PLEASE HELP with hair algae!!!!!!!!!

wrenchhead · 06/03/2007, 07:42 PM

I need some help.My tank has a hair algae problem.I have kept up with water changes,checked parameters several times,and picked it off by hand but I can't get this under control.

Any ideas?Tips, tricks, equipment, cleanup crews or fish that you know of please let me know.
phosphates 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 0
alk 8 dkh
calcium 400
mag 1600

wrenchhead · 06/03/2007, 07:43 PM

Oh yea the tank is only been set up for about 2 1/2 months.

Thanks in advance for your help.

karlmarx · 06/03/2007, 07:45 PM

do you have a refuge? Do you use a sandbed? Do you have enough flow in your tank? Are you using RO/DI water?

wrenchhead · 06/03/2007, 08:00 PM

Yes on the fuge, I have a very thin sand bed, It is a 125 rr and I have a mag 9.5 return,2 modded mj 1200s,and a seio 1100 for flow,So I think I am good there.(I know the 9.5 mag is a little weak) I use only ro/di water with less then 5 tds.I use instant ocean salt.I am running a turbo floater 1000 recirc skimmer.
I hope that covers everything.

karlmarx · 06/03/2007, 08:02 PM

well I would point to the rodi my tds coming out of my ro membrane is 4-6 tds and 0 tds when it is out of the DI so try looking there.

davefan13 · 06/03/2007, 08:04 PM

try getting a cleanup crew if you don't already have one. this is very common in the begining of a setup and usually will go away eventually.

oh yea, what is your amonia testing?

Sk8r · 06/03/2007, 08:16 PM

You're still young, tankwise. It will give way soon to film and bubble algae and you'll wish you had hair algae back.

Seriously---you've got phosphate excess. A refugium, phosban, less feeding, feeding frozen stuff, not dry, and maybe a lawnmower blenny.

crazyguy34834 · 06/03/2007, 08:26 PM

just get a sally lightfoot crab or two. I have two in my 100g tank with 120lb of live rock and they keep it as clean as can be. I cave other crabs too but they don't do much

wrenchhead · 06/03/2007, 08:39 PM

Thanks for the advise so far.I do want to add to my clean up crew so what are good hair algae eaters?So far I have heard
lawn mower blennie
sally light foot crabs? (are they reef safe?)
What kind of hermits are good for this?
How about snails?
Is any one using a phosban reactor?Do they work well?
I don't think that my 5 tds from my ro/di is a problem but I am desperate so I will change out filters.

crazyguy34834 · 06/03/2007, 08:42 PM

sally lightfoots are fine in my reef, never bothered anything but the algae. Just get rid of them when they get too big and start looking at the fish for dinner. I have had mine for 6 months and they haven't grown much, I have a long time to go before they stert eating fish.

Nashvegas1 · 06/03/2007, 08:58 PM

My sally lihtfoot had my firefish for dinner today. I am thinking of having a crab boil for the smurfs.

Nashvegas1 · 06/03/2007, 08:59 PM

My sally lightfoot had my firefish for dinner today. I am thinking of having a crab boil for the smurfs.

frederickk · 06/08/2007, 06:40 PM

some cukes might help also

HowardW · 06/08/2007, 07:06 PM

<<< I use only ro/di water with less then 5 tds >>>

If your DI resin is working properly you should be getting a TDS of 0

<<< I don't think that my 5 tds from my ro/di is a problem but I am desperate so I will change out filters. >>>

Changing the sediment and carbon filter(s) will do nothing to change your final TDS really. Replace your DI resin if you're getting a post DI TDS reading of more than 1 or 2.

woodycb · 06/08/2007, 07:39 PM

Depending on your coral load, for roaming purposes, Ive heard tuxedo urchins love hair algea.

