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I'm about to dose this in my shrimp tank to get rid of algae


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This is what I'm dosing:

 

https://www.amazon.com/DrTims-Aquatics-Waste-Away-Aquarium-Aquariums/dp/B003I5QRVA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490296764&sr=8-1&keywords=hair+algae

 

Should I be worried about anything? Should I remove my shrimp and place them in another tank in case? There are some shrimplets that I'm not sure I can get out. My tank is absolutely infested with hair algae as well, so i'll have a hard time getting the shrimp out if I decide to do it.

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It is also not meant to be used on algae. Best way to take care of that is to pull out as much as you can with your hands and do regular water changes to keep the water parameters under control (nitrates under 10ppm). Doing a week long blackout also helps on some algaes.

=^._.^=

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10 minutes ago, Aennedry said:

It is also not meant to be used on algae. Best way to take care of that is to pull out as much as you can with your hands and do regular water changes to keep the water parameters under control (nitrates under 10ppm). Doing a week long blackout also helps on some algaes.

=^._.^=

I can't believe I missed that. Doesn't say in the decription, but one of the answers does I guess.

 

I have a TON of hair algae. I've tried pulling with my hands, but I can only get so much and it keeps coming back extremely quick.

 

Nitrates are pretty much 0, there are only 3 CRS with some babies in a 6G. I'll try the blackout method, might have to tear down if it doesn't work.

 

Thanks for making sure my shrimp don't die

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No problem. At that size of tank you could do a tear down, but unless you find out why the algae is there, it will come back. Are high nutrients/lights an issue? Is it a planted tank? Are you dosing any ferts if it is? What is your light cycle? On timers? I have read that breaking the cycle (having a dark period) during the day may disrupt the algae growth cycle.

Algae is such a bother...

 

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On 3/23/2017 at 10:12 PM, Aennedry said:

No problem. At that size of tank you could do a tear down, but unless you find out why the algae is there, it will come back. Are high nutrients/lights an issue? Is it a planted tank? Are you dosing any ferts if it is? What is your light cycle? On timers? I have read that breaking the cycle (having a dark period) during the day may disrupt the algae growth cycle.

Algae is such a bother...

 

 

No dosing at all. Light is on a timer 11AM to 6PM. I'm currently on black out day 3. If it doesn't work I will try elevate's product and let you know how it works

 

A tear down is my last resort

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 3/24/2017 at 0:45 PM, evabug1 said:

I know there is this product available that is specifically for shrimp tanks: https://www.elevateshrimp.com/products/hair-algae-killer

I haven't tried it yet myself, but would be interested in hearing your experience of you do. I've bought other products from Elevate Shrimp that are awesome.

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk
 

Very curious about this product as well. I hope someone can chime in with experience. According to the description, it doesn't use the same active ingredient as flourish excel or H2O2. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Wanted to give everyone an update. I went with a black out and didn't dose anything I covered the tank with a cardboard house I made and shut off the timer for 10 days.

 

I don't have a before picture of before the blackout, but I basically had algae everywhere, from the top of the tank all the way down to the substrate and floating around the java moss.

 

On Day 10, it looked like 99% of the algae died and balled up into two balls (very interesting phenomenon, with one giant ball on the left. I was able to just take my hand and scoop out all the most of the algae resulting in a very clear tank.

 

As far as I can tell, all of my shrimp are accounted for, including the shrimplets who are more juvie sized now (I keep CRS in this tank)

 

I'm starting to get some algae back again, I'll probably add a phosphate reducer and maybe start dosing PK (no N) for the plants

 

 IMG_2020.JPG.94676c39e2016f63e16b6d1bb4534c90.JPGIMG_2021.JPG.4e750eb69e4e63380d9a57c958914d58.JPG

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On 4/16/2017 at 8:53 PM, chappy6107 said:

is that miniblinds behind the tank?  if it is in a window, this could be your biggest cause for algae. 

 

No this is an office tank with no window. There's actually a flourescent light that's on 24/7 though, so that could be it.

20 hours ago, LesterBee said:

Adding more Salvinia, Red-Root Floaters, and Amazon Frogbit will keep the algae curbed.

 

I had a lot of floaters but I remove them every once in a while because they start blocking all the light which is already a pretty weak light.

 

Do you not think it's a phosphate problem?

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21 hours ago, Zoe13 said:

I had a lot of floaters but I remove them every once in a while because they start blocking all the light which is already a pretty weak light.

 

Do you not think it's a phosphate problem?




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You are going to have to determine that by testing for Phosphate.  I'm not sure why you want to add more plant fertilizers, especially since you suspect it's a phosphate problem and you're going to add KPO4?  That's just adding more phosphate.

 

Do some small water changes with RO/remineralizer and don't add anything else.

 

  Low light tank, but you have a overhead fluorescent on 24/7?  More floating plants or putting a cover over it when you go home.

 

I'd keep removing the remaining algae by hand, and let the rest of the tank build some plant growth.   It will be slow going at first.   You might cut your normal feeding schedule back by half or one third for a couple weeks.  The shrimp will find enough food by foraging, it's pretty amazing how they do with just the naturally occurring biofilm and algae. The plants will do well despite an increase with floating plants, some light will make it through and you want them to sponge up the excess nutrients.

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