Black brush algae..excess phosphates?

On Sat, 3 Jun 2006 15:14:55 -0500, "Koi-Lo" None wrote:


"Dick" wrote in message
.. .

I had black hair algae in my 75 gallon tank soon after I set it up. I
noticed platies would eat the new strings, but not touch the longer
ones.

My Mickey Mouse platys aren't big algae eaters. Their tank isn't a problem
with the black hair stuff anyway since it's so full of Java moss, wisteria,
duckweed and other plants. In fact they're running out of swimming space.
The worst of the black hair is in the two 55g fancy GF tanks.

I pulled out all plants with the hair,

Geeze,... I'd have nothing left. It's spreading over all the plants,
especially along the edges. :-(

gravel with hair,
cleaned rocks and ornaments, bought more live bearers and Siamese
Algae Eaters, and hoped.

Did the SAE actually eat the stuff?

I did something right. Over 3 years later
and now I have 5 tanks of various sizes and no Black Hair Algae.

dick

Can't say I know who was doing what. None of the fish were interested
in the long hair, that is why I pulled and cleaned. I did see the
live bearers eating the new growth, mollies and platies.

By the way, the gravel that I removed Ispread on newspapers in the sun
and bleached it with sun rays. I then returned it to the tank.

Perhaps the replacement plants (see other plant post) balanced the
tank better.

dick