Green Algea? How to get rid of?

NCADAM · 10/12/2009, 05:14 PM

What is the best way to remove green hair algea. My thermometer borke and i have a break out. Do I get some critters to clean it or remove it manually somehow? All replies are welcome and appreciated.

Thanks,

Adam

NCADAM · 10/14/2009, 11:02 AM

Bump

BeanMachine · 10/14/2009, 11:23 AM

Reduce your phosphates would be my first step. Run a reactor with GFO, that will absorb the phosphates and silicates in your system. You don't want any, let alone close to .2.

Do you have coral? If your at 3dkh, your pretty darn low and you will start seeing adverse effects.

Add a couple of turbo snails.

BeanMachine · 10/14/2009, 11:24 AM

Oh, and I don't think this has anything to do with your heater going wacky.

NCADAM · 10/15/2009, 09:48 AM

Yes, I do have corals and the Alk reading of 3.0 would be a dkh of around 8.4. I also lost some fish and critters when the heater broke. My temp was up to 85 F. I also replaced my skimmer recently to an H&S 110 in sump. I have never had any green algae before and have always had low Phosphates 0 to less than .2. Maybe the loss of my algae eating angelfish could be it. Anyhow, all replies and help are wlecomes.

Thanks,

Adam

tcwoodrn · 10/15/2009, 01:16 PM

It depends on how bad the hair algae is. if it has overrun your tank I would light starve the rock and scrub it with a brush.

jmoney · 10/15/2009, 02:38 PM

i tried everything and the only thing that worked for me was vodka dosing

NCADAM · 10/15/2009, 08:05 PM

Well!

I checked my phos and it is at 0 or my test kit sucks and my trates are around 2.5. The outbreak is not too bad but I could see it get that way. What are the good or ill affects of Vodka dosing.

Thanks,

Adam

bobparker · 10/15/2009, 08:22 PM

Don't try dosing with vodka, you may do more harm than good. It was probably a good thing that angel passed. I guess it depends on the type, but I would never put one in my tank.
Take TCwoodrn advice and bump up your magnesium level. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...esium+bryopsys

NCADAM · 10/16/2009, 09:53 AM

Excellent!

I will give it a try and let you know if I succeed.

Thanks again everyone,

Adam

b_s_c1 · 10/16/2009, 10:56 AM

I would check into the vodka dosing.

I was going through the same problem. Phos and nitrates are undetectable and still had bloom of hair algea. I took a water sample to my LFS to confirm my test and they were the same.

I read the many post for carbon dosing here on RC and decided to give it a try. After the first 2 weeks the GHA started to thin out.

I have been dosing now for 5 weeks and the water is very clear and the hair algea is gone with no damage to any of my coral. If you decide to carbon dose be sure to go slow, test often, and read everything you can on the subject before you start.

acecool · 10/16/2009, 01:48 PM

I had the same issue and did not feel like scrubbing every piece of rock so, after I corrected the problem(bulbs were too old) added a powder brown and a yellow tang and now have zero algae.

NCADAM · 10/18/2009, 07:17 PM

I still think I am going to try the magnesium suggestion. I am going to the LFS this Friday and will post some pics if it works. I will also add some critters (snails, maybe another mitrax) and see what happens. If that doesn't do it I guess I am off to the ABC store.

Thanks,

Adam

dwd5813 · 10/18/2009, 07:42 PM

http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html is some good reading. thanks, cause i found an article i need to read on there while looking for that one.

NCADAM · 10/19/2009, 01:58 PM

Excellent! I have pruned some but not used the tap H2O idea.

Thanks again,

Adam

NCADAM · 11/05/2009, 11:20 AM

Well I killed some of it but not all of it. I found that I still need to prune it regularly and let the inverts do there job. i would recommend the Mg dosing but not as an end all cure all. I beleive I not only had the byropsys but green hair algae. I have added some phosban to make sure my phos are at 0 and got my trates to 0 as well. I am going to take a sample to the LFS and let them do a check with some more high end equipment and will reply again once that is complete.

Thanks again everyone,

Adam

10/12/2009, 05:14 PM	#1
NCADAM Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Charlotte N.C. Posts: 126	Green Algea? How to get rid of? What is the best way to remove green hair algea. My thermometer borke and i have a break out. Do I get some critters to clean it or remove it manually somehow? All replies are welcome and appreciated. Thanks, Adam __________________ Ammon 0 Alk 3.0 Sal 1.022/1.023 Trites 0 Trates 0 PH 8.3 Calc 420-450 ppm Phos 0 Mag 1260-1280 ppm Temp 77.0 Current Tank Info: 70 Gal Mixed Reef Current USA Pro Loop LEDS

10/14/2009, 11:02 AM	#2
NCADAM Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Charlotte N.C. Posts: 126	Bump __________________ Ammon 0 Alk 3.0 Sal 1.022/1.023 Trites 0 Trates 0 PH 8.3 Calc 420-450 ppm Phos 0 Mag 1260-1280 ppm Temp 77.0 Current Tank Info: 70 Gal Mixed Reef Current USA Pro Loop LEDS

10/15/2009, 09:48 AM	#5
NCADAM Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Charlotte N.C. Posts: 126	Yes, I do have corals and the Alk reading of 3.0 would be a dkh of around 8.4. I also lost some fish and critters when the heater broke. My temp was up to 85 F. I also replaced my skimmer recently to an H&S 110 in sump. I have never had any green algae before and have always had low Phosphates 0 to less than .2. Maybe the loss of my algae eating angelfish could be it. Anyhow, all replies and help are wlecomes. Thanks, Adam __________________ Ammon 0 Alk 3.0 Sal 1.022/1.023 Trites 0 Trates 0 PH 8.3 Calc 420-450 ppm Phos 0 Mag 1260-1280 ppm Temp 77.0 Current Tank Info: 70 Gal Mixed Reef Current USA Pro Loop LEDS

