# Cladophora algae



## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*I remember posting a thread about this before, decided to post agian and see what help I can get. This algae isnt slippery, grows in patches and can be easily removed. It grows between all my Dwarf Hair Grass and is impossible to remove. I can only comb out the top areas of the hair grass. Anyone else have a Cladophora algae infestion on their Dwarf Hair Grass and HC and have the solution for it?

I have a 20g L, 3.45wpg, pressurized CO2 injection with greenish-yellow color Drop checker, photoperiod 6hrs/day.*


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Since I put in a uv sterilizer algea grows on absolutely nothing. I mean zero algea in my tank.


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*I hear UV sterilizers are not recommended in a planted tank because it breaks down nutrients. Even if I did use the UV, cladophora doesnt move, it stays in one spot. I cant completely comb it out so what is left back, regrows.*


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Haven't heard that about UV sterilizers.


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## Dmaaaaax (Nov 20, 2008)

UV sterilizers are only for green water (floating algae) and kill parasites like ich when not attached. They can break down some nutrients but if you add throughout your tank you should be fine since most UV sterilizer do not push that much water through. If you have it connected to your canister pump you may be defeating the puropose of a UV sterilizer since there is "contact" time involved in killing algae and parasites based on the wattage of the UV bulb.

Anyhow, cladophora is usually due to low nitrate levels or low CO2. Test your nitrates and if you have around 5-10ppm or more the culprit is the CO2. You may have enough CO2 for where your drop checker is, but it may not be circulating down low where your grasses are. Try changing the movement of the CO2 and water to get to the hairgrass. In the mean time you can try to spot treat it with Seachem Excel like you would BBA (black beard algae). I would also go for a longer period of CO2 (~8hr).


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## NursePlaty (Feb 5, 2010)

*I do have Excel, but thats too much Excel to use and I'm afraid I will kill the baby Cherries and Crystals underneath and between the hairgrass if I use the spot treatment. The filter and the CO2 inject was on the other side of the tank so maybe you are right about the grass not getting CO2. I moved the filter to the hairgrass's side now. Also I tested my Nitrates, and it reads 0ppm. I have 0ppm on Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. My goal was to keep my Nitrate as close to 0 as possible because I have crystals. Before, I wasnt able to keep my nitrate less than 5ppm. Now, I never do any water changes and my nitrates remain a constant 0ppm. So in order to eliminate Cladophora, I have to add more fish and feed more often? lol . *


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## tbillion (Feb 4, 2012)

removed


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Why not just use moss instead? This form of algae does not grow at a fast rate and doesn't seem to proprogate in any shape or form. Moss looks much more attractive also. Talk about an old thread......


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Talk about an old thread......


*r2


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## tbillion (Feb 4, 2012)

removed


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

A thread started about using/wanting a form of Algae, what most of us try and fight, would not be a repetitious thread...but hey, saving board space is fine by me.

I didn't have to search about the algae as I have had in a few of my tanks and even a few marimo balls. Sort of sounds like you have researched it and maybe you should just go for it.

I assure you there was nothing in my post that was a "dig". They will be much easier to spot, trust me.


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## tbillion (Feb 4, 2012)

removed


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