Green hair algae

RGS · 01/01/2009, 01:06 PM

The past three months I have been battling green algae in a 125 gal. aquarium set up at my school. I have increased the water flow, bought a new protein skimmer, and done twenty gallon water changes. I thought it was getting better until I came back to school on Tuesday and it had exploded again. The maintenance of the aquarium is new to me, but I have tried everything that I have read about or was suggested to me.

Please help.....

Here are two blurry pics taken with my camera phone today before I did a water change.

firebirdude · 01/01/2009, 01:16 PM

Holy hell. Looks like the default Window XP wallpaper!!

Might be time for extreme measure on that. Removal of rock and scrubbing it down.

Michael · 01/01/2009, 01:19 PM

raising magnesium levels and or ph can help as well, crickey thats pretty bad, how many fish live in that, theres certainely lots of nutrients in there

E.intheC · 01/01/2009, 01:21 PM

I agree... wow.. mine is bad, but not that bad. are you using RO water? Here's a great link:

http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html

wab · 01/01/2009, 01:32 PM

WOW! If you dont have any mexican turbo snails i would get a bunch i bought 3 big ones (10 bucks) and they took care of my 40 when i hade that stuff. good luck

CHOPRJOHN · 01/01/2009, 01:33 PM

Might try a lawnmower blenny also

mbell09 · 01/01/2009, 01:57 PM

Wow I thought I had algea holy wow lol I have a weed eater for sale lol

bustedbikes · 01/01/2009, 02:08 PM

I feel for you, I am going thew the same thing I have done every thing I mean everything every fish, snail, sea hair, everything, all my tests are great, 6 months of ----- ,I took all the rock out dont know what I am going to do next

RGS · 01/01/2009, 02:09 PM

There are 4 fish- 2 clown, 1 chromis, and 1 royal gramma.

noboddi · 01/01/2009, 02:09 PM

Too many nutrients in the system. How many fish? How often are they fed?

bustedbikes · 01/01/2009, 02:10 PM

Oh, 5 lawn mower bennies did not do anything

Michael · 01/01/2009, 02:12 PM

i have posted some links today on GHA somewhere on here, but anyhow heres another worth a read http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-07/nftt/index.php

RGS · 01/01/2009, 02:15 PM

The fish are fed once a day. There are only 2 people that have access to the food now as it was suggested to me that this might be the problem.

lewismw · 01/01/2009, 03:21 PM

now that you have corrected the water perameters you have to get rid of the algae. for the most part it will not spread if you have good water levels.....but once you have algae problems you need to remove it then maintain good water quality to keep it from returning.
So..... a natural biological method is what i prefer. ...a large clean up crew is a must for all kinds of algae control and natural processing of excess nutrients. For my 125 I keep at least 80 astrea snails, 70 blue leg hermits, 50 red leg or zebra hermits. You should definately see a reduction if you allow the natural animals of the reef work while you maintain water quality to prevent the return of any hairy algae.

woodiecrafts · 01/01/2009, 04:32 PM

You will need to help the clean up crew as well in the begining with the problem that badly established. Pull as much as you can off the rockwork it the rocks can't be taken out of the tank and with an old toothbrush, scrub them as well after pulling what you can (try to keep any of it from free floating in the tank as you pull). Then get a turkey baster and blow off all the detrius build up from the rocks and get it back up into the water column for the skimmer to help pull it out.

The detrius on the rocks is just like garden soil out in your yard, full of nutirents for the roots to set and establish in. It will take a bit of work on your part, but between that and the clean up crew you will have a hold on it in no time.

Juruense · 01/01/2009, 04:41 PM

The good news is that your pictures have made me feel a lot better about my algae problem... Good luck!

t5Nitro · 01/01/2009, 04:48 PM

Alright. Join me and my battle against GHA!!

I too have a 125 gallon. This stuff is annoying. 3 months? Lucky. 8 months and finally starting to get it situated here.

Here's what I did.

By the way, I run a heavy filtration system and it still is here.

Basically I'm leaning it toward my rocks holding back nitrates and phosphates.

As suggested above, I took out my rocks and scrubbed them in a bucket of tank water. I got rid of the stuff and I actually forgot how good rocks looked.

It still grows back, but it is very slow growth right now.

When I scrubbed them, you get a lot of the muck and detritus out of the rocks.... that was probably holding back the PO4 and trates in my tank anyway.

I have another mission over the next few days. Right now I'm getting 40 gallons of water and getting it mixed. I am going to match all levels of my tank or get it close as possible and then my sump is crowded with LR which traps detritus. Those are going to be coming out and the sump is going to get a cleaning.

