Hair algea???

[Soccerdude]

This stuff is spreading like wild fire!! My water has remained perfect even before the stuff was growing. Is there any fish that can productively keep it at bay?

 

[obscurereef]

Did you test phosphates? What's your source water? Maybe there is too much light or extra sunlight getting in?

 

[Animal-Chin]

I just got a foxface and it never stops eating algae.

 

[obscurereef]

Do you have corals, and if so does it nip at them? btw sorry for getting off topic here

 

[Soccerdude]

My phosphates are 0... I'm guessing it's because I upgraded my lights last month. And would a small foxface fit in a 46g??

 

[obscurereef]

It might be the increase of light. Possibly cut down an hour or so, but gradually (if you have corals). Still seems like there might be another problem as a huge hair algae break isn't usually just from an increase of light. It might be from your source water . And a foxface will grow up to 8" (min. tank is 70 gallon). There is controversy about large fish like blue tangs going into small tanks too, but IMO the foxface is too large for that aquarium, even if it's a young fish. There's other fish that eat hair algae like the lawnmower blenny, turbo snails, and seahares. It's good that you're trying to find the source of the problem though.

 

[Soccerdude]

Thanks

 

[danbstrong]

Thanks

Imo you have nutrient from somewhere hair algae wont grow without nutrients regardless of light

 

[danbstrong]

Imo you have nutrient from somewhere hair algae wont grow without nutrients regardless of light

Wouldn reccommend buying a fish just for hair algae id try find source of issue first but ya i think foxface like the hair algae and a seahare will devour it

 

[bavass]

Your phosphates are 0 because the algae is consuming it. Treat the tank as if the phosphates and nitrates were high and the algae will begin to disappear. What is the tds on your fresh water?

 

[Soccerdude]

I do all my water changes with natural sea water from offshore because I live in south Florida. And the algae is using the nitrates which is why it test 0. My nitrates are still truly 0. This is the same effect a refugium has. The macro algae consumes the nitrates which build up in the plant and then as pieces are removed.. Out go the nitrates. That's what I concluded from a few hours
of research. I have narrowed my problem down to light.

 

[bavass]

Its not the same thing. Macro algae will consume the nutrients faster than micro causing the micro to die off. You need a way to remove the nutrients other than the use of hair algae if you want it to stop growing. Unless you are using a cheap brand or the bulbs are old thats not the problem. At the moment you are using hair algae to reduce the nutrients to remove the hair algae. Thats why its growing "like wildfire"

 

[Soccerdude]

I guess it's my bulbs then

 

[danbstrong]

I guess it's my bulbs then

Hair algae wont grow without nutrients regardless of light if theres hair algae theres nutrients

 

[melosu58]

A good battle plan

FantasyReef Databases-Viewing item "10 Step Plan for Nuisance Algae Control"

 

[Soccerdude]

Hair algae wont grow without nutrients regardless of light if theres hair algae theres nutrients

Then if I'm testing 0 nitrate... Then the algae should die from lack of nutrients.

 

[danbstrong]

Then if I'm testing 0 nitrate... Then the algae should die from lack of nutrients.

Your testing 0 because the algae is consuming it my reccommendation is pull as much off by hand being careful not to let loose strands fall just keep harvesting it as you pull it out you essentually are pulling out nutrients while doin this cut back on feeding as well could be nitrate could be phosphate but you cant test for these with algae present because the algae is containing it this is why it wont register in the water column good luck but this is a winnable battle persistance is key also to help you buy a seahare hair algae is its main diet it will devour it

 

[Hutchball]

My tank was about six months old when I got a bad case of green hair algae. I tried many things to fix it and I finally won. Here is my opinion.

I think live rock 'dies off' after a while after being introduced into the home tank. This in turn releases nutrients into the tank and any hair algae spores come to life.

I didn't have any luck buying specific creatures to consume it. All failed. I tried turbos, emerald crabs and an algea blenny. - no luck.

I managed to control it with the following attack.

Don't over feed. If you use frozen food, rinse it with ro or let it thaw onto a paper towel.

Days without light

But most of all.... Pull it out! Get as much out as you can. Use a tooth brush. I used an electric toothbrush! Then use a net to capture most of the algae floating round. Take the rocks out if you can and scrub them. I know it sounds extreme but you will do it in the end anyway.

I believe you have to physically remove it to get it out the system. It will just keep feeding itself.

I hope this helps.

 

[jumbaaa]

I am having a similar problem, Once you take care of the phosphate problem, do you still have the hair algae or will it die out and break down on its own?

 

[danbstrong]

I am having a similar problem, Once you take care of the phosphate problem, do you still have the hair algae or will it die out and break down on its own?

Itll will go away on its own if no phosphates or nitrates are being introduced but imo you should manually remove as much as possible the problem being as it dies off it will release nutrients contained feeding the other hair algae making the process take alot longer but by removing as much as possible manually youll be removing those nutrients from the system