I have alot of cynaobacteria (black hair algae). I use the prescribed dosages of Maracen 2 - about one week. I took out the carbon from the filter before starting the medicine. At the end of the medicine, directions say to do about a 1/3 water change. I did that. Unfortunately the black hair algae was almost untouched. I got to thinking and I use purigen in my canister. Could that have blocked the Maracen 2? If you don't think so, what do you all think prevented the Maracen from working?
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I can't find any info on the contents of Aquatic Bloom, except that NPK (Nitrate-Phosphate-Potassium) levels are 17-8-22. That's a little off from the recommendation I know from advanced aquascapers. The recommendation is a 10-2-10 ratio. I also don't know how much iron this fertilizer has.
Algae can do well with any pH that you could keep fish. Also, algae doesn't just love phosphates, it loves any macronutrient that is in excess. Different algae grow better with different macronutrients. The key is to achieve a balance of nutrients so that your plants thrive and leave nothing for algae to feed on.
Cut back on your fertilizer dosing. I like the Seachem line of fertilizers. For a low-tech tank you might only need Flourish. Follow the dose recommended on the bottle.
I have been using Aquatic Bloom by SunGrow; I think I bought it from Aquarium Coop. I had a lot of difficulty determining the dosage. The instructions said use 1 drop per gallon every 2 weeks for a month, then reduce frequency. I did not find a dropper in the package so I decided to estimate. I got a 1 ml B-D syringe and did 1 syringe a week. My results have been inconsistent. My plants seem to get stronger but then the algae makes a display. I use RO water to reduce phosphates; I have tested phosphates in my tap water with the API test kit and it is always dark blue-green or 10 ppm. I read that algae loves phosphates. But I read that algae prefers acidic PH which RO water is. Some of this stuff is circular.
Black hair algae is not cyanobacteria and won't be affected by any antibiotics. You can kill it with hydrogen peroxide or Seachem Excel if it's on things you can't remove from the tank. Bleach and oxyclean can be used for dips on rocks and decor that you can remove from the tank. More info: