank and in 2 weeks they ate every shred of algae, hair, string, whatever !! I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing, I just wanted to see if they would take care of the black, thick algae that overtook my nice green algae and they stripped the entire tank in 2 weeks...
The other thing that works is Flourish Excel, I use it on the 55 periodically.

[SeaWitch]

I really didn't want to go the pleco way, as I have never had any and not sure how to take care of them.   Can I use Flourish Excel, even though I have no plants in the 150g?

[BruceP]

MAKE SURE you read the label of any herbicide very carefully before using it where fish reside. Algae Fix, which is the most popular poison is DEADLY on fish. It says 'fish safe' on the front the says its a poison and not fish safe on the back. ALL of those quick fixes are herbicides.  BEWARE! BEWARE!

[SeaWitch]

I will, Bruce.  I never use anything unless one of my fish-loving friends has used it before me and recommends it to me.

[marlin08]

Flourish Excel isn't an herbicide. It raises the CO2 level which the hair algae doesn't like or something like that. I did a lot of research when I had the brush/hair algae taking over my 55 and between the plecos, SAEs and the Flourish Excel, it is all but nonexistent now.
There is nothing special to taking care of the little bushy nose plecos, that I've found, especially in the outside tank where there is alot of algae. They will also eat food that falls down to the bottom. They just like nooks and crannies to hide in during the day, I have a couple of PVC sections plus they can get in the hornwort or under the edge of the Pondmaster intake.
Nickie, is this stuff growing in long strings or short "tufts"?

[SeaWitch]

LLLOOONNNGGGG strings!!!  I scraped some out when I did the wc on Sunday, but it is already come back with a vengance.

[zookey]

Excel Flourish is a fertilizer.... not an herbacide.  Here is  a quote from the manufacturer:

Flourish Excel™ is a source of bioavailable organic carbon. All plants require a source of carbon. This is typically obtained from CO2, but, may also be derived from simple organic compounds (such as photosynthetic intermediates). The use of either CO2 injection or Flourish Excel™ does not necessarily negate the use of the other. Because the processes of producing photosynthetic intermediates and building onto them occur simultaneously, one can derive a substantial benefit with the use of Flourish Excel™ either alone or in conjunction with CO2 . The combination is particularly ideal for situations when continuing to add CO2 could result in dangerously low pH levels. Flourish Excel™ also has iron reducing properties which promote the ferrous state of iron (Fe+2), which is more easily utilized by plants than ferric iron (Fe+3).


My understanding is that algea will "over feed" on these nutrients and it kills it off.  Worth a try, Nickie.  I don't know how much you would have to use and it can be a bit spendy.

[SeaWitch]

Yes, it is worth a try.  Wynn, does the Flourish mess with your params in any way (pH, cycle bumps, etc.)?

[Lolafish]

I was just looking up previous discussions on hair algae and how to reduce it, and Marlin08 said she has "Chinese Algae Eaters" in her planted tanks.  Can they be outside too?   

Mine are Siamese Algae eaters, very, very different from the Chinese Algae eaters that get aggressive and quit eating algae.

I remember.   I was trying to remember which one you said NOT to get before, but was too lazy to look back.  Thank you for clearing that up!

[Lolafish]

they stripped the entire tank in 2 weeks...

You didn't tell them that the GREEN algae was off limits?  Ooops. 

[marlin08]

It doesn't seem to mess with the Params at all.
Yes, I forgot to tell the plecos to leave the green algae but honestly, this nasty black algae had taken over all the green so it worked out!
Nickie, I did Excel specifically for the bushy/hair algae in the 55, I don't think it's the same as the long string algae but it could be. It did help with the bushy algae.
I have some of the string algae hanging from the filter flows in the 55 and the fish slurp it up as soon as it's long enough. I'm surprised your fish aren't eating it!
Or if you want to skip the chems entirely, just get you a bushynose pleco or two, they will take care of it in no time !! 

[SeaWitch]

My fish like the nice, green algae, but they have no interests in this awful hair algae!