Toothbrush to HAIR ALGAE

pura vida mi · 08/27/2009, 09:29 PM

Is it OK to scrub hair algae off with a new toothbrush? Do the spoors/debree cycle in system and spread growth again, or does the NASTY stuff die off once scrubed into dust?

rifishguy · 08/27/2009, 09:31 PM

Yes it will spread.

MrRyanT · 08/27/2009, 09:32 PM

I often use a toothbrush when I'm doing water changes. Just siphon out the algae as you scrub it off.

pimpinitup6969 · 08/27/2009, 09:35 PM

i normally take the rock out throw it in a bucket of saltwater and rinse it really well

BurntOutReefer · 08/27/2009, 09:50 PM

take it out and put in a bucket of water and do it, otherwise you are spreading that love

jwalker314 · 08/27/2009, 09:58 PM

there was a thread on one of these forums where you drill out a toothbrush and attach a piece of hose to the back of the toothbrush for a siphon line...seemed like a cool idea

spw4949 · 08/28/2009, 10:08 AM

Turbo snails + an emerald crab or 2 = no more HA.......

jasonmg · 08/28/2009, 11:09 AM

Yellow tang fixed my HA problem in about 5 days. I had been scrubbing and siphoning it out for months and was tearing my hair out. Had taken rocks out and scrubbed them too...but you want to fix the cause of the algae before increasing bioload (ie more fish)

Other thing to remember is - Algae needs light and nutrients so if you have algae growing, nitrates and phosphates generally need to come down. Reduce feeding, increase water changes, how long are you running your lights for?

pura vida mi · 08/28/2009, 11:36 PM

thanks for all the advise. Tank is only 6 days old, however rock was in established tank for years.

Have my lights set 4 10k and 2 blue A for 12 hours, is this too much. then 12 hours of moon light. Was running my refugium light on same cycle as moons, but LFS told me to run 24/7 to grow my cheato (sp).

Sound right?

blazing · 08/28/2009, 11:54 PM

i have had very very very good success with mexican turbos. the emerald crab i got didnt even touch it. my tank was 80% covered in HA. turbos took care of it all in a couple of weeks. just dont get too many turbos as the will starve after they eat all the HA IMO.

cdbias2 · 08/29/2009, 04:53 AM

After you fix the nutrient problem, a toothbrush will work.

FirstContact · 08/29/2009, 07:43 PM

+1 on identifying and fixing the problem.

Put the live rock into a rubbermaid vat with sw and a powerhead. Cover and no light for a few days. Presto, algae gone.

bphelps81 · 08/29/2009, 09:17 PM

definitely remove it before scrubbing.....and rinse off in another bucket

08/27/2009, 09:29 PM	#1
pura vida mi Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: East, Texas Posts: 122	Toothbrush to HAIR ALGAE Is it OK to scrub hair algae off with a new toothbrush? Do the spoors/debree cycle in system and spread growth again, or does the NASTY stuff die off once scrubed into dust?

08/27/2009, 09:32 PM	#3
MrRyanT MrRyanT Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 1,731	I often use a toothbrush when I'm doing water changes. Just siphon out the algae as you scrub it off. __________________ We are what we repeatedly do, excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. - Aristotle Current Tank Info: 30 gal display

08/27/2009, 09:35 PM	#4
pimpinitup6969 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Elmira, Ny Posts: 2,503	i normally take the rock out throw it in a bucket of saltwater and rinse it really well __________________ I'd rather burp and taste it than fart and waste it! Current Tank Info: 125 Gallon, 150 Gallon

08/28/2009, 10:08 AM	#7
spw4949 Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Albany, N.Y. Posts: 1,594	Turbo snails + an emerald crab or 2 = no more HA....... __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 46 gal bowfront, mixed reef, 2x250W current outer orbit w/4x39W T5 ,10 gal fuge....38 gallon aggressive FOWLR, 10 gallon sump.

08/28/2009, 11:09 AM	#8
jasonmg Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 66	Yellow tang fixed my HA problem in about 5 days. I had been scrubbing and siphoning it out for months and was tearing my hair out. Had taken rocks out and scrubbed them too...but you want to fix the cause of the algae before increasing bioload (ie more fish) Other thing to remember is - Algae needs light and nutrients so if you have algae growing, nitrates and phosphates generally need to come down. Reduce feeding, increase water changes, how long are you running your lights for? __________________ Why is the sand wet? Cause the sea weed... Current Tank Info: 200G Full reef tank, 50G sump, Refugium, 3 x 150W MH (14k), 2 x 36W & 4 x 24W Actinics, 80kg QLD Live rock, Macro Aqua KS-300P Protein skimmer. Various mushrooms and Zoo's, 6 x Acro's, Kenya tree, Fungias, other random LPS and softies.

08/27/2009, 09:31 PM	#2
rifishguy Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Westerly RI Posts: 283	Yes it will spread.

08/27/2009, 09:50 PM	#5
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	take it out and put in a bucket of water and do it, otherwise you are spreading that love

08/27/2009, 09:58 PM	#6
jwalker314 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Landenberg, PA Posts: 421	there was a thread on one of these forums where you drill out a toothbrush and attach a piece of hose to the back of the toothbrush for a siphon line...seemed like a cool idea

08/28/2009, 11:36 PM	#9
pura vida mi Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: East, Texas Posts: 122	thanks for all the advise. Tank is only 6 days old, however rock was in established tank for years. Have my lights set 4 10k and 2 blue A for 12 hours, is this too much. then 12 hours of moon light. Was running my refugium light on same cycle as moons, but LFS told me to run 24/7 to grow my cheato (sp). Sound right?

08/28/2009, 11:54 PM	#10
blazing Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: yay area Posts: 625	i have had very very very good success with mexican turbos. the emerald crab i got didnt even touch it. my tank was 80% covered in HA. turbos took care of it all in a couple of weeks. just dont get too many turbos as the will starve after they eat all the HA IMO.

08/29/2009, 04:53 AM	#11
cdbias2 Appalachian Reef Society Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alum Creek, WV (No more) Posts: 1,433	After you fix the nutrient problem, a toothbrush will work.

08/29/2009, 07:43 PM	#12
FirstContact Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Glenn Dale, MD Posts: 1,613	+1 on identifying and fixing the problem. Put the live rock into a rubbermaid vat with sw and a powerhead. Cover and no light for a few days. Presto, algae gone. __________________ No man is an island entire of itself; any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee. John Donne Current Tank Info: 120g Reef 100g Rubbermaid Sump, 20g Refugium; previous tank: 46g Drilled; Self Plumbed, Birds Nest, Anchor, Xenia, Zoas, Yuma Yuma Ricordea, Chalice, Mushrooms, Brain, Acan, Anenome Plate; Clams, Other Inverts, Fish, Live Rock

08/29/2009, 09:17 PM	#13
bphelps81 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cleveland Posts: 267	definitely remove it before scrubbing.....and rinse off in another bucket