is it possible to completely get rid of hair algae - Page 2

Rodrigo_BG · 12/05/2009, 08:25 AM

what you guys means for "cook" the rock? what is to cook?

old salty · 12/05/2009, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rodrigo_BG

what you guys means for "cook" the rock? what is to cook?

"Cooking" is a misleading term used to describe keeping the rock in a low light situation for extended periods. Every week, the rock is given a vigorous swirling to remove anything that falls off and then the water is replaced with new water.

cindre2000 · 12/05/2009, 10:35 AM

Don't discount urchins. If you change your ways and remove the factor that causes the explosive growth of the hair algae, you still have the hair algae. And it is very good at trapping organics to fertilize itself. Urchins will eat the algae and thus allow you to know if what you are doing is working. This is exactly what I did in several tanks.

dpmatty · 12/05/2009, 11:07 AM

Ok, here's what I'm contemplating.

Rebuild the mag 7 and make one of your coke bottle filter suckers. Run the output of that to the UV/Mech filter and then return to the DT.

Overkill?

mavykins · 12/05/2009, 12:32 PM

I have had a massive outbreak of hair algae for the past 3 months, done pretty much everything i could think of, increased the amount of snails, hermit crabs, lawnmower blenny, added a sea hair, replaced all the bulbs, increased water flow, tried leaving the lights off for a week, manually removing it, i do a feed everything 4 days now, and still no luck.

Until about a week ago when i bought a tuxedo urchin, which seems to be plowing through all the hair algae, and you can see a massive patchs of rock now where he has been, so couldn't recommend urchins more.

bgr · 12/05/2009, 01:57 PM

I think im gonna dose vodka to starve the algae and put in an urchin to eAt it.
im thinkin macro algae just doesnt grow fast enough to compete with the hair algae plus it chaeto cant survive on low enough phosphate levels to starve the gha. i got bare bottom with disblay with a dsb sump so hopefully this wont inter fere with the carbpn/ mb7 dosing. thanks for the advice

fishguy84 · 12/05/2009, 02:12 PM

In addition to more frequent water changes and increased filtration...adding a refugium and a ton of turbo snails worked for me. Thats also in addition to manually ripping out some of it by hand. Cooking the rock works great, but all you need to do is get a frag with a teeny tiny amount and BOOM! If conditions are the same, you're back to square one and frustrated because you wasted time to cook your rock.

fishguy84 · 12/05/2009, 02:13 PM

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

sharky334 · 12/08/2009, 12:31 PM

I have had problems with algae as well! I have tried snails, sea hare, and urchin. All seem to be somewhat affective, but nothing has gotten rid of the algae.

dpmatty · 12/08/2009, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sharky334

I have had problems with algae as well! I have tried snails, sea hare, and urchin. All seem to be somewhat affective, but nothing has gotten rid of the algae.

Have you tried a fluidized GFO reactor? This along with aggressive manual removal seems to be working in my system. At the current rate I should have it beaten in about another six weeks. As it stands now it's at least under control so that the clean up crew can do its thing.

As far as vodka dosing goes, I'm hesitant to try it because I house an anemone.

dpmatty · 12/08/2009, 12:38 PM

Check out my build of the Old Salty VacuSuck

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1753283

sharky334 · 12/08/2009, 12:56 PM

Good info here. I am currently battling algae too! Grrr, I hate that stuff in my reef tank!

12/05/2009, 11:07 AM	#29
dpmatty Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 139	Ok, here's what I'm contemplating. Rebuild the mag 7 and make one of your coke bottle filter suckers. Run the output of that to the UV/Mech filter and then return to the DT. Overkill? __________________ 65 gallon glass tank. Deltec AP600 Skimmer. Maristar light fixture with two T5 actinics and 2 250w 20k Metal Halides. 15 gallon Precision Marine Sump. Precision Marine GFO Reactor. Vortech MP10, MaxiJet 900, MaxiJet 1200. Pacific Coast Imports 1/4hp Chiller. Tsunami AT-1 Auto Top-Off System. Current Tank Info: New Reef Tank

12/08/2009, 12:38 PM	#36
dpmatty Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Stamford, CT Posts: 139	Check out my build of the Old Salty VacuSuck http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1753283 __________________ 65 gallon glass tank. Deltec AP600 Skimmer. Maristar light fixture with two T5 actinics and 2 250w 20k Metal Halides. 15 gallon Precision Marine Sump. Precision Marine GFO Reactor. Vortech MP10, MaxiJet 900, MaxiJet 1200. Pacific Coast Imports 1/4hp Chiller. Tsunami AT-1 Auto Top-Off System. Current Tank Info: New Reef Tank

12/05/2009, 08:25 AM	#26
Rodrigo_BG Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Rio - Brazil Posts: 510	what you guys means for "cook" the rock? what is to cook?

12/05/2009, 10:35 AM	#28
cindre2000 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 230	Don't discount urchins. If you change your ways and remove the factor that causes the explosive growth of the hair algae, you still have the hair algae. And it is very good at trapping organics to fertilize itself. Urchins will eat the algae and thus allow you to know if what you are doing is working. This is exactly what I did in several tanks.

12/05/2009, 12:32 PM	#30
mavykins Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 7	I have had a massive outbreak of hair algae for the past 3 months, done pretty much everything i could think of, increased the amount of snails, hermit crabs, lawnmower blenny, added a sea hair, replaced all the bulbs, increased water flow, tried leaving the lights off for a week, manually removing it, i do a feed everything 4 days now, and still no luck. Until about a week ago when i bought a tuxedo urchin, which seems to be plowing through all the hair algae, and you can see a massive patchs of rock now where he has been, so couldn't recommend urchins more.

12/05/2009, 01:57 PM	#31
bgr Moved On Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 17	I think im gonna dose vodka to starve the algae and put in an urchin to eAt it. im thinkin macro algae just doesnt grow fast enough to compete with the hair algae plus it chaeto cant survive on low enough phosphate levels to starve the gha. i got bare bottom with disblay with a dsb sump so hopefully this wont inter fere with the carbpn/ mb7 dosing. thanks for the advice

12/05/2009, 02:12 PM	#32
fishguy84 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Barrington, NJ Posts: 60	In addition to more frequent water changes and increased filtration...adding a refugium and a ton of turbo snails worked for me. Thats also in addition to manually ripping out some of it by hand. Cooking the rock works great, but all you need to do is get a frag with a teeny tiny amount and BOOM! If conditions are the same, you're back to square one and frustrated because you wasted time to cook your rock.

12/05/2009, 02:13 PM	#33
fishguy84 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Barrington, NJ Posts: 60	http://www.melevsreef.com/vodka_dosing.html

12/08/2009, 12:31 PM	#34
sharky334 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lewis Center, OH Posts: 67	I have had problems with algae as well! I have tried snails, sea hare, and urchin. All seem to be somewhat affective, but nothing has gotten rid of the algae.

12/08/2009, 12:56 PM	#37
sharky334 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lewis Center, OH Posts: 67	Good info here. I am currently battling algae too! Grrr, I hate that stuff in my reef tank!