hair algae tips

FavaBean · 04/02/2009, 05:36 AM

I noticed a clump on it on my rocks yesterday....i want to try to fight it before it becomes a problem... I do weekly water changes of a gallon.. I have my lights on for a total of eight hours a day...54 watts of pcs... the temp is a constant 80... the only thing I can think of is the sun hits the tank for about 30 mins each day...anyone else agree with that idea... thanks

faze07hd · 04/02/2009, 05:40 AM

couple things, if your bulbs are older than 8 or9 months... Change them... The spectrum changes after a period of time and it aides the growth of algae.

Check your phosphates. This may be the actual cause of the hair algae.

Manually pull out all the hair algae that you see and use a turkey baster to blow off all of your rocks.

Those are some tips just to get you started. I wouldnt worry about the sund hitting it that much. Not for only 30 minutes a day. I would also, for the time being, take your photo period to 6 or 7 hours. Till the algae is completely gone.

You better start to attack it soon before it completely takes over your tank!!!!!

reefworm · 04/02/2009, 06:08 AM

check out Melev's article. I agree with the Yankee fan that bulbs and phosphates are the usual suspects. food is also a phosphate source, so a lot of us rinse it in RO water before feeding.
http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html

FavaBean · 04/02/2009, 08:14 AM

thanks... my tank has been up since jan. so really not worried about the lights... but I might reduce the time they are on.... I will change those in june... I do feed two times a day so might need to reduce that down to once and rinse in rodi water...

04/02/2009, 05:36 AM	#1
FavaBean Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Abilene Texas Posts: 789	hair algae tips I noticed a clump on it on my rocks yesterday....i want to try to fight it before it becomes a problem... I do weekly water changes of a gallon.. I have my lights on for a total of eight hours a day...54 watts of pcs... the temp is a constant 80... the only thing I can think of is the sun hits the tank for about 30 mins each day...anyone else agree with that idea... thanks

04/02/2009, 05:40 AM	#2
faze07hd Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Utica, Ny Posts: 914	couple things, if your bulbs are older than 8 or9 months... Change them... The spectrum changes after a period of time and it aides the growth of algae. Check your phosphates. This may be the actual cause of the hair algae. Manually pull out all the hair algae that you see and use a turkey baster to blow off all of your rocks. Those are some tips just to get you started. I wouldnt worry about the sund hitting it that much. Not for only 30 minutes a day. I would also, for the time being, take your photo period to 6 or 7 hours. Till the algae is completely gone. You better start to attack it soon before it completely takes over your tank!!!!! __________________ Harry Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef tank

04/02/2009, 06:08 AM	#3
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	check out Melev's article. I agree with the Yankee fan that bulbs and phosphates are the usual suspects. food is also a phosphate source, so a lot of us rinse it in RO water before feeding. http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

04/02/2009, 08:14 AM	#4
FavaBean Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Abilene Texas Posts: 789	thanks... my tank has been up since jan. so really not worried about the lights... but I might reduce the time they are on.... I will change those in june... I do feed two times a day so might need to reduce that down to once and rinse in rodi water...