I would take a powerhead or syringe and blow off your rocks every day. The stuff that comes out of them is nasty.

I used to pick the stuff manually until I figured out if you're not really careful... it happens every time anyway... little strands of the stuff float around and then they just latch on other places and grow.

Anyway, taking the rocks out and scrubbing them is a good idea... and possibly siphoning the sand bed beneath those rocks. I did this and it was an INSTANT near stunted GHA growth.

I'm still fighting the stuff, but it's not even close to what I had a few months ago.

I also took rocks out of the display tank. The tank looked like it needed a new aquascape anyway and this just helped give the fish more swimming room along with the movement of the water to pass in and out of rocks easier. Possibly increased the filtration capabilities of my LR by removing some and making it more open instead of packed full.

Hope this helps.

Also, I'm not sure exactly if you lose your clean-up-crew quickly, because it seems like my snails die rather quickly. I still see nessarius once in a while, but all of the snails above the sand are gone pretty quick. I need to order some more.... buy the large turbo snails. I need to make a drive some day or order some in. They are powerhouses.

RGS · 01/01/2009, 08:04 PM

Did some testing tonight with Salifert kits. Everything was looking alright: Ca-425, Alk-8, Mg-1350. Then I tested for phosphate. It was around .15. The red flag was the Ammonia at .25. The tests before when doing prior water changes showed Ammomia at 0. This might be the indicator for the recent algae bloom???

RGS · 01/01/2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael
i have posted some links today on GHA somewhere on here, but anyhow heres another worth a read http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-07/nftt/index.php

Thanks for the link to the article. It is a bit overwhelming but helps me see the big picture and work ahead of me.

01/01/2009, 01:06 PM	#1
RGS Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5	Green hair algae The past three months I have been battling green algae in a 125 gal. aquarium set up at my school. I have increased the water flow, bought a new protein skimmer, and done twenty gallon water changes. I thought it was getting better until I came back to school on Tuesday and it had exploded again. The maintenance of the aquarium is new to me, but I have tried everything that I have read about or was suggested to me. Please help..... Here are two blurry pics taken with my camera phone today before I did a water change.

01/01/2009, 01:19 PM	#3
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	raising magnesium levels and or ph can help as well, crickey thats pretty bad, how many fish live in that, theres certainely lots of nutrients in there __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

01/01/2009, 01:21 PM	#4
E.intheC Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 5,373	I agree... wow.. mine is bad, but not that bad. are you using RO water? Here's a great link: http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html __________________ -Eric

01/01/2009, 01:32 PM	#5
wab Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: nj Posts: 512	WOW! If you dont have any mexican turbo snails i would get a bunch i bought 3 big ones (10 bucks) and they took care of my 40 when i hade that stuff. good luck __________________ 1 year plus and still I DON'T KNOW!!!! LOL Current Tank Info: 45 high 30 breeder sump/refuge diy

01/01/2009, 01:57 PM	#7
mbell09 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: rochester ny Posts: 339	Wow I thought I had algea holy wow lol I have a weed eater for sale lol __________________ ask a quetion be dumb for five min. ask no questions be dumb for life Current Tank Info: standard 55 gal tank

01/01/2009, 01:16 PM	#2
firebirdude User and Abuser Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,836	Holy hell. Looks like the default Window XP wallpaper!! Might be time for extreme measure on that. Removal of rock and scrubbing it down.

01/01/2009, 01:33 PM	#6
CHOPRJOHN Moved On Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: ROSELAND FL. Posts: 152	Might try a lawnmower blenny also

01/01/2009, 02:08 PM	#8
bustedbikes Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Glendale,Ca Posts: 231	I feel for you, I am going thew the same thing I have done every thing I mean everything every fish, snail, sea hair, everything, all my tests are great, 6 months of ----- ,I took all the rock out dont know what I am going to do next __________________ mike Current Tank Info: 60 acrylic,Mh 400watts20k,220watt vho actinics,sump,skimmer,flow,live rock ,acro's

01/01/2009, 02:09 PM	#9
RGS Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5	There are 4 fish- 2 clown, 1 chromis, and 1 royal gramma.

