how do I ged rid of long green hair algae?

[roadrunner]

Hello everybody. I tried to look for similar thread, but I could not really find any answers to my problem. I never had this type of algae before. It almost seems I brought it home with some new plants. Its green, really long (like rapunzel hair long, honestly) and it seems to be attached to my tallest plants and grow only on top of the tank hanging on to plants. I've been picking it up from time to time, but it grows pretty fast. I stop using fertilizers, I just add small dose of excel every other day and macros maybe once a week. (I have pelia so I don't want to melt it) I have coralife light set up for 8 hours. I haven't changed the water for couple of weeks now, cause it almost seems that each time I change water it grows faster. I checked for nitrates few times and they seem really low 5 sometimes 10 (hard to say based on the shade in test tube). If you need more recent parameters, I can post that tonight when I get home. I don't have any pics, cause I picked it up few days back, but it's growing back already (not enough to be visible on the photos yet) I was thinking to do major water change in the next few days and maybe try black out. Do I need to do that before or after water change? I don't have any shrimp and I'm not planing to get any in near future. I have only albino bristlenose pleco 1.5-2". Any ideas what it is and how to eliminate it for good?

[tang daddy]

Long hair algae is very hard to get rid of, try to cut down all the stem plants infected. The stem plants will eventually grow back but once this algae sets foot in your tank it can be very hard to remove, I had it long ago and ended up tearing the tank down and starting over!

I know it's negative advice but I haven't found a way to get rid of it other than completely tank tear down, maybe someone else has an answer?

[neven]

Its a real pain. I've had it in two tank's through my years. Removal is the most important. Remove what you can around 3 times a week. Make sure your nitrates aren't too high, or your phosphates (cut back feedings). Try cutting the light down an hour.

Two other things. CO2 helps a ton here, and so does turning off your filter for 30 minutes and giving your daily excel/metricide dose right over that area.

With my first outbreak, removal worked, as it was a balanced system, just the area got too shaded in the tank.

second outbreak im fighting now. light was too high above the tank for the plants in the foreground, so they developped hair algae as they withered. i lowered the lights, added shrimp (they eat it)

[roadrunner]

Thanx for replies, I've been reading a bit on the net and I'm gonna try few things and see what happens. I found this cool page on types of algae. Maybe it will help someone.
ttp://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_freshwater_algae.php

[bunnyrabbit]

I think amano shrimp will help.

[byron]

I had the same problem and shrimps helped me solve the majority of it!!

[roadrunner]

So I did some cleanup yesterday, changed about 30% water, threw out plants that had the algae attached to it. Dipped rest of the plants in the water with excell for while and I changed my timer from 8 to 6 hours. I will also watch the amount fish food I put in, so I'll see what happens.
I would get amano shrimp, but I'm not sure if it's safe. I have red tail shark that is fair size.

[tang daddy]

Sounds pike your on the right track, aslong as you get a large amano the red tailed shark will leave it alone, my amano is over 2 inches and the rams don't confront him. If the shrimp are too big the fish aren't interested!

[InfraredDream]

Sounds like you're doing the right think. I do have similar issues in one onf my tanks, no snails and shrimps there and I guess too much light. Plus it was a divided tank, so I guess poor circulation could have helped the issue too. So, I rearranged, removed the divider and moved that fish else where, put a few big ramshorns that the betta can't eat and so far so good.
Good luck!!

[roadrunner]

So if I decide to give amano shrimp a try, where is the best place to get them? and how many should I get? thanx