Hair algea or Beard algea Help!

[mrmike]

Not sure which one i got but i surely have it.It is about a 1/4 inch long, black and fuzzy looking and moves in the current like hair. Its on all my fake plants and some rocks. It looks so bad i really don't like it. I tried removing all decorations and cleaning them that was about two months ago, and sure enough its all back. I'm not exactly sure when it started but possibly after i removed the only live plant that i had in the tank a wysteria, i was adding floura pride (0-0-3) for the plant but it didn't do well leaves brown edges, i didn't have the correct bulb for plants, i now know. Water readings are> ph 7.8, AM 0, Nitri 0, Nitra 5. I do have well water no softener, so more on the hard side, with iron i'm sure. Tank temp 78, and lights on for 10 hours a day. So obviously it regrows itself, but how do i stop it? ps. i have searched other threads but nothing similar found. Thanks.... :o

[AngelMom]

You're going to need to get a test for phosphate levels ... BBA (Black Beard Algae, which it what it sounds like you have) thrives in high phosphate environments. You need to test to figure out how much you have, and since you're on well water it wouldn't surprise me to find out that you have phosphates there to begin with, and then you can try and figure out how to deal with it. ;)

[mrmike]

ok i'll try to get a test as soon as i can. I'm assuming a liquid one is best as usual, if they make one?

[AngelMom]

Yessir ... Red Sea makes one. ;)

[mrmike]

going to go look for a test kit tonight. Question if it is high phosphates would the addition of another plant also help possibly?

[mrmike]

I tested my water tonight my readings were 0.5 or less Phosphates. I don't know whats normal. I might get some real plants again though. We'll see.

[AngelMom]

If I remember correctly, I had to get the phosphate levels below 0.2 to keep the algae at bay without plants.