"cabaloz" wrote in message
...
I've been fighting a losing battle with hair/beard on my plants and black
brush algae on a piece of driftwood.
Tank is 130 litres, my nitrates are always within 5-10 mg/l, tested every
2-3 days, regular (every 7 days) 25% water changes, thorough and deep
vacuuming of the substrate and reasonably well planted with crypts,
swords, ludwegia, bacopa, elodea, java fern and dwarf anubia.
Filters are a 1000 l/hr canister filter and a 700 l/hr internal.
Lighting is a 30watt bio-lux and a 20watt bio-lux on for a timer 12 hours
per day
I was using DIY CO2, but have disconnected it as it only seems to
encourage the algae.
I have been reading about treating the plants using a 5% bleach solution
and realise the trauma this must cause the plant, but I am desperate.
The only thing I haven't been able to find on the subject is whether the
dead algae falls off or whether it persists on the leaves and needs
removal.
Does anyone have any views?

Thanks!
Well, I will take a stab at your problem. I'm not an expert, this just
comes from my own experience. First of all you have about a 35 gallon tank
correct? The lighting seems a little low for the CO2. Not too sure of all
the plants you have but I would go with pressurized CO2 and lots of fast
growing plants with 2.5 to 3.0 watts of light per gallon. I have found for
my set up about 10 hrs. a day is good. What ferts are you using? Amounts
may need to be adjusted for optimum growth. Basically what is required is
patience, tinkering to get everything right, then the algae will go away.
But be carefull it will return when things get out of whack, then it's a
matter of figuering what is out of whack. I don't think you ever really get
rid of algae, you just keep it under control. Hope this helps some and good
luck.
--
Paul O.