Hair Algae Control Question

fishnutz27 · 10/11/2007, 03:53 PM

I'm sure this has been answered about 100 times by Waterkeeper or one of the other entertaining experts on here but unfortunately the search feature is broken so everyone gets to hear the same newbie question again. Here goes....

Tank has been up almost 5 weeks. 1 week pure livesand, 4 weeks with live rock. Had a very short cycle kick started by a dead shrimp.

Current parameters:
34 Gallon Tank
40 lbs live rock
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ammonia: 0
Gravity: 1.024
PH: 8.2-8.4 (depending on time of day)

We went thru the cyano and brown algae stages and are currently having a fairly controlled green hair algae outbreak which I know is perfectly normal. When the green started showing up I started added some clean up crew.

12 Astrea Snails
6 Cerith Snails
5 Scarlet Hermits
2 Peppermint Shrimp (have some aptasia running around)
10 Micro Stars
1/4 lb of Chaeto in the fuge
UV sterilizer turned on

I just added everyone over the past three days. Is there anything else I should be doing to quickly get past this stage? I know the snails will eat the micro version of the hair algae but I'm not sure how to get the long strands mowed down. Yes, I am already using RO/DI water. ;-)

Thanks,

Tom

cutegecko3 · 10/11/2007, 04:09 PM

try some granulated ferric hydroxide.you didnt say what your phosphate levels are but im pretty sure thats it.

ljosh · 10/11/2007, 04:14 PM

Remove the long stuff by hand. This will remove the phosphates bound in the algae from your system better then having a clean up crew eating it and releasing some of it back into the water. I also second the phosban reactor.

fishnutz27 · 10/11/2007, 04:52 PM

Thanks guys. Do you need to get a reactor or can you just get a bag of phosphate remover similar to the bags of carbon? I have a chamber in my fuge to put one in but I'd prefer to not purchase another piece of equipment if not necessary.

pmartin727 · 10/11/2007, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ljosh
Remove the long stuff by hand. This will remove the phosphates bound in the algae from your system better then having a clean up crew eating it and releasing some of it back into the water. I also second the phosban reactor.

Agreed this is the best .....A sea hare will keep it in control though

voodude · 10/11/2007, 05:17 PM

I have a Phosban150 in the 90G I have and am using a media bag in the 30G which is just a gravity flow ... both are working/help .. but it still comes around ... based on a previous RC thread, I put on a rubber glove (one of those Doctor types that come in boxes of 50) and pull off what I can.. one pinch at a time, and dunk in a bucket to rinse the stuff off) ... this seems to help ... but the best I had was a tang ( that is no longer with us..Cyanide I think)) .. but he ate it good ...without the fish thing, slowly pulling it off should work .. Good Luck ..

vickreyreef · 10/11/2007, 08:23 PM

not always....my sea hare went to the back of the tank never to be seen again through the forest of HA

traderdan · 10/11/2007, 10:29 PM

my sea hare ate through my hair algae in about three days, but he died about 4 months after that and it seemed to crash my tank. I don't think I would keep another one in there.

jesslovesfish · 10/12/2007, 11:44 AM

I had a really similar problem, with a tank about the same age. Hair algae everywhere. It was gone within 4 days. How?

manual eradication of about 1/2 of it
2 turbo snails
1 lawnmower blenny

I really think the turbos could have done it on their own, but I love blennies

Shagsbeard · 10/12/2007, 11:56 AM

Borrowing a hare is a much better plan than trying to keep one. Turbo's can help, but mine haven't really caught on that the algae is for them to eat.

I'm going to give the blenny a try too.

10/11/2007, 03:53 PM	#1
fishnutz27 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 38	Hair Algae Control Question I'm sure this has been answered about 100 times by Waterkeeper or one of the other entertaining experts on here but unfortunately the search feature is broken so everyone gets to hear the same newbie question again. Here goes.... Tank has been up almost 5 weeks. 1 week pure livesand, 4 weeks with live rock. Had a very short cycle kick started by a dead shrimp. Current parameters: 34 Gallon Tank 40 lbs live rock Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: 0 Ammonia: 0 Gravity: 1.024 PH: 8.2-8.4 (depending on time of day) We went thru the cyano and brown algae stages and are currently having a fairly controlled green hair algae outbreak which I know is perfectly normal. When the green started showing up I started added some clean up crew. 12 Astrea Snails 6 Cerith Snails 5 Scarlet Hermits 2 Peppermint Shrimp (have some aptasia running around) 10 Micro Stars 1/4 lb of Chaeto in the fuge UV sterilizer turned on I just added everyone over the past three days. Is there anything else I should be doing to quickly get past this stage? I know the snails will eat the micro version of the hair algae but I'm not sure how to get the long strands mowed down. Yes, I am already using RO/DI water. ;-) Thanks, Tom

10/11/2007, 05:17 PM	#6
voodude Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Basking Ridge, NJ Posts: 183	I have a Phosban150 in the 90G I have and am using a media bag in the 30G which is just a gravity flow ... both are working/help .. but it still comes around ... based on a previous RC thread, I put on a rubber glove (one of those Doctor types that come in boxes of 50) and pull off what I can.. one pinch at a time, and dunk in a bucket to rinse the stuff off) ... this seems to help ... but the best I had was a tang ( that is no longer with us..Cyanide I think)) .. but he ate it good ...without the fish thing, slowly pulling it off should work .. Good Luck .. __________________ You can't kiss a ducks' butt... without gettin' feathers in your mouth ---The Tao Texas Ching--- Current Tank Info: 90gal Oceanic reef,LPS,soft,inverts- 30G FOWLR (or something like it!)

10/11/2007, 04:09 PM	#2
cutegecko3 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Springdale, AR Posts: 974	try some granulated ferric hydroxide.you didnt say what your phosphate levels are but im pretty sure thats it.

10/11/2007, 04:14 PM	#3
ljosh Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 354	Remove the long stuff by hand. This will remove the phosphates bound in the algae from your system better then having a clean up crew eating it and releasing some of it back into the water. I also second the phosban reactor.

10/11/2007, 04:52 PM	#4
fishnutz27 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 38	Thanks guys. Do you need to get a reactor or can you just get a bag of phosphate remover similar to the bags of carbon? I have a chamber in my fuge to put one in but I'd prefer to not purchase another piece of equipment if not necessary.

10/11/2007, 08:23 PM	#7
vickreyreef Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Nova Posts: 331	not always....my sea hare went to the back of the tank never to be seen again through the forest of HA

10/11/2007, 10:29 PM	#8
traderdan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Portage, IN Posts: 306	my sea hare ate through my hair algae in about three days, but he died about 4 months after that and it seemed to crash my tank. I don't think I would keep another one in there.

10/12/2007, 11:44 AM	#9
jesslovesfish Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Washington, DC Posts: 34	I had a really similar problem, with a tank about the same age. Hair algae everywhere. It was gone within 4 days. How? manual eradication of about 1/2 of it 2 turbo snails 1 lawnmower blenny I really think the turbos could have done it on their own, but I love blennies

10/12/2007, 11:56 AM	#10
Shagsbeard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Morro Bay, CA Posts: 2,143	Borrowing a hare is a much better plan than trying to keep one. Turbo's can help, but mine haven't really caught on that the algae is for them to eat. I'm going to give the blenny a try too.