How to kill thread algae in a new tank

[Ramp Inc.]

Hi all,

 

First time poster, long time lurker here.  I have a 40b newly planted tank cycling for future shrimp.  Last week I bought a huge clump of pellia/java moss from my LFS.  It looks great, is doing well, and actually came with a free cherry shrimp hitchhiker. But after a week of high light from the finnex 24/7 I noticed a few strands of thread algae on it and some other plants in the tank.

 

I'm not looking for treatments to control it.  I want the algae dead.  Like, eradicated dead.  Hopefully before I add my shrimp and it gets harder to treat.

 

What are my options?  If I remove my pioneer shrimp can I use an algaecide followed by water changes?  Will it leave a deadly residue for later? Will the HP treatment harm my bacteria cycling? 

[Mr. F]

The algaecide is not a good idea because it would be quite difficult to ensure you've removed it all and you'll likely destroy a good amount of biofilm which is a significant source of food for your shrimp. You can use hydrogen peroxide to spot treat and remove, but is it long brown stringy algae? During a cycle, it is normal for diatoms and Cyanobacteria to grow. If it is, I wouldn't worry about it, just dim the light a bit. You can also throw some algae eaters in there since there aren't shrimp yet, aside from your little hitchhiker friend.

[Ramp Inc.]

Thanks for the info Mr F.  I hadn't considered that it might be diatoms.  The stringy stuff is in long thin, clear strands and it seems to be growing on brown leaves and collaboration wood.  And growing fastest in the parts of the tank with a lot of current.  Since it's cycling with an Aqua clear 110, roughly half the tank has strong current.  I had forgotten how powerful these filters are and will be taking steps to restrict the flow before I add my shrimp.

 

Instead of nuking the tank I went to the LFS and picked up half a dozen small mollies.  If I remember correctly their flat mouths are well suited to eating string algae (if that's what it is).  They seem to be happily foraging for food and leaving the hitchhiker alone.  Hopefully they keep doing both because I dont plan to feed them.  At the very least they'll help cycle the tank.

 

Are there reasons people prefer ramshorn and nerite snails to keep with their shrimp?  Would either of these work to clear up the mess?

[Mr. F]

Are there reasons people prefer ramshorn and nerite snails to keep with their shrimp?  Would either of these work to clear up the mess?

Ramshorns eat extra food (and a little algae) and nerites eat green algae (the kind seen on the walls of a tank).