06/03/2007, 07:42 PM	#1
wrenchhead Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: melbourne FL USA Posts: 350	PLEASE HELP with hair algae!!!!!!!!! I need some help.My tank has a hair algae problem.I have kept up with water changes,checked parameters several times,and picked it off by hand but I can't get this under control. Any ideas?Tips, tricks, equipment, cleanup crews or fish that you know of please let me know. phosphates 0 nitrites 0 nitrates 0 alk 8 dkh calcium 400 mag 1600 __________________ I could quit if I wanted to. Current Tank Info: 80g mixed reef

06/03/2007, 07:43 PM	#2
wrenchhead Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: melbourne FL USA Posts: 350	Oh yea the tank is only been set up for about 2 1/2 months. Thanks in advance for your help. __________________ I could quit if I wanted to. Current Tank Info: 80g mixed reef

06/03/2007, 08:00 PM	#4
wrenchhead Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: melbourne FL USA Posts: 350	Yes on the fuge, I have a very thin sand bed, It is a 125 rr and I have a mag 9.5 return,2 modded mj 1200s,and a seio 1100 for flow,So I think I am good there.(I know the 9.5 mag is a little weak) I use only ro/di water with less then 5 tds.I use instant ocean salt.I am running a turbo floater 1000 recirc skimmer. I hope that covers everything. __________________ I could quit if I wanted to. Current Tank Info: 80g mixed reef

06/03/2007, 08:04 PM	#6
davefan13 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 192	try getting a cleanup crew if you don't already have one. this is very common in the begining of a setup and usually will go away eventually. oh yea, what is your amonia testing? __________________ Seize the Moment Current Tank Info: 29G Freshwater Community

06/03/2007, 08:16 PM	#7
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	You're still young, tankwise. It will give way soon to film and bubble algae and you'll wish you had hair algae back. Seriously---you've got phosphate excess. A refugium, phosban, less feeding, feeding frozen stuff, not dry, and maybe a lawnmower blenny. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

06/03/2007, 07:45 PM	#3
karlmarx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 476	do you have a refuge? Do you use a sandbed? Do you have enough flow in your tank? Are you using RO/DI water?

06/03/2007, 08:02 PM	#5
karlmarx Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 476	well I would point to the rodi my tds coming out of my ro membrane is 4-6 tds and 0 tds when it is out of the DI so try looking there.

06/03/2007, 08:26 PM	#8
crazyguy34834 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Carolina Posts: 353	just get a sally lightfoot crab or two. I have two in my 100g tank with 120lb of live rock and they keep it as clean as can be. I cave other crabs too but they don't do much

06/03/2007, 08:39 PM	#9
wrenchhead Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: melbourne FL USA Posts: 350	Thanks for the advise so far.I do want to add to my clean up crew so what are good hair algae eaters?So far I have heard lawn mower blennie sally light foot crabs? (are they reef safe?) What kind of hermits are good for this? How about snails? Is any one using a phosban reactor?Do they work well? I don't think that my 5 tds from my ro/di is a problem but I am desperate so I will change out filters. __________________ I could quit if I wanted to. Current Tank Info: 80g mixed reef

06/03/2007, 08:42 PM	#10
crazyguy34834 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: South Carolina Posts: 353	sally lightfoots are fine in my reef, never bothered anything but the algae. Just get rid of them when they get too big and start looking at the fish for dinner. I have had mine for 6 months and they haven't grown much, I have a long time to go before they stert eating fish.

06/03/2007, 08:58 PM	#11
Nashvegas1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nashvegas, TN Posts: 101	My sally lihtfoot had my firefish for dinner today. I am thinking of having a crab boil for the smurfs. __________________ " Is the juice worth the squeeze? " Current Tank Info: 46 Bowfront

06/03/2007, 08:59 PM	#12
Nashvegas1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nashvegas, TN Posts: 101	My sally lightfoot had my firefish for dinner today. I am thinking of having a crab boil for the smurfs. __________________ " Is the juice worth the squeeze? " Current Tank Info: 46 Bowfront

06/08/2007, 06:40 PM	#13
frederickk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,712	some cukes might help also

06/08/2007, 07:06 PM	#14
HowardW Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Aurora, IL Posts: 1,763	<<< I use only ro/di water with less then 5 tds >>> If your DI resin is working properly you should be getting a TDS of 0 <<< I don't think that my 5 tds from my ro/di is a problem but I am desperate so I will change out filters. >>> Changing the sediment and carbon filter(s) will do nothing to change your final TDS really. Replace your DI resin if you're getting a post DI TDS reading of more than 1 or 2. __________________ Florida live rock addict

06/08/2007, 07:39 PM	#15
woodycb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: N.W. Ohio Posts: 785	Depending on your coral load, for roaming purposes, Ive heard tuxedo urchins love hair algea. __________________ We have enough youth, how about a fountain of SMART Current Tank Info: 75 gallon