Shriveled 'shrooms

[aquavelvetman]

I've noticed in the last 10 days or so that the mushrooms in my tank have shriveled up quite a bit. I'm also seeing green hair algae. All my water parameters are normal and I wonder if maybe I've got a bulb going out. I have an Aqualine 10k MH that's been running nine hours a day for a year and my actinic VHO is the same age.

There are mushrooms throughout the tank and they are all acting the same way. I've seen this happen for a day or two in the past but never for a week at a time. The 'shrooms have been proliferating and getting bigger in this tank for 2.5 years. This is the first time I've had any concern about them.

[swegyptian]

Those bulbs are probably getting a bit older, which could lead to the hair algae that you are seeing. Also bear in mind that your parameters might be normal even because the hair algae is using up nutrients to grow. To fight hair algae, just scale back on your feeding. The stuff will go away on its own.

Other than the bulbs getting older, is there anything else that you have changed in your system?

[aquavelvetman]

I did change from Red Sea salt to Kent back in January. I doubt that would be the cause, though.

As for the feeding, I did start using the Spectrum sinking pellets a few months ago. I may have been overly generous because it was so much fun watching the fish go after the pellets.

[swegyptian]

I use mostly spectrum pellets for my fish too. I had a nasty hair algae problem, so I laid off the frozen foods, and now I only feed those every once in a while. I would change the VHO bulb, as it is old enough need replacement, but I'm no expert on the MH.

[hounddog01]

Change the VHO bulb this happens to me also. I do noth have MH but my understanding is change them every 6 to 9 months.