I have tried almost anything to get rid of this hair algea....I even took each rock out of the tank and picked it off....bought new lights (PC's 2x65w 10,000k and 2 03's) It came back and worse this time.... If anyone can help please send me a message.
Help before I give Up....Hair Algea BAD
- Thread starter rthoman
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
JohnNLuc
Aquarium Advice Freak
Hair Algae just like any nussiance algea is caused from extra nutrients in your water such as phosphates. What type of water are you using right now tap, ro, ro/di? I would also try something such as phosban or another product which when put in a high flow area of the tank can absorb phosphates and silicates
need more info. the more the better.
Some questions that come to mind.
Do you use RO water?
have you checked your phosphate levels?
how often do you feed? Do you over feed?
What type of clean up crew do you have?
How long do you run your lights for?
Some questions that come to mind.
Do you use RO water?
have you checked your phosphate levels?
how often do you feed? Do you over feed?
What type of clean up crew do you have?
How long do you run your lights for?
ReefGuru
Aquarium Advice Activist
Most hair algae growth is supported by excessive phosphates. Start dosing kalkwasser at night, which will bring your pH up to 8.6, and that will result in PO4 percipitation. After a couple of weeks, you should be completly done. Make sure to slowly prune it back, because you might get a total crash of algal growth after the PO4 goes down. Starve them, prune them, and win.
Andrej
Andrej
electrikat
Aquarium Advice Addict
Do you have enough algae eaters? Tangs, blennies, gobies, crabs? I had a real bad algae problem until we got the yellow tang, then we didn't add algae for him to eat untill he had taken care of all the algae in the tank.
I started using RO when the problem first began, yellow tang does not touch it, and I have cut back the time my lights are on. Also using a phos-X. My clean up crew doesn't seem to be even touching the stuff, turbos, blue legs...I will be going to that fish place tomorrow, anything I should pick up? Also I do not have a protien skimmer, would that help in this situation?
Salttanker
Aquarium Advice Addict
My Foxface loves that ugly algae. He will eat most any kind. My crab does a pretty good job as well.
You definitely want a protein skimmer! This will help you tremendously. Also, lack of water flow could be causing it too. What are you using for powerheads/pumps? Might be dead spots in there. Don't give up. We have all been there from one time to another. It's part of this hobby.
Mike
You definitely want a protein skimmer! This will help you tremendously. Also, lack of water flow could be causing it too. What are you using for powerheads/pumps? Might be dead spots in there. Don't give up. We have all been there from one time to another. It's part of this hobby.
Mike
I have 2 powerheads on each end of the tank, I actually turned them off. I thought I read somewhere that hair algea thrives in high currents....and this stuff is alll over, so my whole tank must be a dead spot....
Salttanker
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would leave them on. Filtration is what keeps my algae down to a minimum. This will definitely give you dead spots in the tank.
Mike
Mike
Salttanker
Aquarium Advice Addict
The magnum will not be enough flow by itself. You need more circulation in there. Algae was a problem for me until I added more ph's. I have 4: 2 MJ1200's, and 2 RIO 600 pumps. You will want at least 10x the gallons for proper flow. It is ironic that you got algae after adding the pc's. Most of us had the same problem here.
Mike
Mike
nodoubt471
Aquarium Advice Freak
haha if hair algae thrives in areas of low flow, i have some hair algae that needs its head (or should i say spores?) examined!! i have hair algae that grows directly where my PH blows 8O
i found that adding macro algae (cheato, as it doesnt go sexual) solved my problem. since i couldnt pinpoint the food source for the hair algae, i thought i might as well feed macro instead of unsightly algae.
also try the skimmer, they are good for nutrient export which the algae thrives on. mithrax crabs (aka emerald crabs) are also rumored to be good for eating hair algae, as are lettuce nudibranches. the problem with the nudis tho is that once the hair algae is gone, htey will die as they are specialized feeders.
try the skimmer and some macro, take it from there.
good luck and dont get discouraged. we have all been there!
i found that adding macro algae (cheato, as it doesnt go sexual) solved my problem. since i couldnt pinpoint the food source for the hair algae, i thought i might as well feed macro instead of unsightly algae.
