WillskE Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 at first it looked nice growing on the java moss but now i dont know how to get rid of it... it breaks up when you try to pick it off? its actually dark green colored Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disgustipated Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 christmas algae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 green blue like a sheet of cellophane? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted December 25, 2012 Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 It looks like hair algae. Try using an old toothbrush and wind it round and round, tedious but effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillskE Posted December 25, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 after googleing hair algae i do believe that is the case, is the tooth brush method the only way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted December 26, 2012 Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 You could run a fine net through the water but be carefull you don't damage the plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted December 26, 2012 Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 plus check your phosphate levels, I had a bad outbreak of that in 2 tanks and found both tanks had phosphate readings that were slightly higher than the tanks without it. added phosphate scrubber and a couple of mollies (and one pathetically small siamese algae eater) and its just about gone now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillskE Posted December 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 thanks for all the replies will attempt to try them all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted December 27, 2012 Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 hrmmm just had a closer look at that pic, I personally would pull the whole clump out, it may surprise you how much crap is underneath it, possibly causing the algal bloom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillskE Posted December 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2012 its only on the moss tho, so could that be the problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted December 28, 2012 Report Share Posted December 28, 2012 just take the algae off, I normally twist it around my finger and then pick the remaining strands off. Algae is opportunistic and will attach to anything it can. chucking the moss will not guarantee you are rid of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted December 28, 2012 Report Share Posted December 28, 2012 Yours looks more ill defined that the hair algae in my tank. I had to move my tank the other day, and after draining 3/4 of the water I used my hands to pull the stuff out. It forms a tight mat on the bottom of the tank but often comes out in large dark green threads which I then give to my gold fish to eat. It certainly doesn't break up easily as it can uproot plants as you remove it. Can you pull some out and take a picture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted December 28, 2012 Report Share Posted December 28, 2012 Yours looks more ill defined that the hair algae in my tank. I had to move my tank the other day, and after draining 3/4 of the water I used my hands to pull the stuff out. It forms a tight mat on the bottom of the tank but often comes out in large dark green threads which I then give to my gold fish to eat. It certainly doesn't break up easily as it can uproot plants as you remove it. Can you pull some out and take a picture? Good idea. I think its more likely that it has been allowed to take over the moss rather than removing it as the threads start to show. Reminds me of the cocoons you see in some horror movies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillskE Posted December 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2012 well from how it looked i thought it'd be easy to pick up and remove but it was rather hard to even get a small amount as it breaks up and its so little that you arent even sure if you had got any but here is some.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted December 29, 2012 Report Share Posted December 29, 2012 this is what I call hair algae ( to the right, and to the left is some Xmas moss ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WillskE Posted December 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2012 mhm well then mine seems completely off, it looked like the weavey ones from google images at an earlier point but now its all like fuzzed up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted December 29, 2012 Report Share Posted December 29, 2012 Yours looks like the green algae that used to grow my tank walls, plants and stones. Ended up emptying the tank to get rid of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted December 29, 2012 Report Share Posted December 29, 2012 well from how it looked i thought it'd be easy to pick up and remove but it was rather hard to even get a small amount as it breaks up and its so little that you arent even sure if you had got any but here is some.. that is very definitely hair algae! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted December 29, 2012 Report Share Posted December 29, 2012 there must be a lot of different algae that is called hair algae. Mine looks like this one http://aquadiem.wordpress.com/2007/06/2 ... ladophora/ and is tough, stringy, and non slimy. Yours looks like the slimy stuff which just falls apart when you try and grab it. It certainly won't be easily removed with a toothbrush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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