A tooth brush can help and I use a small bottle brush (for like test tube cleaning in a lab 1/4" to 1/2") and I like to spin it in my fingers and it grabs the algae pretty well... It works pretty good for ME...
Of all the algaes, green hair algae is the one I mind the least. As you just showed us, it relatively easy to remove, and either keep in check in tiny patches easily removed each week or get rid of completely just by less light and adding floating plants to out compete it. I think all tanks go thru various algae phases before they get completely balanced. Hair algae to me is one of the least of the algae problem children. I like to twirl it around a wooden chopstick and see how much I can get at one time. Like a game...how much can she find and twil out this time. Will she beat her past record in other tanks? It's oddly satisfying for some reason. I know, I'm a nerd, 🙃 👍❤👍
It's almost like you read my mind, one of my tanks is starting to have a GHA problem. To be honest, I almost kind of like the way it looks....But I also don't want it to get out of control. Thanks for the awesome video and for the inspiration to get off of my tail and do something about this aquarium, lol! Hope that you are well Joanna!
I’m battling green hair algae in all my tanks thanks to a pesky susswassterang that I had put in all the tanks. And with springtime, the light coming into the house has shifted so some of my tanks are getting direct sunlight which is definitely aiding in the growth of the green hair algae. I want to bomb it all with peroxide, but know that weekly maintenance and upkeep is the only way to reset the imbalance. Thanks for the vid! Glad to know I’m not the only one that can grow some prolific green hair.
I dumped a bunch of floating plants (red root floaters, salvinia minima, water lettuce, amazon frog bit) into my tanks and my hair algae is basically all gone. Just a little it growing on the gravel but its hard to notice. 10/10
Hey I saw an extra little tip in there too. When gravel vacuuming, I saw you place your hand under the sucker-tube (actual scientific name..lol) to keep the extra stuff from falling back out in the tank. Never though of that either. We got a bonus tip, on top of the tips we've already got, Ma'am this is too much. Thank you for the video, I love them all.
I’m with you …it’s hard finding the balance of light and plant fertilizer! 🤨 How easy the old days of fake and plastic were! For now, I’m embracing the “natural madness!”
What a fun video! I like that you tackled this problem with a smile on your face! I often stress out when things aren't going the way I want them to. 💚
Thanks for the video and insight ! I was a bit taken back by the smiling introduction , “I’ve got green haired algae !” For of a second, it seemed to be a homage to bad medical commercials, “Do you have ____. Yes ! I have ____ !” Whether a fungus or “the heartbreak of psoriasis,” this is the cue to fast forward or take a snack break to the refrigerator.” ….. However, this is Joanna, so good stuff follows. Thanks again ! The gravel vacuuming is often missed. Many panic and miss the reality that algae is often a sign of a cycled healthy ecosystem. One need not go overboard. I’d add that one should reassess the amount of fertilizer if used. As an aside, in medicine, physicians refer to your first step of “removing as much as you can” as “Debulking.” Whether a tumor or dead tissue, the goal is the same. Remove the offensive agent, remove tissue that will pollute the system, and accelerate healing. He who has messed up with algae too many times, Jim
Oh my gosh, you make me laugh. I usually don’t think to mention fertilizer since we use such little amounts. Excellent point though and as for the debulking ...fascinating. It makes sense. Thank you for a little view into part of your world. 🙂
Have gotten rid of green hair algae in general but actually like how it looks on some of my hard scape. It’s a delicate balance. Ty for the many helpful videos 😊
I made the same mistake. I thought hey I actually like it growing on my driftwood, looks so natural! Until it got out of control and my entiee tank got filled with hair algae. It grows too much too fast, Don't make the same mistake
I made a brush with the big crayola paint brushes just the metal and brush tip aroun a skewer wood and now its very long and can reach all of the 10 gallon tank. all of the corners the behind the sponge filter and to stir up any debris before gravel vac!
I have something similar in a fish tank set up for 8 months. Cotton like, but more brown. I got a tad lazy lately with water changes. Hopefully it balances out.
Question, green hair algae is not necessarily always a threat correct? Under light it will use co2 which can outcompete plants for CO2 YET it produces oxygen for fish. Worst case scenario is if there not enough life and it uses oxygen as a energy source and kills the fish due to its depletion? Did I get my science right?
I like the toothbrush, it works well! I had some hair algae in one of my tanks and it was within my java moss. I took the moss out of the tank and put it in a little bowl of water and whenever I had some free time I would work on separating it with tweezers. I’m nuts I know. After a few weeks I got it all clean. I put it back in the tank and my mystery snails ate most of it. 🤦🏻♀️ Shortly after that happened, I heard I could’ve put the moss in the dark for a few weeks and the algae would die off. Thoughts if you think that might work?? Because I see the patch of moss that grew back has hair algae on it again.