10/15/2009, 08:05 PM	#8
NCADAM Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Charlotte N.C. Posts: 126	Well! I checked my phos and it is at 0 or my test kit sucks and my trates are around 2.5. The outbreak is not too bad but I could see it get that way. What are the good or ill affects of Vodka dosing. Thanks, Adam __________________ Ammon 0 Alk 3.0 Sal 1.022/1.023 Trites 0 Trates 0 PH 8.3 Calc 420-450 ppm Phos 0 Mag 1260-1280 ppm Temp 77.0 Current Tank Info: 70 Gal Mixed Reef Current USA Pro Loop LEDS

10/16/2009, 09:53 AM	#10
NCADAM Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Charlotte N.C. Posts: 126	Excellent! I will give it a try and let you know if I succeed. Thanks again everyone, Adam __________________ Ammon 0 Alk 3.0 Sal 1.022/1.023 Trites 0 Trates 0 PH 8.3 Calc 420-450 ppm Phos 0 Mag 1260-1280 ppm Temp 77.0 Current Tank Info: 70 Gal Mixed Reef Current USA Pro Loop LEDS

10/14/2009, 11:23 AM	#3
BeanMachine Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 11,200	Reduce your phosphates would be my first step. Run a reactor with GFO, that will absorb the phosphates and silicates in your system. You don't want any, let alone close to .2. Do you have coral? If your at 3dkh, your pretty darn low and you will start seeing adverse effects. Add a couple of turbo snails.

10/14/2009, 11:24 AM	#4
BeanMachine Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 11,200	Oh, and I don't think this has anything to do with your heater going wacky.

10/15/2009, 01:16 PM	#6
tcwoodrn Moved On Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 153	It depends on how bad the hair algae is. if it has overrun your tank I would light starve the rock and scrub it with a brush.

10/15/2009, 02:38 PM	#7
jmoney Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 970	i tried everything and the only thing that worked for me was vodka dosing

10/15/2009, 08:22 PM	#9
bobparker Independent thinker Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: fletcher, n.c. Posts: 273	Don't try dosing with vodka, you may do more harm than good. It was probably a good thing that angel passed. I guess it depends on the type, but I would never put one in my tank. Take TCwoodrn advice and bump up your magnesium level. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...esium+bryopsys

10/16/2009, 10:56 AM	#11
b_s_c1 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Victoria, Texas Posts: 466	I would check into the vodka dosing. I was going through the same problem. Phos and nitrates are undetectable and still had bloom of hair algea. I took a water sample to my LFS to confirm my test and they were the same. I read the many post for carbon dosing here on RC and decided to give it a try. After the first 2 weeks the GHA started to thin out. I have been dosing now for 5 weeks and the water is very clear and the hair algea is gone with no damage to any of my coral. If you decide to carbon dose be sure to go slow, test often, and read everything you can on the subject before you start.

10/16/2009, 01:48 PM	#12
acecool Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Brentwood, TN. Posts: 126	I had the same issue and did not feel like scrubbing every piece of rock so, after I corrected the problem(bulbs were too old) added a powder brown and a yellow tang and now have zero algae. __________________ aCe

10/18/2009, 07:17 PM	#13
NCADAM Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Charlotte N.C. Posts: 126	I still think I am going to try the magnesium suggestion. I am going to the LFS this Friday and will post some pics if it works. I will also add some critters (snails, maybe another mitrax) and see what happens. If that doesn't do it I guess I am off to the ABC store. Thanks, Adam __________________ Ammon 0 Alk 3.0 Sal 1.022/1.023 Trites 0 Trates 0 PH 8.3 Calc 420-450 ppm Phos 0 Mag 1260-1280 ppm Temp 77.0 Current Tank Info: 70 Gal Mixed Reef Current USA Pro Loop LEDS

10/18/2009, 07:42 PM	#14
dwd5813 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: 813 Posts: 2,827	http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html is some good reading. thanks, cause i found an article i need to read on there while looking for that one. __________________ order some golf shoes, otherwise we'll never get out of this place alive. what can i say? in dog beers, i have only had one. - dublo8 Current Tank Info: 40B aiptasia farm

10/19/2009, 01:58 PM	#15
NCADAM Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Charlotte N.C. Posts: 126	Excellent! I have pruned some but not used the tap H2O idea. Thanks again, Adam __________________ Ammon 0 Alk 3.0 Sal 1.022/1.023 Trites 0 Trates 0 PH 8.3 Calc 420-450 ppm Phos 0 Mag 1260-1280 ppm Temp 77.0 Current Tank Info: 70 Gal Mixed Reef Current USA Pro Loop LEDS

11/05/2009, 11:20 AM	#16
NCADAM Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Charlotte N.C. Posts: 126	Well I killed some of it but not all of it. I found that I still need to prune it regularly and let the inverts do there job. i would recommend the Mg dosing but not as an end all cure all. I beleive I not only had the byropsys but green hair algae. I have added some phosban to make sure my phos are at 0 and got my trates to 0 as well. I am going to take a sample to the LFS and let them do a check with some more high end equipment and will reply again once that is complete. Thanks again everyone, Adam __________________ Ammon 0 Alk 3.0 Sal 1.022/1.023 Trites 0 Trates 0 PH 8.3 Calc 420-450 ppm Phos 0 Mag 1260-1280 ppm Temp 77.0 Current Tank Info: 70 Gal Mixed Reef Current USA Pro Loop LEDS