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Hair algae
The old hair algae problem. It can be a little hard to
get rid of, but here is one method:
1. Change water more frequently than normal for a
couple of weeks. Try twice per week. The object is to
bring down the nutrient levels. Alternatively, test for
iron, nitrate,and phosphate and change water
accordingly; one or more of these nutrients are the
key things you are trying to decrease right now.
2. Add algae-eating shrimp. I use glass or ghost
shrimp (same thing) at an amount of 1-2
shrimp/gallon. They live one-three months and eat
algae, especially hair algae along with fish food and
other things.
3. Cut back on feeding during the first two weeks of
treatment.
Wait for hair algae to disappear. I had a situation
where I went away for work and had someone feed
my cat. Despite my instructions to the contrary, they
also fed the fish (arghh!). They overfed by apparently
a lot, and I had a mess when I returned.
The tank developed a bacterial (white) bloom, followed
by green water. Next came the hair algae, which can
persist really well. It took about four weeks to bring
everything back into balance; the addition of the
shrimp was the final blow to the algae.
Hope this helps.
Roxanne Bittman