I could find that relaxing for sure. Haha the black out method works really well with moss I’ve heard. My guess is your water parameters may still be out of whack a bit or too much light or you just had tiny amounts hiding you couldn’t see. Good luck! 🍀
if I shoot you an IM on Instagram of a sword plant, can you advise me on how to get the algae off it? I've bought 6 of them. This is the only one I haven't killed and I'd like to try and keep it that way.
Aaaaaaagh green hair algae. I’ve been battling it in my pond, been pulling out handfuls every day for the last couple of weeks. Added a load of Hornwort at the weekend so I’m hoping that will help resolve the problem 😬
I wish the light on the Spec V was adjustable, might help but in my case it didn't. I put a Chihiros C series adjustable light on the tank for a bit and still got hair algea.
Is this a filterless tank? Or is there a hidden sponge/bubbler? I see a foam of some kind on the top right so I was curious. Edit: Oh it's a sump-like back filter, cool! Still curious if anyone has any leads on learning about low flow filters mentioned below. I've been trying to research non-bubbler filters for low bioload aquariums, specifically my bladder snail fish bowl mini-scape that I harvest out of for pea puffers. I know the japanese aquarists have more of a tradition of semi-natural filtration via moss balls and other non-circulatory filters but have never seen many YT vids on that.
Thanks for the video! A few months ago we got some pogostemon stellatus in our tanks and lately they're getting coated in algae. Could this be a nutrient/light imbalance? We use Flourish fertilizer and just have stock top fin lights.
I have been struggling with my 20 gallon with black and green hair algae. Still am😣. It's not that bad as it could be though. I sprayed my Bacopa and anubias with hydrogen peroxide, and the hair algae turned red and kind of died.
I started to get it, but it disappeared. And it was nowhere near as much as your tank. I didn't know exactly what it was but it is no longer in the tank.
I have been plagued by some very course hair algae in some of my tanks. It just keeps coming back. It comes from a single point and idk how to get rid of it.
That stinks. Well, once it attached to something it really doesn’t want to let it go completely. Any possibility of removing the offending piece of rock or driftwood? Also, really limit the light or even block part of the light? Or rent some Florida flag fish. 😅
I have been watching this channel and thought I'd try a nano-scape. At my local store a 10 gal cost $16 and a 5 gal cost $26. Any idea why a 5 gal would cost more? The store worker had no idea.
Well, generally there are more of the 10 gallons that are made so it’s cheaper to produce. Also, they kinda stick you a bit for the “novelty” of the tinier tanks I think. 😏
Most people love plants and hate algae. I am almost the opposite. I don’t really hate plants, I just prefer hardscape. 😁But I would LOVE An overgrowth of algae. … … As long as it’s not the kind that clouds the water.😅
Still excited? Lol. Does green hair algae have an unpleasant smell, as well as a slimy texture? Thanks for any help from anyone who has the time to answer.
@@thesmallscape actually hoping its ok to do. Cuz thats my plan with my flag fish. Keep them in their own tank except to clean other tanks temporarily for clean up.
Spin a bottle brush and it will grab most of the algae without disturbing most plants. I use a smaller bottle brush and it works wonders.
A tooth brush can help and I use a small bottle brush (for like test tube cleaning in a lab 1/4" to 1/2") and I like to spin it in my fingers and it grabs the algae pretty well... It works pretty good for ME...
Of all the algaes, green hair algae is the one I mind the least. As you just showed us, it relatively easy to remove, and either keep in check in tiny patches easily removed each week or get rid of completely just by less light and adding floating plants to out compete it.
I think all tanks go thru various algae phases before they get completely balanced.
Hair algae to me is one of the least of the algae problem children. I like to twirl it around a wooden chopstick and see how much I can get at one time. Like a game...how much can she find and twil out this time. Will she beat her past record in other tanks? It's oddly satisfying for some reason. I know, I'm a nerd, 🙃
👍❤👍
🤣🤣 YES!! Like cotton candy!! Yup, you get it. 😏
It's almost like you read my mind, one of my tanks is starting to have a GHA problem. To be honest, I almost kind of like the way it looks....But I also don't want it to get out of control. Thanks for the awesome video and for the inspiration to get off of my tail and do something about this aquarium, lol! Hope that you are well Joanna!
In small amounts it’s kind of almost pretty and a bit ethereal. 🤷🏻♀️
I’m battling green hair algae in all my tanks thanks to a pesky susswassterang that I had put in all the tanks. And with springtime, the light coming into the house has shifted so some of my tanks are getting direct sunlight which is definitely aiding in the growth of the green hair algae. I want to bomb it all with peroxide, but know that weekly maintenance and upkeep is the only way to reset the imbalance. Thanks for the vid! Glad to know I’m not the only one that can grow some prolific green hair.
