Solution for long hair algae

[EriksFish315]

Seems like there's no sure fire way to eradicate the algae just tips to kick it back and get rid of it slowly.

[TigerBarbs]

I think I'll try cutting back on light and feedings and getting an emerald crab. Maybe an algae scrubber too. But, ive gotta do lots of research on one.

[EriksFish315]

What's an algae scrubber?

[TigerBarbs]

From what I saw on google it's a screen that grows a bunch of algae which stops algae growth in the show tank. It's usually in a sump. Sounds like a good idea but I'm not sure how big it would have to be to be effective

[Tmyboy]

+1 on stop using tap water....too much of a pain. Totally not worth it.

...and what do you have in there that you need 12hrs of light?? I think that's way too long. I have mh with t5 actinics and run the mh only 6.5hrs with actinics on 1hr before and after the mh.

How many watts of light are you running? Type?

[TigerBarbs]

I'm using 96w of t5HO 2 10000k and 2 actinics. Cutting back to 9 hrs. Im wanting to get my zoas to grow quick but it's not worth algae problems.

[EriksFish315]

Exactly your coral with get enough light with 8 hours.

[TigerBarbs]

Wont a slug eat it up too?

[mr_X]

A sea hare may eat it, but then it will quickly starve to death after it's gone. You best have a fellow reefer close by with a hair algae problem you can pass it to.

[EriksFish315]

Very sorry to keep at this topic. But to say nip it in the bud doing two water changes a week after scrapping the glass should just about nip this problematic algae in the bud. My problem is mainly the glass my snails devoured the stuff on the rocks and they have been cleen for a week or so but they don't touch the glass much.

[Nu-Nu the eel]

I had the same problem. I use ro water, my lights are on the right amount of time, so i was confused. People say dont get a fish to do a job, ok dont get a fish. Get a turbo snail. These things are tanks and will eat all of your hair algea. I bought 1 and all of my hair algea was gone the next day

[EriksFish315]

I call bull lol but ill go get two turbo snails I have Astra now and there slow. How much faster are turbo snails? Lol I figured by correcting the problem and keeping it under control I would be doing the right thing.

[FTMMWS]

Originally Posted by mr_X

Yeah that.
Also, Google "raising magnesium levels to kill Bryopsis".
Another thing you can do is implement a refugium or a turf scrubber.

This is the way to go IMO and IME...Its all i run,going on 3 years now

[spoonman]

I had a pretty bad case of hair algae and a lawnmower blenny killed it in a week. But, then you have to supplement thier diet after that. I give them algae sheets.

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Originally Posted by EriksFish315

I call bull lol but ill go get two turbo snails I have Astra now and there slow. How much faster are turbo snails? Lol I figured by correcting the problem and keeping it under control I would be doing the right thing.

I dont know about other tyrbo snails, but mine goes pretty fast and eats like a machine. Haha

[FTMMWS]

The only problems i see with getting animals that eat the algae is ,they just turn around and release it back into the water ,,,don't they??
I mean if something eats only algae ,then what comes out....Not sure if its a solution to the issue,,a band-aid maybe,,but in a few months i wonder if you'll be battling it again,,,just curious,,i never had blennies or snails or a CUC..

[EriksFish315]

Not really true if your CUC only eats algae they will be eating it befoe you can see it keeping it under control.

[Cheechako]

I've been battling hair algae for about 10 months now. Its a mystery how its growing. I use only RO/DI water and tried cutting the time my LED lights are on. I only feed every other day.

Tried an emerald crab ( munched on everything BUT the hair algae), turbo snails ( they just stayed on the glass), and chemical warfare with Algaefix (killed my chaeto in the sump).

Finally got a sea hare and the thing went to work right away. Within days my hair algae was gone. Now I'm bringing algae-covered rocks up from the sump since its mostly gone from the display tank.

Sea Hare for the win.

[EriksFish315]

Yeah but a sea hare only eats algae once your algaes gone what will the sea hare be eating?

[EriksFish315]

Do you think if the next time I do a water change I wipe and take out as much more of this algae as possible at would control it further my manually removing it?