01/01/2009, 02:09 PM	#10
noboddi Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 813	Too many nutrients in the system. How many fish? How often are they fed? __________________ Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem - William of Ockham Current Tank Info: 55 gallon (36x18x20), 40 gallon sump, 25 gallon refugium, TEK 6x39w fixture, Osmolator, Kalk Reactor, Vortech MP20, 2 Koralia 3s on controller, Acropora, Anthelia, Montipora, Starry Blenny, Yellow Watchman, Rainford Goby, Tiger Gobies

01/01/2009, 02:10 PM	#11
bustedbikes Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Glendale,Ca Posts: 231	Oh, 5 lawn mower bennies did not do anything __________________ mike Current Tank Info: 60 acrylic,Mh 400watts20k,220watt vho actinics,sump,skimmer,flow,live rock ,acro's

01/01/2009, 02:12 PM	#12
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	i have posted some links today on GHA somewhere on here, but anyhow heres another worth a read http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2008-07/nftt/index.php __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

01/01/2009, 02:15 PM	#13
RGS Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5	The fish are fed once a day. There are only 2 people that have access to the food now as it was suggested to me that this might be the problem.

01/01/2009, 03:21 PM	#14
lewismw Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Birmingham Posts: 275	now that you have corrected the water perameters you have to get rid of the algae. for the most part it will not spread if you have good water levels.....but once you have algae problems you need to remove it then maintain good water quality to keep it from returning. So..... a natural biological method is what i prefer. ...a large clean up crew is a must for all kinds of algae control and natural processing of excess nutrients. For my 125 I keep at least 80 astrea snails, 70 blue leg hermits, 50 red leg or zebra hermits. You should definately see a reduction if you allow the natural animals of the reef work while you maintain water quality to prevent the return of any hairy algae.

01/01/2009, 04:32 PM	#15
woodiecrafts Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Jonesboro, AR Posts: 414	You will need to help the clean up crew as well in the begining with the problem that badly established. Pull as much as you can off the rockwork it the rocks can't be taken out of the tank and with an old toothbrush, scrub them as well after pulling what you can (try to keep any of it from free floating in the tank as you pull). Then get a turkey baster and blow off all the detrius build up from the rocks and get it back up into the water column for the skimmer to help pull it out. The detrius on the rocks is just like garden soil out in your yard, full of nutirents for the roots to set and establish in. It will take a bit of work on your part, but between that and the clean up crew you will have a hold on it in no time. __________________ Always remember, no matter where you go, there you are. "Buckaroo Banzai" Current Tank Info: 2-75 Gal Mixed Reefs / with T-5 Nova Extremes // 1-10 gal nano reef w/ PC's

01/01/2009, 04:41 PM	#16
Juruense Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 1,138	The good news is that your pictures have made me feel a lot better about my algae problem... Good luck!

01/01/2009, 04:48 PM	#17
t5Nitro Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 4,384	Alright. Join me and my battle against GHA!! I too have a 125 gallon. This stuff is annoying. 3 months? Lucky. 8 months and finally starting to get it situated here. Here's what I did. By the way, I run a heavy filtration system and it still is here. Basically I'm leaning it toward my rocks holding back nitrates and phosphates. As suggested above, I took out my rocks and scrubbed them in a bucket of tank water. I got rid of the stuff and I actually forgot how good rocks looked. It still grows back, but it is very slow growth right now. When I scrubbed them, you get a lot of the muck and detritus out of the rocks.... that was probably holding back the PO4 and trates in my tank anyway. I have another mission over the next few days. Right now I'm getting 40 gallons of water and getting it mixed. I am going to match all levels of my tank or get it close as possible and then my sump is crowded with LR which traps detritus. Those are going to be coming out and the sump is going to get a cleaning. I would take a powerhead or syringe and blow off your rocks every day. The stuff that comes out of them is nasty. I used to pick the stuff manually until I figured out if you're not really careful... it happens every time anyway... little strands of the stuff float around and then they just latch on other places and grow. Anyway, taking the rocks out and scrubbing them is a good idea... and possibly siphoning the sand bed beneath those rocks. I did this and it was an INSTANT near stunted GHA growth. I'm still fighting the stuff, but it's not even close to what I had a few months ago. I also took rocks out of the display tank. The tank looked like it needed a new aquascape anyway and this just helped give the fish more swimming room along with the movement of the water to pass in and out of rocks easier. Possibly increased the filtration capabilities of my LR by removing some and making it more open instead of packed full. Hope this helps. Also, I'm not sure exactly if you lose your clean-up-crew quickly, because it seems like my snails die rather quickly. I still see nessarius once in a while, but all of the snails above the sand are gone pretty quick. I need to order some more.... buy the large turbo snails. I need to make a drive some day or order some in. They are powerhouses. __________________ ATI T5 club Current Tank Info: Left the hobby, looking to re-enter in the future

01/01/2009, 08:04 PM	#18
RGS Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5	Did some testing tonight with Salifert kits. Everything was looking alright: Ca-425, Alk-8, Mg-1350. Then I tested for phosphate. It was around .15. The red flag was the Ammonia at .25. The tests before when doing prior water changes showed Ammomia at 0. This might be the indicator for the recent algae bloom???