I know - glad we’ll keep each other company. That’s the worst when it comes in with a plant that went everywhere. Best of luck!🌿
I dumped a bunch of floating plants (red root floaters, salvinia minima, water lettuce, amazon frog bit) into my tanks and my hair algae is basically all gone. Just a little it growing on the gravel but its hard to notice. 10/10
Hey I saw an extra little tip in there too. When gravel vacuuming, I saw you place your hand under the sucker-tube (actual scientific name..lol) to keep the extra stuff from falling back out in the tank. Never though of that either. We got a bonus tip, on top of the tips we've already got, Ma'am this is too much. Thank you for the video, I love them all.
Haha - hope it’s helpful ☺️
I’m with you …it’s hard finding the balance of light and plant fertilizer! 🤨 How easy the old days of fake and plastic were! For now, I’m embracing the “natural madness!”
I know. It was so simple!
What a fun video! I like that you tackled this problem with a smile on your face! I often stress out when things aren't going the way I want them to. 💚
Yes, that’s easy to do. But worst case: with great tank problems come great tank rescapes. 🤣🤣
@@thesmallscape, A truer statement has never been made. 🤣🤣
I hear, seeing your stylist once a week will drastically assist you with Green Hair!...hehehehehe
🤣🤣 lol!
Thanks Joanna,
Great tips for getting rid of green hair algae! 💚
Thanks for the video and insight !
I was a bit taken back by the smiling introduction , “I’ve got green haired algae !” For of a second, it seemed to be a homage to bad medical commercials, “Do you have ____. Yes ! I have ____ !” Whether a fungus or “the heartbreak of psoriasis,” this is the cue to fast forward or take a snack break to the refrigerator.”
….. However, this is Joanna, so good stuff follows. Thanks again ! The gravel vacuuming is often missed.
Many panic and miss the reality that algae is often a sign of a cycled healthy ecosystem. One need not go overboard.
I’d add that one should reassess the amount of fertilizer if used.
As an aside, in medicine, physicians refer to your first step of “removing as much as you can” as “Debulking.” Whether a tumor or dead tissue, the goal is the same. Remove the offensive agent, remove tissue that will pollute the system, and accelerate healing.
He who has messed up with algae too many times,
Jim
Oh my gosh, you make me laugh. I usually don’t think to mention fertilizer since we use such little amounts. Excellent point though and as for the debulking ...fascinating. It makes sense. Thank you for a little view into part of your world. 🙂
Have gotten rid of green hair algae in general but actually like how it looks on some of my hard scape. It’s a delicate balance. Ty for the many helpful videos 😊
I made the same mistake. I thought hey I actually like it growing on my driftwood, looks so natural! Until it got out of control and my entiee tank got filled with hair algae. It grows too much too fast, Don't make the same mistake
@@-.Meylin.- oh yes. Been there. Just recovering now….still. Amano shrimp are helping a lot. Lol
Do I need to remove the floating plants after they suck up the nitrates? I think that's what you said it 4:10 ...
Amano shrimp, guppies, and hornwort do wonders for keeping algae away even with mild ferts and high light.
I made a brush with the big crayola paint brushes just the metal and brush tip aroun a skewer wood and now its very long and can reach all of the 10 gallon tank. all of the corners the behind the sponge filter and to stir up any debris before gravel vac!
I have something similar in a fish tank set up for 8 months. Cotton like, but more brown.
I got a tad lazy lately with water changes. Hopefully it balances out.
Thanks for this! I have this problem in my tanks! I will watch with interest!
Oh great, I hope it serves you well. ☺️
I believe that I need to reduce my number of hours of light. Thanks for the tip!
☺️ good luck!
Question, green hair algae is not necessarily always a threat correct? Under light it will use co2 which can outcompete plants for CO2 YET it produces oxygen for fish. Worst case scenario is if there not enough life and it uses oxygen as a energy source and kills the fish due to its depletion? Did I get my science right?
Good Morning.
I like the toothbrush, it works well! I had some hair algae in one of my tanks and it was within my java moss. I took the moss out of the tank and put it in a little bowl of water and whenever I had some free time I would work on separating it with tweezers. I’m nuts I know. After a few weeks I got it all clean. I put it back in the tank and my mystery snails ate most of it. 🤦🏻♀️ Shortly after that happened, I heard I could’ve put the moss in the dark for a few weeks and the algae would die off. Thoughts if you think that might work?? Because I see the patch of moss that grew back has hair algae on it again.
I could find that relaxing for sure. Haha the black out method works really well with moss I’ve heard. My guess is your water parameters may still be out of whack a bit or too much light or you just had tiny amounts hiding you couldn’t see. Good luck! 🍀
@@thesmallscape Thanks for your thoughts! 😊
if I shoot you an IM on Instagram of a sword plant, can you advise me on how to get the algae off it? I've bought 6 of them. This is the only one I haven't killed and I'd like to try and keep it that way.
