On Sun, 19 Sep 2004 06:33:16 GMT, "cabaloz"
wrote:

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!

I got back into the fishy life about 2 years ago by buying a 75 gallon
tank, a few plants and 6 starter fish. All went well and I bought
more fish and plants. About 6 months later I noticed black strings
growing from plants, ornaments, even gravel. I tried lots of
remedies, but finally decided I had the wrong plants for my low light
situation. I ordered a package of mixed low light plants. I pulled
out all plants with hair growth. Removed all gravel with hair,
cleaned the ornaments with bleach and put in the new low light plants.
I also added 6 Siamese Algae Eaters. The combination worked. It is
over a year since the Hair problem. My tank is has the bottom covered
with plant growth, not algae.

dick