also try the skimmer, they are good for nutrient export which the algae thrives on. mithrax crabs (aka emerald crabs) are also rumored to be good for eating hair algae, as are lettuce nudibranches. the problem with the nudis tho is that once the hair algae is gone, htey will die as they are specialized feeders.
try the skimmer and some macro, take it from there.
good luck and dont get discouraged. we have all been there!
saltymarine
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
The only time I have ever had problems with hair algea is when I use tap water. Luckily about 4 months ago I found a local water supply store about 5 miles away that has a huge RO/DI unit. About a month after switching to RO/DI and doing several water changes I haven't even seen a trace of hair algea.
Gatorfreak
Aquarium Advice FINatic
My astrea snails have worked wonders on my hair algae. I have 10 of them in a 90 gal and they've made a significant impact.
Well I took a trip down to that fish place, I picked up a Sea Clone skimmer as it was all I could afford, and some hermits. This stuff is everywhere....on everything. I don't have the hours to pick it all off by hand I hope it will soon be gone! I haven't seen any macro avalible, where can I get some?
Salttanker
Aquarium Advice Addict
Good for you. A lot of people have mixed reactions about the Seaclone, but to be honest with you, it works awesome in a sump. You just have to finagle the airline to get it just right. Good luck!
Mike
Mike
nodoubt471
Aquarium Advice Freak
people sell it on ebay for cheap, it will come like in a sandwich bag, usually runs like 7 or 8 bucks.
i would really reccommend getting cheato, it may be rather unnattractive, but just stuff it in your sump and let it do its job. works great at getting rid of nitrates and phosphates, and wont go sexual! no pruning nessescary.
i would really reccommend getting cheato, it may be rather unnattractive, but just stuff it in your sump and let it do its job. works great at getting rid of nitrates and phosphates, and wont go sexual! no pruning nessescary.
snapcrackler
Aquarium Advice Addict
a hang-on refugium with a light on top of it works nice for macros. I even use a HOB with a clear top and a light and stuffed it with chaetomorpha on one of my SW tanks. (Aquaclear 500) kind of weird but works.
steve r
Aquarium Advice FINatic
is your tank in any sort of sunlight? i dont know your situation but i can tell you what i have and it stopped my bad algae.
skimmer. the best you can afford
more flow. my tank has about 30-40 times per hour turnover with the skimmer and HOB fuge
cleaner crew. astrea snails work awesome and an emerals crab was a real find. he eats a ton of algae
make sure your tank is not getting any sunlight. even diffused. this was my biggest problem
phosphates. get a test kit, find your source and eliminate it. i used a sponge to absorb any i might have had and use a a couple chunks of the filter type in variuos places to make sure it is gone.
cut back light a little bit. i run actnincs for 12 hours and daylights for 8. i noticde decresing the 10,000k helped out.
i also noticed i had a CF bulb in lamp near the tank we used in the living room. this was a 2700K bulb. not good for keeping algae in check. i move the lamp
like i said, this is just the steps i have taken to stop or prevent any bad algae. i may be wrong on some of the things. i am a rookie to this "sport"
steve r
skimmer. the best you can afford
more flow. my tank has about 30-40 times per hour turnover with the skimmer and HOB fuge
cleaner crew. astrea snails work awesome and an emerals crab was a real find. he eats a ton of algae
make sure your tank is not getting any sunlight. even diffused. this was my biggest problem
phosphates. get a test kit, find your source and eliminate it. i used a sponge to absorb any i might have had and use a a couple chunks of the filter type in variuos places to make sure it is gone.
cut back light a little bit. i run actnincs for 12 hours and daylights for 8. i noticde decresing the 10,000k helped out.
i also noticed i had a CF bulb in lamp near the tank we used in the living room. this was a 2700K bulb. not good for keeping algae in check. i move the lamp
like i said, this is just the steps i have taken to stop or prevent any bad algae. i may be wrong on some of the things. i am a rookie to this "sport"
steve r
Similar threads
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Nitrates up, pH and total alkalinity down
- Latest: Airborne 82nd