How to Get Rid of Hair Algae from an Aquarium

Hair algae is a pain in fish tanks - it grows fast, it covers everything in a carpet of green and worst of all it can trap and kill small fish if its dense enough. There are plenty of myths out there about the best ways to get rid of hair algae including certain fish that will eat it, but to be honest the only reliable method i have come across for hair algae removal is to do it the old fashioned way of manually removeing and tackling the source of too much nutrient in the water.

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[TheWrenchLab]

Someone needs to hire you to narrate nature videos. I wouldn't be surprised if your last name was Attenborough! Great video

[ernestdruon]

Well, this is strangely comforting. I've been struggling with hair algae for a little while now (it's getting better) and I didn't understand why I couldn't get rid of it, but now I understand it's a tough problem for everyone. Good luck to you too!

[jackcarvis]

I find that your findings are quite accurate . I bought 4 Siamese algae eaters none of them touched the hair algae. Its been over a month

[peterfirth]

It's a curse to the aquarium fish keeper I gave up trying to remove it by hand so I decided to start again taking out every thing to kill of the algae. I have now put in a UV lamp in my new set up with an LED programmable light unit to cut down the amount of light. I now have to see how it goes and yes I was over feeding my fish, an excellent video 👍

[pseudodactyl]

I have been a fan of your videos for a while, but this one is particularly timely. It’s very comforting to see someone you respect and admire in the hobby still dealing with the same issues, because that’s what algae does! It’s one of the most successful life forms on the planet, of course anyone with a water box and lights is going to struggle with it. I am not smarter than billions of years of evolution!

[adieaf]

Excellent, and yes, you could narrate just about anything. An honest take on Hair Algae.

[WilliamWelch-owkb]

Love this video. I had it hitch hike into one of my tanks, I did the tweezer thing like you and then my plants became a jungle and took over. I decided it’s also like a plant itself. I just helped a friend setup her first tank (60 gallon) I told her to subscribe to your channel. You give best descriptions of fish

[MTSLINY]

Great video👍 I had a nightmare hair algae situation in 3 large tanks, after fighting (and losing) for months I tried spot treatments of hydrogen peroxide and it worked perfectly. Within a week the hair algae was gone

[christinecho]

I do a medium light tank that’s on a timer for 6 hours! I have a low-tech tank with lots of red root floaters, Java ferns windelov, and dwarf tiger lilies that seem to be thriving with less light time. No issues with hair algae!

[craigathonian]

Love your voice AND the information....but really love how you add a musicality to your story ❣ Another easy algae killer is 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution. I buy plastic lab droppers in bulk from online for all kinds of liquids used in the aquarium hobby. Turn off the aquarium lights and all water motion units, like filters & pumps. Let the tank calm down to a standstill than hover your filled dropper over the alien intruder and slowly squeeze out the HP slowly spiraling out from the center to get the best coverage. You might want to keep your hand still for a few minutes before pulling it out of the aquarium, since this will disturb the HP. You will notice the algae start forming bubbles, which means its killing the target, which will magically change color AND is readily eaten by a number of critters since you unknowingly became an aquatic chef. The HP is very weak in its structure and will dissipate or turn into oxygen, especially with light, {which is why it's sold in a dark bottles, LIGHT KILLS H.P. } Your hardscape can be removed to be cleaned with HP if its bad, {never use soap, HP or Vinegar is way better.} I've cleaned peoples smothered tanks with this methode off and on over a period of a week with this in tank spot treatment in 3 to 4 areas at a time. Any new aliens pop up, just repeat. Once you get the hang of it, and do tiny steps, wait several hours, repeat, wait a day, repeat....just don't go overboard ! Take your time and the aliens will disappear !

[danutilasciuc]

I once removed a ball of hair algae from one tank, but because it was trapping some java moss I was not feeling well throwing it away, instead I left it into a large but 4 cm height recipient with water from the same aquarium. Time passed, some 4-5 weeks or so, and the algae was gone. There was no water movement, no filtering, only adding water from time to time, as was evaporating. Also had no direct light, as it was away from the aquarium. However after discovering it is clean, I used the java moss in a new tank, which had some sunlight everyday... and the same algae reappeared. Yet I am confident that we can get rid of it. Needs to be isolated in a poor light condition, clean water without moving it, not a tall recipient, fore some months. Another quick method is using APT fix.

[stoutlager]

For me the long term solution for old tanks and all new has been to go heavy on the floating plants. Duckweed, frogbit, water lettuce. Strategic placement of feeder rings on the surface to make sure the stem plants are receiving adequate light. Or skip the stem plants entirely, do all floaters above a pure hardscape and chuck in a bunch of catappa leaves go for blackwater semi-biotope. Algae never. And of course be careful about the light duration. New tanks I go 6 hour light cycle for the first couple months then up to 8.

[KorasiPKed]

Great video, I finally got rid of my hair algae problem after a year or so...i added more plants did a couple water changes and stopped being lazy mostly. but my plants are kicking butt :)!

[leanne]

Hey! Im a new subscriber, I just came across your videos and love them! I was wondering if you have any advice for a 40 litre mini patio pond? Suitable fish for UK etc, thanks!

[kandyrew]

rreally good video with great b roll shots

[KentoLeoDragon]

Yup, I've tried every anecdotal method there is. One thing that has worked for me against the soft, very long stringy hair algae is hydrogen peroxide. My dose is 1ml per 10 gallons, of FRESH hydrogen peroxide. I say that because once you open a bottle of hydrogen peroxide it starts to break down into plain water and you can't dose right. That doesn't work against the much tougher, wirey cladophora algae that forms the balls and clumps. That you pretty much have to remove by hand but thankfully it usually doesn't stick to too much. That and as you say, keeping the tank clean and having lots of healthy plants out-competing the algae.

[teacherofteachers]

Funny, I never thought a lot about it, but I did have this show up recently in my little (10 gallon) tank. I have totally forgotten about it. I think that the duckweed (or frogbit? I forget to be honest) that I introduced made the environment challenging for the hair algae, since the floating plants took over the surface and the tank light is usually a little dark and green. I remove some of the surface plants when I do water and filter changes and such. I only have shrimps and a few snails.

[koenigin]

Timely video! My tank has been running around 6 weeks (so many cpd fry in that time lol) and I've had to remove so much hair algae. I've turned the lights down and shortened the time they're on but, like, I want to be able see my tank!

[edwardwiddup]

Just spent the last half hour clipping rotala and limno with clumps of hair algea on it. Noticed you uploaded a video and it's like deja vu.

[xxlyfexx]

Thanks now I have a reason to get my auto water change setup, and more plants I’ve been lazy for to long and it’s all well overdue….