Hair algae taking over tank!!!

[Hutchball]

Hi there. I've had a marine tank running for about 3 months now. It's a Red Sea Max 130.

I'm having this constant battle with hair algae!

I don't think I'm over feeding the fish, maybe even under feeding as they are always hungry when I approach the tank.

I have a big sock of phosphate killer in the rear sump next to the skimmer. I thought this would help but not really made a difference.

I've noticed the hair algae is brownish and not green. Does this indicate is us actually dying?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks very much.

 

[loveconvicts]

I have the same issue but can't help sorry. Im following!

 

[Hutchball]

Is it very similar? Mine seems to like certain rocks but once it has them, it slowly moves onto the uncovered rocks.

 

[carey]

I have the same issue. What are your water parameters? Phosphate level? I have the high phosphate issue myself with lots of hair algae. I recently got a Bali sea hare who is supposed to munch it all away. LOL But I still need to fix the problem causing it...

Following as well.

 

[loveconvicts]

Yeah it seems to like the lower rocks and is starting to spread up the formation! And water changes don't help but I don't know what causes this algae.

 

[Hutchball]

My water is more or less spot on. 0 Nitrates etc.

I got a phosphate test kit which showed a little phosphate but I read this can be misleading as the algae 'eats' it so you can have high phosphates but the tests show low as its already been munched!

It was a second hand tank and i didn't clean the substrate when I first set it up thinking I could save time with the maturing. It did help. Then I realised I had no idea what would be lurking in there. So over the past two weeks I've been cleaning it using a substrate filter tube, got loads of nasty stuff out. I thought I had solved it but its still coming.

My Filter pads smell very 'fishy' sometimes. Possibly a silly thing to worry about as its a tank full of fish!!

I even removed rocks and cleaned them with a tooth brush, but after say, four days, its back with a vengeance!!

 

[carey]

How high were your phosphates? I'm still at 1.0 ppm and I've been PWC my heart out. Still a ton of hair algae.

Do you use ro water is another popular question. Have you tested your water source? One LFS near me sold me RO water with phosphate level of .5 and my tap puts out 1.0 ppm.

 

[ronk]

R u using tap water?

 

[Hutchball]

Thats one thing I havent checked. I always use Ro water from one of two fish shops near me.

I dont know how good their water is though. How do I check?

 

[carey]

Just use your test kit. I always check my ro now if its a new source.

 

[Hutchball]

Oh ha ha. Yes very good. If the water is a problem though, I guess there are few solutions. Such as telling them, going somewhere else, or buying a RO unit for myself.

 

[Hutchball]

I have some in a container downstairs. I will test it soon.

 

[ronk]

Yeah. In the long run getting your own unit is probably cheaper and better since you know your source. Hair algae is common when using tap water but it all depends on parameters. Some tap water may not have as many impurities in it.

 

[carey]

I'm currently saving up for a ro/di unit. They can be had on ebay for about $100 US.

 

[Hutchball]

Where would you put it? Can these things attach to taps for use overnight?

 

[carey]

I plan on hooking mine up in the garage next to the hot water heater. That way the water lines and drain are all close by. I have no room under my kitchen sink or in my laundry room

 

[Jnam]

Hair algae is always a pest I think it is a requirement at the 3 month mark its like a Reef gods test of your commitment to the hobby. I passed the test and this is how I did it.
1. Granular Ferric Oxcide GFO but I used it in a DIY reactor
2. Manual removal of the algea as much as you can at a time while doing a water change. Shut off all of your pumps and pull off tha algae and suck it out with a siphon.
3. RODI water is a must. Dont skimp on it get a unit for your self especially if you have a larger tank it will pay for it self in no time just in gas for trips to the LFS
4. Dont overfeed, if you think you arent overfeeding you probably still are overfeeding.
5 test your water in the morning before the lights come on the day after you clean out as much algea as you can. This will give you a better reading on phosphate levels as the GHA hasnt had time to consume what is in the water column
6 be persistent
7 Natural algae eaters are helpful but you must fix the base issue, seahares and urchins are both great at removal.
8 try to stay away from chemical herbicides
9 set up a fuge and run a macro, any algae that you can grow to outcompete the GHA for nutrients is a great way to starve out the GHA.

 

[nf37]

How long are you keeping your lights on? Try cutting back on lighting a few hours. Keeping your lights on for 4-6 hours a day for a few days to a week won't hurt anything in the tank.

Yeah, hair algae is a pain and can come from a number of things though. You have to find what's feeding it or it WILL take over. Until then, keep on picking lol.

 

[Jabibi]

Check ur calcium levels. By raising ur calcium level it kills the hair algae. Also check ur phosphate levels. They sell a product that is concentrated calcium that u put on it and it kills the hair algae u just have to be careful not to get it on the corals

 

[Jnam]

calcium? magnesium works if its bryopsis and not GHA.