# Filamentous Green Algae



## timbit1985 (Aug 13, 2010)

I went away for a couple of weeks, and I came back to a tank over-run with filamentous green algae. It has totally clogged up all of my moss, elodea and swords  I don't want to dose with chemicals, are there any snails or fish that would eat the algae? I currently have the tank stocked with zebra danios and a bunch of tiny little snails. Should I increase circulation? I have reduced the photo period from 8 hours to a split-photo period. 4 on, 4 off, 4 on. Should I reduce it to 4 on 20 off?


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

Isn't that funny, I was just going to post some for free in the classifieds. Great stuff, in the right place. 

It only grows for me in my window plants - cutting the light will kill it off.


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## Ebonbolt (Aug 12, 2011)

And if that doesn't work, there's always amano shrimp or true SAEs 

I recommend the shrimp though; SAE's get nasty when they get bigger.


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

^^amanos love the stuff


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## timbit1985 (Aug 13, 2010)

Hmm, amano shrimp you say? Anyone know where I could get me some of those?


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## timbit1985 (Aug 13, 2010)

Ursus sapien said:


> Isn't that funny, I was just going to post some for free in the classifieds. Great stuff, in the right place.
> 
> It only grows for me in my window plants - cutting the light will kill it off.


Why would you WANT that stuff???


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

timbit1985 said:


> Hmm, amano shrimp you say? Anyone know where I could get me some of those?


Patrick (mykiss on the forum) at Canadian Aquatics has them. They're on sale, too, I think.


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## Ursus sapien (Apr 21, 2010)

timbit1985 said:


> Why would you WANT that stuff???


That's the reaction I typically get but if you reconsider and would like more, I'm giving away a big piece here>

Hair algae is a wickedly efficient nitrate sink, making it useful in the bio-filtering of aquariums. It's also a very nutritious food for herbivorous fish and inverts. It makes an excellent spawning medium for small egg layers, and even hosts large numbers of micro crustaceans and rotifers, making it a valuable feeding ground for newly hatched fish fry.

It's great stuff, except when it grows where you don't want it.


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## timbit1985 (Aug 13, 2010)

Ursus sapien said:


> That the reaction I typically get but if you reconsider and would like more, I'm giving away a big piece here>
> 
> Hair algae is a wickedly efficient nitrate sink, making it useful in the bio-filtering of aquariums. It's also a very nutritious food for herbivorous fish and inverts. It makes an excellent spawning medium for small egg layers, and even hosts large numbers of micro crustaceans and rotifers, making it a valuable feeding ground for newly hatched fish fry.
> 
> It's great stuff, except when it grows where you don't want it.


Excellent. I knew that it was a great nitrate sink, didn't realize it would host micro crustaceans and rotifers, i'll keep that in mind for fish fry if I ever try breeding. In the mean time...Amano shrimps here I come.


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