# HELP! Hair algae



## Linda Gross

The background-I set up a new aquarium. Put in plants. With the plants came snails (no big deal) and hair algae. I had the worst bloom I've ever seen. Took out what I could(rocks, etc.) and boiled them and scrubed what I could. Ordered Nerite snails, 136 of them. I prayed they truly would be the 'second coming' and save my plants. Snails worked like crazy and after several days I was a true believer; they really did 'change my life'. Didn't last long and now the hair algae is back in full swing, and NOW they are not eating it. My questions are thus: has anyone used API agae fix? Is it really safe for plants, fish and my expensive snail population. Every few days I have to hand pull as much as I can. Thanks, Linda


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## NewFishFiend

Linda Gross said:


> The background-I set up a new aquarium. Put in plants. With the plants came snails (no big deal) and hair algae. I had the worst bloom I've ever seen. Took out what I could(rocks, etc.) and boiled them and scrubed what I could. Ordered Nerite snails, 136 of them. I prayed they truly would be the 'second coming' and save my plants. Snails worked like crazy and after several days I was a true believer; they really did 'change my life'. Didn't last long and now the hair algae is back in full swing, and NOW they are not eating it. My questions are thus: has anyone used API agae fix? Is it really safe for plants, fish and my expensive snail population. Every few days I have to hand pull as much as I can. Thanks, Linda


Algae is the result of your lights and nutrients being out of balance. How long are you running your lights for? What kind of lighting? Tank size? Fish load? Are you fertilizing?

I never ever ever suggest chemicals in a tank. You need to get to the underlying cause. You can pour all the chemicals into your tank that you want, but if you don't fix the problem (light/nutrient balance) you will just get more algae.


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## Linda Gross

*hair algae*

Thank you New Fish Friend for your answer. The lights are Marineland LED plant lights. The blue lights come on at 7am, the white on at 8am. The white go off at 10pm and the blue go off at 12 am. I fertilized with plant tabs from where I got the plants. The guy said to use one every 4 inches once a month. I thought that was way too much and did 1 very 8-10 inches into the substrate. Then I use an iron and elements liquid 1 X week at the lowest recomended dose. The tank is 135 gal. There are 2 adult guppies, 2 adult swordtails and 4 panda cory cats. There are also about 30 or so babies from same. I started with 136 nerite snails. Even discounting those that have died, I still only count 50 or so. I don't know where they are. I try to be carful with the food and feed about every other day, the food is freeze dried and some flake food. Mostly they eat it all while I'm watching. PH is about 8.4 and I am working to bring that down.


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## NewFishFiend

Linda Gross said:


> Thank you New Fish Friend for your answer. The lights are Marineland LED plant lights. The blue lights come on at 7am, the white on at 8am. The white go off at 10pm and the blue go off at 12 am. I fertilized with plant tabs from where I got the plants. The guy said to use one every 4 inches once a month. I thought that was way too much and did 1 very 8-10 inches into the substrate. Then I use an iron and elements liquid 1 X week at the lowest recomended dose. The tank is 135 gal. There are 2 adult guppies, 2 adult swordtails and 4 panda cory cats. There are also about 30 or so babies from same. I started with 136 nerite snails. Even discounting those that have died, I still only count 50 or so. I don't know where they are. I try to be carful with the food and feed about every other day, the food is freeze dried and some flake food. Mostly they eat it all while I'm watching. PH is about 8.4 and I am working to bring that down.


I think your lights are on too long. Try to cut back to 10 hours a day. Everything else sounds okay.


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## Linda Gross

*hair algae*

Hi, New Fish Fiend, Sorry I got your 'name' wrong before. So do you mean 10 hours in total? Is the combo of blue and white lights right? Thanks for your help. Linda


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## NewFishFiend

Linda Gross said:


> Hi, New Fish Fiend, Sorry I got your 'name' wrong before. So do you mean 10 hours in total? Is the combo of blue and white lights right? Thanks for your help. Linda


 I didn't even notice it hahaha. You can just call me Amanda  I would say 10 in total but the schedule sounds just fine just cut it back an hour on each side. Also manually remove what algae you see and do about a 40-50% water change.


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## NewFishFiend

maybe have the blue to come on at 8 and the white at 9, then the white to turn off at 7 and the blue at 8 or 9. Remember fish need about 6-8 hours of darkness just like we do  you can always adjust that to whatever suits your family's needs as long as the white lights are on for no longer than 10 hours and the fish get their period of darkness


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## Linda Gross

*hair algae*

Thanks Amanda, I'll try that. I have been pulling up as much as I can over the past couple of days. It's almost as bad as when it first started and before I got the snails. I need to open a new post about snails! Linda


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## GwenInNM

Totally agree with other poster! I would take your lights WAAYY back. 7-8 hours a day will get rid of that algae and will not effect your plants. Run blue/white no longer than 8 hours in my opinion. Always has worked for me, whether it's freshwater or saltwater. Also, don't overfeed your fish.

Gwen


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## BarbH

Agree with what everyone else has said so far. I would start with reducing the lighting period. One of the things that I have done with my tank is that I do a seiasta period during the middle of the lighting schedule for 4 hours. I work afternoons and this allows me to be able to enjoy viewing my tank before and after work.


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## Tracy Bird

BarbH said:


> One of the things that I have done with my tank is that I do a seiasta period during the middle of the lighting schedule for 4 hours.


+1


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