Hair Algae Killing Plants!!!!

[characincody]

i recently developed a bad hair algae problem. i cant introduce any more fish to eat it, i tried a blackout it worked temporarily. im thinking maybe i need to use some co2 but being a broke *** student working for nothing at an aquarium store, thats an investment i cant afford. things like Phoslock are frigging expensive too and i dont want to overdo phosphate removal. any cheap and easy solutions that wont harm my plants?

ps my tank is planted.

:skeptical: friggin sucks

[blainep]

Reduced feedings and bio-load along with manual removal is what worked on my 45 gallon tank.

Lots of small water changes as well.

Sometimes the addition of a fast growing surface plant can help as well, like duckweed or water lettuce.

[McLearen]

I had huge problem with this type of algae a while back. It got so bad that I gave up on my tank for a year. I came back and found that getting my lights on a timer for max 12 hours and doing small bi-weekly water changes have halted the problem. I hope you find a solution!

[Rabadswompe]

a team of 4 amano shrimps keep the hair algea down to a minimum in my 30gal tank. I also reduced the photoperiod, vaccumed the gravel... Amanos only eat the algea when it is green... when it dies and turns black... you'll have to scrape it off yourself.

[Wingin' It]

You can do all of the above mentioned things, they're all good. If you want the CO2, but not the money to do it, you can try a DIY CO2...I use it on a small tank and the algae stopped growing since the other plants started taking over. ;)

[Kimr]

flourish excel will also help take the algae off. You can spot dose the area where the algae is, it then turns it red/orange in colour and will go away.

[characincody]

alright thanks everyone definitley doing the shrimp, picked up some flourish excel and im setting up co2 today, my lights are on 10 hours, gonna reduce that to 8 and i just gave a few fish back to the store for credit. looks like im on track, you guys rock.