I really need to get rid of some hair algae growing on the driftwood and
plants. Right now I'm controlling it by removing infected leaves, scrubbing
driftwood etc. I have a 15 gallon aquarium, do weekly 25 percent water
changes, 0 phospates, 0 nitrates, adding only iron and trace elements to the
water, only a couple measely plants--I've just added C02 a few days ago and
I will be adding tons more plants. Will the addition of more plants severely
out-compete the algae? I have 2 corys, 3 otos, and a beta fish. My tank is
too small for SAEs, I don't really like shrimp or snails, florida flag fish
can take chunks outa my plants, ameca splendens (butterfly goodieds) get to
big for the tank and might bully the beta...

please help?

Thanx!!
Dave.

you need to get the plants growing in balance with the light and nutrients
you have. what is your light level?

zero for nitrates and phosphates if accurate (and a lot of test kits aren't)
is a prescription for growth for lower life forms aka algae. if you want to
grow higher life forms then make the conditions right for them and they will
crowd out the algae.

shrimp are cool!

jtm

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"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message
news I really need to get rid of some hair algae growing on the driftwood and
plants. Right now I'm controlling it by removing infected leaves, scrubbing
driftwood etc. I have a 15 gallon aquarium, do weekly 25 percent water
changes, 0 phospates, 0 nitrates, adding only iron and trace elements to the
water, only a couple measely plants--I've just added C02 a few days ago and
I will be adding tons more plants. Will the addition of more plants severely
out-compete the algae? I have 2 corys, 3 otos, and a beta fish. My tank is
too small for SAEs, I don't really like shrimp or snails, florida flag fish
can take chunks outa my plants, ameca splendens (butterfly goodieds) get to
big for the tank and might bully the beta...

please help?

Thanx!!
Dave.

Get some baby SAEs; had a similar problem, but now the hair algae is well
controlled, to the extent that the SAE also gets normal food.

"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message
news
out-compete the algae? I have 2 corys, 3 otos, and a beta fish. My tank is
too small for SAEs, I don't really like shrimp or snails, florida flag
fish
can take chunks outa my plants, ameca splendens (butterfly goodieds) get
to
big for the tank and might bully the beta...

"Dave M. Picklyk" empowered us with this mighty blow
against the Patriarchy:

I really need to get rid of some hair algae growing on the driftwood
and plants. Right now I'm controlling it by removing infected leaves,
scrubbing driftwood etc. I have a 15 gallon aquarium, do weekly 25
percent water changes, 0 phospates, 0 nitrates, adding only iron and
trace elements to the water, only a couple measely plants--I've just
added C02 a few days ago and I will be adding tons more plants. Will
the addition of more plants severely out-compete the algae? I have 2
corys, 3 otos, and a beta fish. My tank is too small for SAEs, I don't
really like shrimp or snails, florida flag fish can take chunks outa
my plants, ameca splendens (butterfly goodieds) get to big for the
tank and might bully the beta...

I have a Florida flag fish (or whatever people want to call it -
Jordanella floridae!) and it has never taken a bite out of my plants. It
ate all my thread algae, though I've never seen it eat hair algae.

I have a female J.floridae in my 29 gallon tank, and she doesn't bother any
of the other fish at all. More than one and they can get aggressive ...
and I believe I've heard reports that single male J.floridaes can be
aggressive on their own, though I can't confirm this.

"Dave M. Picklyk" empowered us with this mighty blow
against the Patriarchy:

Really? Cool. Would just one flag fish be fine for a 15 gallon? I'm
going to be adding about 10-15 cardinals in there next month. They
wouldn't hassle any of the fish at all??

Thanx

"redled" wrote in message
a...
In article , "Dave M.
Picklyk" wrote:
I really need to get rid of some hair algae growing on the driftwood
and plants. Right now I'm controlling it by removing infected
leaves,
scrubbing
driftwood etc. I have a 15 gallon aquarium, do weekly 25 percent
water changes, 0 phospates, 0 nitrates, adding only iron and trace
elements to
the
water, only a couple measely plants--I've just added C02 a few days
ago
and
I will be adding tons more plants. Will the addition of more plants
severely
out-compete the algae? I have 2 corys, 3 otos, and a beta fish. My
tank
is
too small for SAEs, I don't really like shrimp or snails, florida
flag
fish
can take chunks outa my plants, ameca splendens (butterfly goodieds)
get
to
big for the tank and might bully the beta...

please help?

Thanx!!
Dave.



My florida flag fish seem to ignore plants and eat hair algae. If
you
keep
them well fed I think they should be OK. I have two in a ten gallon
and
they
don't seem to impact the plants.

__
"Insert witty comment here."
-John

I think one flag fish would be fine. Please double check, but I don't
think they need "friends" to be happy, like many fish do. Actually,
when I bought my flag fish, I also bought 8 cardinals for a different
tank. I was warned about putting them in the same tank, as the
cardinals were very small (about 1/2") and the flags were full grown
(just over 2"). I wouldn't call them aggressive, but they may or may
not eat a smaller cardinal. If you can find large cardinals, I think
you'd be OK. Flag fish seem to be one of those fish that are nothing
but trouble for some, but totally docile for others. So far mine have
been very timid, they won't even come to the surface to eat. Try and
do some searching on groups.google.com for people's experiences before
you get some. It seems like if you can keep them happy they will not
be too much trouble.


