Oh -exploitive content- I got green hair algee!

[Pulp Fishin]

I've had my 20g tall ROWLR running for apx 2 and a half months.
The only fish in the tank is a clownfish who was added about 3 weeks ago.

today I woke up and whne hit the lights I noticed a lot of extra green on my 15lbs of tonga and some hair algee growing.

Whats the best way to make this not get any worse or to stop it in its tracks?

cheers

[Pulp Fishin]

sorry that FOWLR

[dileggi]

Ah, Green Hair! LOL! I've been battling this myself and finally, but very slowly making progress.

Nitrates and phosphates are the main cause of hair algae. Overfeeding, bioload, type of water being used and filtration are probably the most important things in keeping those nutrients out of the water...and good skimming.

I've found it easiest to manually pull the algae off the rocks, either by hand, or with scissors.

Also, people have reported to have luck removing the rock and scrubbing that portion with a toothbrush as well.

What type of water are you using? What are your water parameters?

I should also mention, that this is quite common in new tanks as well.

[PoukieBear]

I guess I was one of the lucky ones, with the simplest solution EVER!!

My tank was covered in green hair alge.

I simply added a Foxface. She cleaned the entire tank up within a few days. I haven't had a problem since. She continously picks at the rocks, and the glass, cleaning up any algea she can.

[dileggi]

I so wish I add the option of adding another fish to take care of that! LOL! Congrats on that Michelle. Another reason I should've went with a bigger tank! LOL!

[Pulp Fishin]

Okay so its war between me and the green hair algee!

I don't think is been overfeeding. We fed my clown min amount so if I'm sure of anything its thats alright. Bio-load is 1 2" Nemo clown in a 20g tall tank so I'm not over stocked.

the water I used came from my local water store. Plenty of local reef-keepers use them as well. We are lucky our water store realises the buisness from us is great! Its RO but not RODI but I can check to make sure it safe.

I just started using my RO filter I bought yesterday to fill my 135g(its about 35gallons done) so I may borrow that water for a water change today, hopefully that will help.

My Ph has been low it 8.00 today where it seems to stay but I'll dose it with a buffer about 3 times the last 10 days.

I will try picking any off I can(will this take the good purple agee off too). Also I hope that a deacent 20-25% water change will help get the water quality back.


Cheers

[dileggi]

Originally posted by Pulp Fishin
Okay so its war between me and the green hair algee!

I don't think is been overfeeding. We fed my clown min amount so if I'm sure of anything its thats alright. Bio-load is 1 2" Nemo clown in a 20g tall tank so I'm not over stocked.

the water I used came from my local water store. Plenty of local reef-keepers use them as well. We are lucky our water store realises the buisness from us is great! Its RO but not RODI but I can check to make sure it safe.

I just started using my RO filter I bought yesterday to fill my 135g(its about 35gallons done) so I may borrow that water for a water change today, hopefully that will help.

My Ph has been low it 8.00 today where it seems to stay but I'll dose it with a buffer about 3 times the last 10 days.

I will try picking any off I can(will this take the good purple agee off too). Also I hope that a deacent 20-25% water change will help get the water quality back.
Cheers

HOLD OFF BEFORE DOSE THAT PH! If you tested that PH this morning, or earlier in the morning, that 8.0 reading is probably right on target! The PH will rise as the day goes on in your tank, from the light cycle. Test that PH again tonight and I bet it's 8.2 on the nose. I would do this before you dose it.

[dileggi]

By manually removing the hair algae, I have had no issues with the coralline algae coming off with it. You should be fine. I know mine got really bad before it started going in reverse.

It's quite possible, that the water source could be causing the phosphate/nitrates to enter your tank. I would test that water for those two and see what happens.

Also, filter pads, filter floss, bio filtration media can all harbor large amounts of nitrates. Make sure you clean any you have and get rid of any bio filtration you may or may not have, like bio balls and bio wheels.

[Pulp Fishin]

dileggi, I have a pinpoint digital monitar running all the time accually. I do see some flux during the day but its still not ever getting to 8.1 on its own. I dose it and it goes right to 8.2 then over the next 3-4 days it slowly lowers.
I've re-calibrated the monitar so thats the correct reading.

The filter on the tank is a bio-wheel. I should rince this out in warm salt water to clean?

[dsn112]

dripping kalkwasswer in your topoff will help you maintain the ph much better.

[Tomorleans]

I had a bad hair algea problem. After scrubbing them with a toothbrush I wasn't pleased with the results. Still had a few patches here and there so I pulled them all out and sprayed them down with a water hose. THAT WORKED. And believe it or not. My Copepod poulation is still thriving. Here are pics of the rocks after I sprayed them down. The Algea hasn't been back since. And doesn't look like it's coming back.

[x2uranium]

I cut down feeding when as soon as I noticed it, 2 weeks later, completly gone.

[dileggi]

Originally posted by Pulp Fishin
dileggi, I have a pinpoint digital monitar running all the time accually. I do see some flux during the day but its still not ever getting to 8.1 on its own. I dose it and it goes right to 8.2 then over the next 3-4 days it slowly lowers.
I've re-calibrated the monitar so thats the correct reading.

The filter on the tank is a bio-wheel. I should rince this out in warm salt water to clean?

I wouldn't rinse the bio wheels at all. I would completely remove them as they are nitrate factories. I had a wet/dry with bio balls and couldn't for the life of me get my nitrates down. They started at 0 and continuously kept creeping up.

It wasn't until I finally removed them that I noticed it move in the other direction. The bio filters do a great job in what they do..removing ammonia and nitrite and converting it to nitrate, but sadly, they don't work real well in a marine system because the ntirates continue to build up. I'm sure 100% of the people on here would suggest removing the bio wheels. I would even suggest maybe posting a thread and see what people give as alternative options.

I gotcha on the PH issue. When I started, I wasn't aware of the PH flux. I tested in the morning and had and got nervous when it tested below and started dosing like crazy! LOL!

BTW, what are your calcium and dKH levels? They can affect your PH levels, I believe.

[Pulp Fishin]

Well I knew the biowheel wasn't the best form of filtration but now I know for sure I can do better.
I ran out after making this post to buy some RONA buckets and lid and when I get out tomorow to find a dremmel tool I am going to make a trickle filter for my 65g diamond tank.
Hopefully I can have that running in a month or two and make somthing for this tank or just make the take to a filter itself.

Now I got this under way I will be getting rid of the bio-wheel soon! I'll try giving the rock a little blast and see if that helps.

Cheers thanks for all your help!

[dileggi]

Originally posted by Pulp Fishin
Well I knew the biowheel wasn't the best form of filtration but now I know for sure I can do better.
I ran out after making this post to buy some RONA buckets and lid and when I get out tomorow to find a dremmel tool I am going to make a trickle filter for my 65g diamond tank.
Hopefully I can have that running in a month or two and make somthing for this tank or just make the take to a filter itself.

Now I got this under way I will be getting rid of the bio-wheel soon! I'll try giving the rock a little blast and see if that helps.

Cheers thanks for all your help!

Not a problem at all. Good luck and keep us posted!