Can I stimulate hair algea

[mooman]

When I set up my 10g tank I started to get hair algea growing on side and on rocks that were under the light. I kinda wanted the tank to have that overgrown with hair algea look to it. Now the hair algea is being replaced by brown and green algea (don't want that). Anyway to cater to the hair algea specifically?

 

[aspen]

excess iron is said to encourage hair algae. but when you have different types, i believe that one will inhibit another, the same way plant are said to do this (alleopathically). you may try boosting different nutrients to see which helps or inhibits the hair or other types you have in there. with simple plants like algae the effects of doing the right/wrong thing are pretty swift.

rick

 

[ronv]

I think the key to stimulating hair algae is to set up a tank in my fish room. Whatever it takes, I have it in spades!!! LOL.

 

[Fatts]

I agree with everyone else, I think I am raising a hair algea farm here. I resently began to reduce my Phosphates and the hair algea is going away, try adding some phosphates (mine were up to 4 ppm)

 

[tjudy]

Use old flourescent bulbs... IME the reduces wavelengths are ideal for hair algae over higher plants. Phosphates seem to promote hair algae to. You could try using a phosphoric acid pH reducer....

 

[Fatts]

Another good way to raise phosphates is to use "Proper PH" it is a phosphate buffer. I learned that the hard way as I was setting up my 240.