Staghorn Algae Problem

[DUHK]

I currently have a 10 gallon tank with 26 watts of compact flourescent. It's been about 3 weeks since I've added my hairgrass and HC into the tank. I have a DIY Yeast CO2 system and for the past couple of days I have noticed that my hairgrass has been getting kind of yellow.

I was wondering if I were to start dosing my NPK and Traces, will that reduce the amount of algae I have and revive my hairgrass? I have Eco-Complete as the substrate. I am new, but I am guessing the nutrients from the substrate is now no longer sufficient for the hairgrass. Am I correct?

I have my lights on for 9 hrs per day. Please let me know if you have any suggestions on how I can reduce my algae problem and revive my plants.

[Mzungu]

You should probably start dosing ferts, which will help the hairgrass, but I'm not sure if it will help with your algae problem, since I'm not sure how bad it is.

From where did you get the hairgrass? Was it from another hobbyist, or did you order it online?

Are you sure it's staghorn algae? Staghorn can look pretty similar to hair algae. Remove some and rub it between your fingers. Staghorn algae feels slimy - hair algae does not.

Your EcoComplete should still be fine, but if you want to add some substrate ferts, it will not hurt. I've found that the older the EcoComplete, the better. Actually, the tank I have with EcoComplete is about 5 years old, so I truthfully don't remember how long it retain nutrients! :)

[Roujin]

I do about 1ml of Flourish twice a week and my Dwarf Hairgrass are doing great in my 10g. I did split up them up from a bunch into tiny stalks and replant them.

[Somefishguy]

Take a look at this site for a reference. Looks like low CO2 and imbalance of nutrients

http://www.gwapa.org/articles/algae/#staghorn

[DUHK]

Thank you guys! I will start replanting the hairgrass once they start looking up

[Mzungu]

From where did you get the hairgrass? Was it from another hobbyist, or did you order it online?

?

[Complexity]

Staghorn algae is usually a sign of poor water quality. This may be due to the hairgrass dying which creates ammonia in the tank. That, in turn, attracts staghorn algae.

To remedy the situation you need to feed the plants to keep them healthy by fertilizing them. Additionally, you need to perform regular water changes, generally a minimum of 50% every week. Remember, staghorn algae is caused by ammonia, not fertilizer. Many people become afraid to add ferts to a tank with algae, thinking it would cause more algae, but that's not the case. It is frequently the dying plants that causes the algae. Take good care of your plants then fixes the problem which means fertilizing them.

Another issue generally associated with staghorn algae is stagnant water. Make sure you have adequate filtration and water flow in the tank. If not, then increase filtration.

If you have hair algae; however, that's different. Frequently, hair algae is due to excess lighting. Cut back on your photo period to 7 hours and use either Excel or H2O2 to kill existing algae. Many fish will eat the algae once its dead.

Keep one thing in mind with a planted tank: The goal is to keep the plants healthy. By doing so, you will be fighting algae. Many people will focus on the algae to the point of causing harm to the plants which will, in turn, feed the algae. Keep your focus on the health of the plants. A tank full of healthy, actively growing plants is your best remedy against algae.