Hair algae battle

[freshmaker]

For several months now I've been battling hair algae. I just don't know how to get rid of it. My corals are growing great, everyone is happy (even the hair algae).

Does anyone know of an efficient way of controlling this? I have my water tested often at the LFS and everything always comes out OK.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
:x

 

[michealprater]

Ive heard lettuce nudibranches are great at grazing on hair algae, however I have never had personally experience. I think emerald crabs eat it too. not sure though.

 

[Bearfan]

I just bought 8 ottos to help combat this and they seem to be slowly reducing it.

 

[reefrunner69]

I, too, have a great respect for the abilities of Otocinclus cats for eating hair algae, they cleared up a problem in my wife's FW planted aquarium...years ago.

Freshmaker, tell us more about your system...
Size
inhabitants
filtration
auxillary equip
maintenance
feedings (how often and what)
any other info you can think of.

It isn't that surprizing that your levels arew testing out fine. The algae is using up the nutrients.

 

[freshmaker]

It's a 40 Gal SW with about 60lbs of LR. 2-3 inch crush coral bed. Both soft and stony corals, small clown and a small damsel, 2 shrimp, 2 sand sifter star fish, and a number of crabs (can't really count them). I do a 5gal water change about once every two weeks. I'm running 2 PC (192W total), penguin bio-wheel without the weels or the carbon filters (used mostly for water movement) and a lee's protein skimmer.
I feed frozen brine shrimp about once a week. I just use one small cube at a time. I hand feed most all the corals and my fish.

I really hope someone has a solution out there.

 

[reefrunner69]

2-3 inch crush coral bed.

Is that sand or a larger grain crushed coral?

lee's protein skimmer.

I would recommend a larger/better skimmer

I feed frozen brine shrimp about once a week.

Frozen brine is packed with PO4

Do you use RO/DI water?

 

[michealprater]

Quote:

lee's protein skimmer.



I would recommend a larger/better skimmer

I agree, a skimmer will help alot.

 

[troutman11111]

i have a different opinon, lighting to much blue. the only facts i have are my 30 gal had this same problem. i got rid of my marine glow 20,000k bulb, and replaced it with a 10,000 k white. in two weeks you could see the change. in 1 month 75% of it was gone.2months all gone. unfortionatly my blenny died of starvation. some is needed. my exper in 12yrs tells me to much blue will bite you in end. if you have 03 lights or other ones take them off for awhile. 2 weeks and see if there is a change. 8)

 

[freshmaker]

Thanks for the advice. I am currently running a 7100k blue and a 6700k white. I'll dump the 6700 white and pick up a 10,000k white. Would you suggest getting rid of the 7100k blue and going with more of a 50/50 or stick with the blue?

 

[michealprater]

I would warn against getting rid of too much of your blue light. Bacteria like cyano (aka red slime algae)doesnt grow well in a tank with a good blue spectrum. I'm not saying you would for sure have a slime prob if you removed the lights, but it would increase the chance.

 

[troutman11111]

i would keep the 7100k on and try the 10,000k super daylight and see if there is a change in a week. red slime alga is nothing to get rid of. i can say i have mastered getting rid of that red stuff in a matter of days. IMO. if you still have that problem without seeing any change in a week, then remove the 7100k blue for a week and check that out. you can always put it back on later. 8)

i put no chems in my reef tank ever.

 

[loganj]

OK...if I'm not mistaken, going from a 6700k to a 10000k is going to increase the amount of blue light. My understanding is that as you go up in kelvin temp, you increase the blue. Also, the 7100k is not a true actinic. According to what I have read, true actinic has a spectral peak at about 420 nanometers where the 7100k's are just bulbs with a blue tint. How much difference this makes for our uses, I don't really know. I think I'd be tempted to cut back feeding some, crank up the skimmer if you can, and just run the 6700 for a few days. JMHO.
Logan J

 

[freshmaker]

I've cut the 6700k blue light off as of yesterday. the 7100k is acutally a daylight bulb with a hint of yellow light. I will be picking up a 10000k which is more of a pure white light. We'll see if any of this works. I had the water tested again and everything is coming out clean. I'm also thinking about doing a water change once a week. I think someone asked about the water I use. I buy both the fresh for toping off and salt for water changes at my LFS.

 

[loganj]

Although your eyes may not perceive it, the 10000k has more blue light in it than either the 6700k or the 7100k.
Logan J

 

[troutman11111]

i agree with the blue light , but the higher white 10,000k worked for me. i'm just giving my opinion. i had 1 96watt pc and 1 20,000k marineglow when i had this same problem. when i put on the 10,000k super daylight in 1 week i could see the change. i'm not twisting anyones arm, just saying this worked for me. has anyone else tried this?

 

[loganj]

i'm not twisting anyones arm, just saying this worked for me. has anyone else tried this?

Me either...if I sounded pushy I certainly apologize. I see where you went from a 20000k to a 10000k which is less blue spectrum. What I'm not getting is going from a 6700k to a 10000k which is adding more blue. What am I missing?
Logan J

 

[michealprater]

Lower the number in "k", the more yellow light. The higher is more blue light.

 

[troutman11111]

the 10,000k hi intensity purified super daylight peaks at 430 at a green/blue level. the o3 is right at 420 but that is blue period. the 2 96watt pc's are enough as they are, on examenation of the pc lights one could see that 1side is50% daylight and the other is a ultra actinic peaking at 460. so having two times the 460 blue is ok, but no more blue. this 10,oook bulb has more white/green than blue. other 10,oook bulbs just are not the same, they emit more blue, then green. the lower k is more yellow is not the case on all bulbs manufactured today.i wish i can find my fact finding sheet to past here, but i can not. i just know from personal exper also. walt. one more thing for freshmaker, what is your phos and silica readings?

 

[troutman11111]

freshmaker, any change in your tank yet?

 

[michealprater]

Also, I would like to see if anyone has any suggestions for beating hair algae other than lighting? Maybe add some caulpera.