YAAQ (yet ANOTHER algae question)

[Michael Petro]

Hi All,

I am having a battle with a type of algae in my planted shrimp tank and was wondering if you folks could help me:

• Identify what it is? (Could it be Cladophora)
• Give me some insight as to what excess nutrient is encouraging it.

It consists of very LONG single green filaments, they look slightly smaller in diameter than a human hair, and these single filaments will get as long as a foot or more. They really do look like a long curly human hair. I can grab a hold of one and it just keeps coming and coming. It gets tangled all through the plants, and if I let it, clumps of it will for most anywhere.

I can eradicate it with turkey baster full of diluted Glutaraldehyde (like Excel), but it always comes back after a while as I clearly havent eliminated its stimuli.

Any insight would be appreciated.....

 

Examples:

 

[fishmosy]

Hi Mike,

Its definitely not Clado, which is shorter and brush like. Its most likely hair or string algae. There seems to be a lot of conjecture about what causes this algae. Strangely outbreaks could relate to LOW nitrogen or phosphorus levels in your tank.

Being in the US, you could try some amano shrimp to help control it, but if I were you, I'd be looking to measure nitrates and phosphates to see if the problem lies there.

[Michael Petro]

I know my nitrates are around 10ppm, I need to measure the phosphates.

 

Can you remind me of what the nitrate/phosphate ratio is supposed to be? I seem to remember 15/1 or something like that.

[fishmosy]

I dont think there is supposed to be a specific ratio as different plants seem to utilise slightly different ratios of each. I think its more important that there is at least some phosphate because the plants will not be able to utilise the nitrates without the phosphate, whereas (I'm guessing) the algae can. This may be the cause of your algae issues.

[Michael Petro]

Well, I tested it and I have 0.5ppm phosphate. Not sure what the optimal range is.

[Michael Petro]

Deleted dupe post

Edited May 12, 2015 by Michael Petro

[Michael Petro]

Solution found, leave water parameters alone, obtain Amano shrimp that will eat the stuff.

Added 7 Amanos and within days noticed a decrease in the thready stuff.

[fishmosy]

Awesome - shrimp to the rescue!