TOTAL hair algae infestation ~ Can a planted tank recover?

[@Steviemightdoit-cg1su]

I have embraced the hair algae in my tank. My guppies and shrimp love it and multiply like crazy.

[@freshflowaquatics]

That's completely fair. It does provide great habitat for breeding critters. Just not in my Stargate tank 😅

[@pannobhasa]

My snails and otocinclus aren't up to the task of keeping my algae in check, so now I'm leaning towards getting some shrimp and lowering the light levels.

[@freshflowaquatics]

I've never found any critters that work on algae significantly. I feel like getting them early in the game can help keep it in check, but nothing is going to help me eradicate the amount of hair algae that I have in this tank. Hopefully lowering your light levels does the trick!

[@ElyseMcDonald-ul5ob]

This is just what I needed! Great content as always. 🎉

[@freshflowaquatics]

Thanks @ElyseMcDonald-ul5ob !! Let me know if you need some help with the algae control 📲

[@PamReed-vr2pl]

Great explanations!

[@freshflowaquatics]

Thank you, hope it was helpful!

[@jennifertimmer9483]

great content, thanks!

[@freshflowaquatics]

Thanks for dropping a comment, Jennifer!

[@llNecroticll]

I'm really enjoying your videos, keep it up man

[@freshflowaquatics]

Thanks so much! I appreciate hearing that, and am glad someone's finding my content helpful.

[@davenia7]

I will tell you, chopsticks make pulling it out less disruptive. I use the disposable ones when i order my dinner. Pinch it with the chopsticks and then twirl like cotton candy. Works like a dream.

[@freshflowaquatics]

Hey, that's a great idea, thanks for sharing! There's some corners of the tank that I really can't fit my fingers into, I'll have to try that.

[@vassetz]

Once again, a wonderful episode! Congratulations on a job well done! This Fluval Flex looks quite interesting without the lid! ;) I really like the aquascape inside the aquarium! Congratulations once again!

[@freshflowaquatics]

Thanks so much for the kind comment again @vassetz !! I really appreciate it!! I took the lid off the top so I could use some stronger lights. I'm considering adding a glass lid though to keep the evaporation down.

[@llNecroticll]

Is that tank round at the front?

[@freshflowaquatics]

Yup, that's the Fluval Flex. I guess you could call it a bow front, but it curves from top to bottom rather than side to side.

[@freshflowaquatics]

Have you ever dealt with this kind of infestation and managed to get rid of it for good?

[@TMEZ]

isn't that cladophora ?

[@freshflowaquatics]

Great question. There's at least 2 different types of filamentous or hair algae in the tank. I could be wrong, but I don't think that either is Cladophora. It's my understanding that chladophora in the planted tank shows up as a short, tough algae with a bit of a unique odor. These guys passed the sniff test, are pretty long and soft. There's also different types of Cladophora, with the marine varieties being fairly different from my understanding. I believe to properly identify a lot of hair algae you need to look at them under a microscope and expertise. For all intents and purposes, you can treat most hair algae or filamentous algae in the planted tank the same way in terms of removal and prevention.