"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message . ca...
Really? Cool. Would just one flag fish be fine for a 15 gallon? I'm going to
be adding about 10-15 cardinals in there next month. They wouldn't hassle
any of the fish at all??

Thanx

"redled" wrote in message
a...
In article , "Dave M.
Picklyk" wrote:
I really need to get rid of some hair algae growing on the driftwood and
plants. Right now I'm controlling it by removing infected leaves,
scrubbing
driftwood etc. I have a 15 gallon aquarium, do weekly 25 percent water
changes, 0 phospates, 0 nitrates, adding only iron and trace elements to
the
water, only a couple measely plants--I've just added C02 a few days ago
and
I will be adding tons more plants. Will the addition of more plants
severely
out-compete the algae? I have 2 corys, 3 otos, and a beta fish. My tank
is
too small for SAEs, I don't really like shrimp or snails, florida flag
fish
can take chunks outa my plants, ameca splendens (butterfly goodieds) get
to
big for the tank and might bully the beta...

please help?

Thanx!!
Dave.



My florida flag fish seem to ignore plants and eat hair algae. If you
keep
them well fed I think they should be OK. I have two in a ten gallon and
they
don't seem to impact the plants.

__
"Insert witty comment here."
-John

"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote:

I really need to get rid of some hair algae growing on the driftwood and
plants. Right now I'm controlling it by removing infected leaves, scrubbing
driftwood etc. I have a 15 gallon aquarium, do weekly 25 percent water
changes, 0 phospates, 0 nitrates, adding only iron and trace elements to the
water, only a couple measely plants--I've just added C02 a few days ago and
I will be adding tons more plants.

Tons more plants is good.

I notice that you are dosing Iron. I was able to eliminate hair algae by
reducing overdosing of Iron.

The flag fish that folks have recommended seem to really like hair algae, as do
Amano Shrimp. But these are band aids which do not address the core nutrient
problem.

"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message . ca...
I really need to get rid of some hair algae growing on the driftwood and
plants. Right now I'm controlling it by removing infected leaves, scrubbing
driftwood etc. I have a 15 gallon aquarium, do weekly 25 percent water
changes, 0 phospates, 0 nitrates, adding only iron and trace elements to the
water, only a couple measely plants--I've just added C02 a few days ago and
I will be adding tons more plants. Will the addition of more plants severely
out-compete the algae? I have 2 corys, 3 otos, and a beta fish. My tank is
too small for SAEs, I don't really like shrimp or snails, florida flag fish
can take chunks outa my plants, ameca splendens (butterfly goodieds) get to
big for the tank and might bully the beta...

please help?

The best herbivore for hair algae is the Amano Shrimp.
They will mix well with Cardinals.

Adding a full tank of plants from the start is the best way to prevent
algae from getting a hold. But PO4 and NO3 need to be NO3: 5-10ppm and
PO4 over 0.3ppm to 0.4ppm at least 2x a week.
CO2 will help a good deal.
Trim off and remove what's there now, then do a water change, then
correct conditions, then add lots of plants and shrimps.

Careful about trusting test kits unless of very good quality for NO3
especially.

Regards,
Tom Barr


Thanx!!
Dave.

Dave Millman wrote in message ...
"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote:

I really need to get rid of some hair algae growing on the driftwood and
plants. Right now I'm controlling it by removing infected leaves, scrubbing
driftwood etc. I have a 15 gallon aquarium, do weekly 25 percent water
changes, 0 phospates, 0 nitrates, adding only iron and trace elements to the
water, only a couple measely plants--I've just added C02 a few days ago and
I will be adding tons more plants.

Tons more plants is good.

I notice that you are dosing Iron. I was able to eliminate hair algae by
reducing overdosing of Iron.

The flag fish that folks have recommended seem to really like hair algae, as do
Amano Shrimp. But these are band aids which do not address the core nutrient
problem.

It's true that these don't address the core nutrient problem. But
it's good way to "start over" without tearing everything down. A
couple of flag fish will quickly get rid of all the algae, then being
careful with the water will keep it from coming back. It's not a good
idea for someone who doesn't know what they are going to do with the
fish after. For me, I was going to add more stock to my tank anyways,
and the algae eating behaviour of a fish is as good a reason as any to
choose it over another fish.

(redled) empowered us with this mighty blow against the
Patriarchy:

So far mine have
been very timid, they won't even come to the surface to eat.

J.floridae actually prefer cooler temps (68-72F), so if your tank is much
warmer than that, they may be seeking out the cooler layers of water.

If you want to *control* hair algae flag fish may or may nor work
along with other fish that somestimes eat it: rosy barbs, mollies
and of coruse those little shrimp.

If you want to *eradicate* it you'll have to use the bleach treatment
and quarentine everything. It's not easy to get rid of.

Flag fish did nothing for me...


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SAE's are SMALL
"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message
a...
Hmm interesting. I didn't think that SAEs ate hair/thread algae. Anyways,
I
don't think my tank is big enough for 2 or 3 SAEs what do you think? 15
gallons?

"Poe Lim" wrote in message
...
Get some baby SAEs; had a similar problem, but now the hair algae is
well
controlled, to the extent that the SAE also gets normal food.

"Dave M. Picklyk" wrote in message
news
out-compete the algae? I have 2 corys, 3 otos, and a beta fish. My
tank
is
too small for SAEs, I don't really like shrimp or snails, florida flag
fish
can take chunks outa my plants, ameca splendens (butterfly goodieds)
get
to
big for the tank and might bully the beta...