Oh hey there - ya - send it over I can take a look. Sorry to hear about all your casualties 🌿🌿🌿bummmmuh
@@thesmallscape Ag, I've confensed long ago to .y evil ways. I'm a serial plant killer, but I am looking to change my ways 😆
Aaaaaaagh green hair algae. I’ve been battling it in my pond, been pulling out handfuls every day for the last couple of weeks. Added a load of Hornwort at the weekend so I’m hoping that will help resolve the problem 😬
Oh yaaa! In my pond last year it was everywhere! I wish you luck, rounds of fresh hornwort to take up the battle should help, you’ve got that right.
I wish the light on the Spec V was adjustable, might help but in my case it didn't.
I put a Chihiros C series adjustable light on the tank for a bit and still got hair algea.
Hmm..really? Bummer.
perfect timing, ty!
Is this a filterless tank? Or is there a hidden sponge/bubbler? I see a foam of some kind on the top right so I was curious. Edit: Oh it's a sump-like back filter, cool! Still curious if anyone has any leads on learning about low flow filters mentioned below.
I've been trying to research non-bubbler filters for low bioload aquariums, specifically my bladder snail fish bowl mini-scape that I harvest out of for pea puffers. I know the japanese aquarists have more of a tradition of semi-natural filtration via moss balls and other non-circulatory filters but have never seen many YT vids on that.
Thanks for the video! A few months ago we got some pogostemon stellatus in our tanks and lately they're getting coated in algae. Could this be a nutrient/light imbalance? We use Flourish fertilizer and just have stock top fin lights.
Yup quite possibly an imbalance. I rarely use fertilizer in the water column but I must say that’s a beautiful plant!
She from the mountains!
Add a phosphate sponge to filter
Where is the algae's roots Joanna.
Cherry shrimp are the experts to get rid of that stuff
Hey - they would make a great addition to the tank anyways!! You may see that suggestion soon... 😎
Thanks, good info
I have been struggling with my 20 gallon with black and green hair algae. Still am😣. It's not that bad as it could be though. I sprayed my Bacopa and anubias with hydrogen peroxide, and the hair algae turned red and kind of died.
Ya, peroxide works pretty well I’ve heard, never had that bad of a case that I’ve needed to try it. Thanks for the info 👌
I'm having this problem in one of my aquariuns, but I think that is because the light is too high on him.
Yup, quite frequently the culprit. 💡
I started to get it, but it disappeared.
And it was nowhere near as much as your tank.
I didn't know exactly what it was but it is no longer in the tank.
Yes, sometimes it creeps in and creeps out. I’m glad for you 🍀
awesome video
I have been plagued by some very course hair algae in some of my tanks. It just keeps coming back. It comes from a single point and idk how to get rid of it.
That stinks. Well, once it attached to something it really doesn’t want to let it go completely. Any possibility of removing the offending piece of rock or driftwood? Also, really limit the light or even block part of the light? Or rent some Florida flag fish. 😅
@@thesmallscape I’ll try all of the above! Thank you!
I have been watching this channel and thought I'd try a nano-scape. At my local store a 10 gal cost $16 and a 5 gal cost $26. Any idea why a 5 gal would cost more? The store worker had no idea.
I'm-a take a shot in the dark here and say the world 🌎 is backwards 🤣😂🤣
Well, generally there are more of the 10 gallons that are made so it’s cheaper to produce. Also, they kinda stick you a bit for the “novelty” of the tinier tanks I think. 😏
Use goldfish to get rid of it
I have lots of green hair algae. You want some of mine…lol
Thankyou💪🏼🤙☮️
Most people love plants and hate algae. I am almost the opposite. I don’t really hate plants, I just prefer hardscape. 😁But I would LOVE An overgrowth of algae.
…
… As long as it’s not the kind that clouds the water.😅
I could see that. Just rock and algae. Ya 🎸 🔥 🌿
Still excited? Lol. Does green hair algae have an unpleasant smell, as well as a slimy texture? Thanks for any help from anyone who has the time to answer.
No. You are describing cyanobacteria. To get ride of it get chemiclean, it works wonders. You'll thank me later.
You must have been excited for months that’s a lot
99
💚💚💙💙
Florida flag fish.
I know, ya, I wish but tank is too small. ☺️
@@thesmallscape what about letting it hang out for like a week and go back to big tank?
@@thesmallscape actually hoping its ok to do. Cuz thats my plan with my flag fish. Keep them in their own tank except to clean other tanks temporarily for clean up.
I wish you would be more gentle with your actions. Your fish may get hurt or frightened 😢 thanks for the tip though