Hair like algae

[Dieboldly]

Hey guys and gals, I've been noticing this hair like algae growing on my plants and my filter. Any clue what it is and how to get rid of it?

Temp is 85*
Light is 2 6500k t5 bulbs. On for 12hrs a day.

 

[Cody1382]

Evil black hair algae. Good luck with that.
In 25 years I havnt seen an effective way of getting rid of it. Raising the gh with conditioning salts can slow down its growth. Cuttting you're lights back to 8 hours will help too. There is no easy fix for this. Most require a full tank strip.

 

[markstrimaran]

Black beard algea.
Possibly replacing your 6500k with fresh tubes. If they are over 6 months old.

 

[FreshyFresh]

Yep. Old lamps and lights on 4hrs too long.

 

[duanes]

If it is cyanobacteria (not really algae) lowering light doesn't always work well to stop it.
I had some success driving it back using the probiotic Rid-X which is the addition of competing bacteria (the same as used in septic systems)to edge it out. .
I believe there are still some of my pics, and some experiences by others in the sticky in ideas section titled the use of probiotics......

 

[markstrimaran]

I will add, black beard algae grows best in an area with good water flow.

 

[Dieboldly]

Thank you all for the replies! That doesn't make me happy that I make have to reset my tank! lol I cut all the plants that had it back and pulled off as much as I could from the filter head. I also positioned the filter to shoot up to allow top water movement. I took the light down to 6-8hrs instead of 12 as I had it. The lights are a older light that I've had for a couple years now but only used them off and on.

I do have snails in the tank so they can eat the algae. They just laid eggs and they are hatching 1 by 1. Hopefully they will help. I will be buying shrimp to help out too eventually.

 

[GamerChick5567]

Sae's are a good choice to get rid of that algae also aside from snails and occasionally mollies. If you are thinking of a new fish to add I would get at least 4 of them. They keep my 90 bba free. They are fast swimmers and are a bit suicidal when it comes to jumping though so make sure your lid is tight and any gaps are tiny.

This reminds me, I should replace the t8 bulb on my 20, I've had it for like 3 years. I should check my t5's too.

 

[duanes]

Very few things eat cyanobacteria, I never had success with my MTS snails, I don't think they touched it. Sometimes by over planting with higher plants, they take the nutrients the cyan use, but you really need to over plant, for the plants to compete with the cyan.
This was a tank I had it in that over planting worked.

 

[Dieboldly]

Sae's are a good choice to get rid of that algae also aside from snails and occasionally mollies. If you are thinking of a new fish to add I would get at least 4 of them. They keep my 90 bba free. They are fast swimmers and are a bit suicidal when it comes to jumping though so make sure your lid is tight and any gaps are tiny.

This reminds me, I should replace the t8 bulb on my 20, I've had it for like 3 years. I should check my t5's too.

Saes?